Not currently on display at the V&A

Mail Shirt

19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Iran (made)

Elbow length sleeved shirt composed of fine copper, steel and brass butted mail links in a chevron diaper pattern with brass diamond borders. Red velvet covers a leather reinforced standing collar with an overcollar of mail of the same type with dagged ends


Object details
Categories
Metalwork
Arms & Armour
Object type
Mail shirt
Materials and techniques
Steel, copper and brass butted mail links
Brief description
Middle East, Metalwork. Elbow length sleeved shirt composed of fine copper, steel and brass butted mail links in a chevron diaper pattern with brass diamond borders. Red velvet covers a leather reinforced standing collar with an overcollar of mail of the same type with dagged ends.; Persian; Arms and armour. Inter-departmental transfer to MES, RF 2011/1170.
Physical description
Elbow length sleeved shirt composed of fine copper, steel and brass butted mail links in a chevron diaper pattern with brass diamond borders. Red velvet covers a leather reinforced standing collar with an overcollar of mail of the same type with dagged ends
Dimensions
  • Overall width: 138cm
  • Across shoulders width: 52cm
  • Height: 79cm
  • Standing collar height: 19cm
  • Standing collar width: 31cm
Object history
This object was bought in Tehran in 1874 by Robert Murdoch Smith, on behalf of the Museum. In one transaction totalling £33.4/, Murdoch Smith bought a range of art objects, including ceramics, metalwork and textiles, from Henry Michael Collins, a British telegraph engineer stationed in Iran between 1872 and 1878.
Collection
Middle East Section
Accession number
1300-1874

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Record createdDecember 17, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72080/mail-shirt-unknown/
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