The book on Islamic weapons

The page with this armor group

Here is the actual item pictured in the book

Set of Egyptian Cuirass and Helmet from the Bodyguard Regiment of the Royal Guard to the Khedive of Egypt (Item ANTWEP 2-44)

DESCRIPTION: Here is one of the rarest of all armor sets that we have ever offered This is the official bodyguard armor for the elite guards who guarded the lives of the Khedive of Egypt. The term “Khedive” (Ottoman Turkish: is a title largely equivalent to the English word “viceroy”.) It was first used, without official recognition, by Muhammad Ali Pasha (Turkish: Kavalali Mehet Ali Pasha, General Muhammad Ali of Kavala), the governor of Egypt and Sudan, and vassal of the Ottoman Empire. The initially self-declared title was officially recognized by the Ottoman government in 1867 and, until 1914, was used by Ismail Pasha and his dynastic successors. This armor is circa 1865. The 1860s were Egypt’s golden imperial years when she attempted to build a modern navy and the empire cooperated with such other imperial powers such as France and trade was established. This set of armor was produced for the Khedive in France. The fabulous set of cuirass and helmet definitely merge in agglutinate harmony and it is obvious that they belong together. The helmet bears an arrow-pointed nose guard that also bears the feathered shaft of said projectile’s shape. The sides show the five-pointed star of Islam within large discs on each side. The chinstrap is comprised of interlinking chain. At the very top crown of the helmet is the crescent of Islam. The combination of star and crescent are militaristic nationalist emblems of the various states of the Ottoman Empire. On the front of the chest plate (cuirass) you can see a separately affixed star-burst-patterned badge which is shown by elitist militant groups within various Islamic empires that the world has seen. The metallic shoulder straps are quite handsome, as well, as they suspend from the back of the cuirass and they lay upon the whole front down to just above the waist. All in all, this 150-year-old set that was surely rare and unobtainable in its time is incredibly intact for its antiquity. I believe if one had $50,000 to try and find one it would be an unsuccessful quest. We believe there is one in the Paris Musée de l’Armée (a national military museum of France) but we are not sure it is as complete and in the same remarkable condition as this one. We are very proud to offer this wonderful coordinated group to the advanced collector. By the way, the very same set is shown on page 68 in the huge book entitled Islamic Weapons: Maghrib to Moghul by Anthony C. Tirri. This is guaranteed to be the set that we offer.

PRICE: SOLD