Lot 401
  • 401

A rare Ottoman tombak breast plate (krug), Turkey, 16th/17th century

Estimate
180,000 - 220,000 GBP
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Description

  • gilt-copper
comprising a central round shield embossed with a series of narrow ribs radiating from a central boss, with punched decorative motifs around edge, the three outer protective plates held together with chain mail between, each with punched foliate arabesque motifs, Eirene mark bottom right, fitted on a modern bespoke stand 

Provenance

By repute, Pidhirsti Castle, Poland
Residence of John III Sobieski, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (r.1674–96)

Condition

In fairly good condition, some areas rubbed with resulting loss to gilding and scratches to surface, one or two minor dents, few chain links missing, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

This exceptionally rare tombak breast-plate (krug) testifies to the grandeur, wealth and glory of the Ottoman imperial army, whose visual splendour would have equalled if not surpassed its physical might. Composed primarily of copper alloy, a metal too soft to have been of serious use in battle, this piece most likely belonged to a member of the ceremonial janissary guard of the vizier or even the Sultan himself.

The word tombak is said to have derived from the Malay word for ‘copper’ tambaga, the alloy used for the construction of the body which is then transformed and brightened with mercury gilding in imitation of reflective gold (Kayaoğlu 1992, p.2). This imitation could be so effective that some tombak items were stamped so there could be no deception as to the item’s true metallurgical properties. It is extremely rare to find a krug such as the present example (which is preserved in remarkable condition) as they were originally reserved for individuals of wealth and privilege, thus few were produced and even fewer survive. The present example bears the mark of the Eirene arsenal in Topkapi Saray, Istanbul, adding to its importance.

While the Ottoman Empire was expanding, the court received great wealth and an abundance of skilled workmanship; this was reflected in the splendour of the weaponry. The expansion into Western Europe came to an end when the Turks were repulsed from the walls of Vienna in 1683 and pushed back in the battles and skirmishes that followed in Hungary and Eastern Europe. Many examples of Ottoman weaponry were seized and kept as trophies by the European victors and survive to this day in Hungarian, Polish and German noble collections (Ricketts and Missillier 1998, p.11). This breast-plate’s preservation (by repute) in Pidhirsti Castle, Poland, testifies to the phenomenon of türkenbeute by which a large amount of Ottoman booty captured during the historic siege of Vienna is now preserved in European public and private collections. It is likely that this piece, as well as the shield in the following lot, entered the castle in approximately 1788, when it was inherited by Waclaw Rzewuski, a notable military commander who amassed a vast collection of arms and armour, notably from John III Sobieski, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (r.1674–96), who resided for a time in the castle. 

Important examples of Ottoman tombak armour are also to be found in Turkey, notably in the Askeri (Military) Museum, Istanbul, which houses a similar breast-plate with its remaining seven protective plates (inv.no.166). Other Ottoman ceremonial military accoutrements produced in tombak with similar split-palmette designs in the Askeri Museum include helmets (inv.nos.7951 & 1090), shields (for example, inv.no.21264) and chamfrons for horses (inv.nos.14893 & 8360), but only one breast-plate. Another documented tombak breast-plate is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, where it can be viewed as it would originally have been worn, above a zirah (chainmail shirt) with a matching helmet. Three further examples (bringing the total extant number to six) are in the collection of the Knights of the Order of St. John, otherwise known as the Knights of Malta (see Spiteri 2003, p.317, ills.Q2 and Q3). An example in steel, which features the same concentric, sunburst design at the centre, is in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, inv. no.51.419. The present krug is the only recorded example still in private hands.

For further information on tombak armour, see O. Ozkan, Askeri Muze: Tombak Eserler Katalogu, Istanbul, 2001.