A GILT-COPPER ( TOMBAK) SHIELD ( KALKAN )OTTOMAN TURKEY, LATE 16TH OR EARLY 17TH CENTURYA GILT-COPPER (TOMBAK) SHIELD (KALKAN)OTTOMAN TURKEY, LATE 16TH OR EARLY 17TH CENTURYThe domed circular body with a raised central boss and with pounced decoration in three bands, the inner band with row of palmettes, the middle band alternating with arabesque medallions containing split-palmettes and stylised cypress tree motifs, the outer band with alternating rosettes, ten rivets with rosette-shaped heads fixing to iron washers with attached loops on the inside, the outer rim pierced22 3/4in. (57cm.) diam.Tombak was prized by the Ottomans and was widely used to embellish objects including parade arms and armour. Whilst visually impressive and luxurious the softness of the material makes it completely impractical for battlefield armour and a shield (kalkan) such as this and this would have been purely ceremonial, probably reserved for a high ranking official or member of the Sultan’s guard. Other than shields, helmets, body and horse armour worked in tombak are known. When fully caparisoned the golden Ottoman army would have been a truly impressive sight. The present shield is reputed to have come from Pidhirsti Caslte in Poland as part of the spoils taken from the retreating Ottoman army following the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The battle marked a crucial turning point and is considered to be the moment the tide of Ottoman expansion into Europe was broken with the reconquest of Hungary, Transylvania and some of the Balkans soon following. Pidhirsti Castle had been the home of Jakub Sobieski, son of the Polish King Jan III Sobieski (r.1674-96) who had led the combined European forces at the Battle of Vienna and had at a time stayed in the castle. The castle was later sold and then inherited by Waclaw Rzewuski, a noted military commander who assembled a great collection of arms and armour, specifically in relation to King Jan III Sobieski and the Battle of Vienna. Buying a great number of Ottoman pieces taken from the Battle of Vienna in 1788, it is probably at this time that the present shield entered the Pidhirsti Castle Collection. Our shield belongs to a group of distinctive form with raised ribs and pointillé decoration including cypress trees and palmette cartouches. Suggesting the work of a common workshop, other examples are in the Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Inv.D16), the Askeri Museum in Istanbul (no.A.171 and no.A.181), and the armoury of the Knights of St. John, Malta (S.C.Spiteri, Armoury of the Knights: a study of the Palace Armoury, its collection, and the military storehouses of the Hospitaller Knights of the Order of St John, Malta, 2003, p.317, No.O4). For similar shields sold at auction see Sotheby’s Amsterdam, 19 December 2006, lot 413, Sotheby’s London, 8 October 2008, lot 235 and Olympia Auctions, 29 June 2011, lot 120.细节 A GILT-COPPER (TOMBAK) SHIELD (KALKAN)OTTOMAN TURKEY, LATE 16TH OR EARLY 17TH CENTURYThe domed circular body with a raised central boss and with pounced decoration in three bands, the inner band with row of palmettes, the middle band alternating with arabesque medallions containing split-palmettes and stylised cypress tree motifs, the outer band with alternating rosettes, ten rivets with rosette-shaped heads fixing to iron washers with attached loops on the inside, the outer rim pierced22 3/4in. (57cm.) diam. 来源 By repute, taken at the second Siege of Vienna (1683)Pidhirsti Castle, Poland, by repute London market by 2012