A Deccani chain-mail coat, India, 17th century

of riveted mail covering the head, neck, arms, torso and upper legs, enclosing at the front with two large plates each fitted with three buckles extending from fish formed mouths, two smaller plates on the sides forming a curve, the rear with three vertical registers of overlapping plaques with bracket-form indents on the central register, two smaller panels on the sides, devanagari inscriptions to the inside of the right breast plate, the helmut of finer mail surmounted by a circular disc with traces of gilding and turned knob

some minor losses, overall in good condition, as viewed
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These types of chainmail coats were made in Bijapur as part of a collection which entered the armoury at Bikaner, the capital of the Adilshahi dynasty, defeated by the Maharajah Anup Singh at Adoni in 1689. The craftmanship and detail suggest that this chainmail was orignally worn by a high-ranking individual. The inscription records the name of Sri Annup Singh and date of its capture.

A similar shirt is housed in the Khalili Collection (Alexander 1992, p.160, no.100).  A comparable chainmail shirt dating from the same conflict sold in these rooms, 9 April 2008, lot 257.