An interesting mail shirt. The exact origin of this piece is unclear. The mail is finely made and well rivetted, some of rivets are slotted in shape which suggests that the mail may have European origins, other rivets seems to have circular rivets as found on Indo-Persian mail, while other seems to have raised circular bump decoration on either side of the rivets. All the mail is of the same origin and completely matching in size and patina, so these variations were present at manufacture. The leather collar and lacing is unusual and could be suggested to have an African origin, although European mail also used leather collars and ties in a similar way. There is a reinforced band of woven leather at the crotch area. Should the shirt be European then it would probably date to the 16th or 17th centuries, the leather could be original, or a slightly later lateration. The whole is mounted on a wooden display board, apparantly of mahogany.
$enquire
|
