A 15th century Mamluk helmet has demolished its estimate at an Eastern weapons auction.
The rare helmet sold for £128,500 ($198,631) at Bonhams London on April 29, more than trebling its £30,000 high estimate.
 The rare Mamluk helmet more than trebled its estimate |
It was the centrepiece of the sale of the Rick Wagner collection of Eastern militaria.
The helmet was made for Egyptian sultan Qaitbay, who ruled the Mamluk Sultanate between 1468 and 1496.
The Sultanate spanned Egypt and a small portion of the Middle East from the 12th to the 16th century - falling to the Ottoman Empire in 1517.
The finial is inscribed: "The most honourable ruler Qaitbay, may his victory be glorious."
Chicago-born Wagner was inspired to collect militaria from the East after watching Lawrence of Arabia. He bought his first Arab dagger in 1978.
Also performing well was an 18th century Algerian toe-lock gun, which sold for £47,750 ($73,814) - far beyond its £30,000 high estimate.
A late 17th or early 18th century Indian jewelled khanjar hilt also sold well, making £68,500 ($105,891).
"If you buy an antique so beautiful that you couldn't have made it today for the same money, it's a sound investment," Wagner told artdaily prior to the sale.
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