Indian, Sikh, Lahore, early 19th century

This one of very few helmets, completely made in Lahore, with skull shaped in the form of the Sikh turban (patka).

The skull is lavishly decorated in gold onlay (koftgari) with foliage diaper panels and borders, with a large pipal leaf at either side. It has a long, and now rather damaged, mail aventail made of fine butted mail of iron and brass arranged in a geometrical diaper.

Unusually, the lining of the helmet survives. This is made of crimson velvet, with an inner lining of cream cotton, quilted in segments over cotton wadding.

• This is one of only a few helmets of this form, made to accommodate the Sikh bun of hair.

• The decoration is in gold koftgari and the helmet has a lining of red velvet.