Indo Persian Helmet--top missing?

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by naborow

I don't know what you mean by coming out of India recently, but we personally have had it sitting around in a box with the other stuff for about 20 years.

the hole at the top is about 1 1/2 cm deep and 1/2 cm wide. Its interior is oxidized and crusty. there is a 1/2 cm deep tube which appears to have some threads.

based on the pictures on internet of 1903 Delhi durbar, I think there was no spike, as all of the photos and paintings of the procession show plumes.

I don't know that I can phrase it any more clearly.
It's very much like the 'better' pieces coming out of India at the moment often being sold as 'antique'.
In other words, there are 'similar' helmets being made now in India and being sold as antique.

It looks to be very similar to the example shown by Trajan.
So we've got two apparently 100+ year old helmets which appear to be from the same workshop, both with perfect gold koftgari with no discernable wear.

Trajan's has butted chainmail. Your's has riveted chainmail connected with butted links (can you confirm that?).
This would mean that any strike against the chainmail would rip these weaker links and pull the skirt away from the bowl.

The thread that you can see inside the top spike boss will probobly be a nut which will have been brazed to the top of the bowl. There would have been a spike that screwed into it.
Try some long bolts to get the thread size then it's a really easy job to remake it and you'll know what size thread to cut onto the end.

As for dating it
In any event it's a nice thing which is well made and will display very well.