Persian mail and plate shirt.

[estcrh]

I also sent a message the Los Angles County Museum of Art about the mail and plate shirt, lets see if they respond.

Hello, I am writing to inform your institution that an item on your website is currently mis-identified and it is also not being displayed properly. The item in question is being called ("Breastplate, Iran, 16th-17th century, Arms and Armor, Steel with silver inlay24 x 39 in. (61.0 x 99.0 cm), The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection, gift of Joan Palevsky (M.73.5.729a-j), Islamic Art") http://collections.lacma.org/node/221440 This armor is not a "breastplate", it is actually a mail and plate shirt (zirh gomlak or zirah baktar / zirah bagtar). This is not the worse error unfortunately, someone has placed a completely separate form of armor on each shoulder, these are actually a rare form of knee and thigh armor (dizcek), these absolutely do not belong on the shoulders of this mail and plate shirt, they should be dis-attached from the shirt and be displayed, cataloged and inventoried as individual items.

I have provided a link were you can see examples of both types of armor, a little research will show you that the item is not properly displayed or labeled, since your institution has a very good name and people are now downloading these images and copying the descriptions it would be in your best interest to correct these inaccuracies, thank you.

[estcrh]

One more example, a well known armor from the Deutsches Historisches Museum (Museum of German History), with this example it is easier to list the parts which belong then the ones that do not. Since I do not speak German someone else will have to tell them that they are making their institution look foolish.

[VANDOO]

WE DON'T DISCUSS ARMOR MUCH SO I WILL INCLUDE A COUPLE OF MY FAVORITES HERE JUST FOR FUN. 1. A BREASTPLATE FROM INDIA AND 2. A SILVER BRA FROM SULAWESI, TORAJA. HAPPY HALLOWEEN

[Sancar]

Using dizçeks as shoulder armour and "kolçak"s as shin armour are unfortunetley the most common and persistant mistakes museums make on their displays.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by estcrh

I also sent a message the Los Angles County Museum of Art about the mail and plate shirt, lets see if they respond.

I just received an email from Dr. Linda Komaroff, Curator of Islamic Art and Department Head, Art of the Middle East, Los Angeles County Museum of Art. I think this is a great reply.

Thank you for calling to our attention the errors on the museum's website. The curatorial departments do have responsibility for updating the website. Although we try very hard to pass along the correct information it does not always find its way to the internet. The armor in question is currently on exhibition and is shown correctly as in the attached image. I think you will agree it looks much better.

Sadly someone mounted the knee guards on the shoulders many years ago, around 1995, as reflected in that old image. They are currently in our conservation department being cleaned though they are perhaps not a matched pair.The shirt of mail and plate is exhibited with a 15th-century helmet and two leg guards of similar date, which unfortunately are definitely not a matched pair. We will do our very best to have the old image removed and the correct information inserted.

An image of the current display and the new description.

Shirt of Mail and Plate
Iran, 15th century
Steel with silver inlay and traces of gilding
The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection, gift of Joan Palevsky
M.73.5.729a