{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O84519"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O84519/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF3023/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF3023/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BF3023","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EX7927","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EX7925","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EX7926","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2013GA7062","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KW8240","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW9094","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW9095","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O84519/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O84519","accessionNumber":"3518(IS)","objectType":"Helmet","titles":[{"title":"War helmet of Tipu Sultan","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This helmet made of quilted fabric and lined with velvet belonged to Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore in South India (r. 1782-1799). It was taken from his palace after the Siege of Seringapatam, when the army of the East India Company defeated Mysore, and Tipu Sultan was killed. The helmet has an embroidered Persian inscription on the fabric inside, stating that it had been dipped in the waters of the Zamzam well at Mecca and was therefore deemed to be impenetrable. The helmet was presented to the Indian Museum in London 'by the besiegers of Seringapatam', and was transferred to the South Kensington Museum in 1879.","physicalDescription":"Very large quilted helmet with flaps at the sides and rear, composed of many layers of cotton quilted together. It is covered with dark green silk or satin, and lined with velvet of the same colour. On the inside of the rear flap an inscription is embroidered to the effect that it has been dipped in the holy well of Zam-Zam at Mecca, thus making it impenetrable.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Quilted cotton, covered in satin or velvet","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Hats & headwear","id":"THES48943"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BF3023","2011EX7927","2011EX7925","2011EX7926","2013GA7062","2018KW8240","2021MW9094","2021MW9095"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES371596"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Helmet","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sriringapatna","id":"x32046"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 18th century","earliest":"1750-01-01","latest":"1800-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Transferred from the India Museum in 1879","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"32","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"19.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"22","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Persian inscription to the effect that it has been dipped in the holy well of Zam-Zam at Mecca, thus making it impenetrable.","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"Embroidered","position":"Inside rear flap","script":"Persian","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Persian; Inside rear flap; Embroidered"}],"objectHistory":"The helmet was taken at Seringapatam in 1799 at the siege, and presented to the Indian Museum 'by the besiegers of Seringapatam'. Another India Museum record states it was 'presented by the Captors of Seringapatam (Marquis Hastings). It was transferred to the South Kensington Museum in 1879.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Quilted helmet, of cotton covered with green velvet or satin, taken at the siege of Seringapatam in 1799, Mysore, late 18th century.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"C. Bayley, ed., The Raj, cat. 164, p. 157."},{"reference":{"text":"Egerton, Wilbraham, <i>An illustrated handbook of Indian arms; being a classified and descriptive catalogue of the arms exhibited at the India museum: with an introductory sketch of the military history of India</i>, London, 1880","id":"AUTH353483"},"details":"p.124","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"p.74, fig.41","free":"Ed. Venetia Porter, Hajj. <u>Journey to the Heart of Islam</u>,  (British Museum Press, London), 2012, ISBN.9780714111766"},{"reference":{"text":"Tippoo's tiger / Mildred Archer. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983 (c. 1959) Number: 0905209532 (pbk) :","id":"AUTH339984"},"details":"p. 29, pl. 22","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Lord Egerton of Tatton, Indian and Oriental Armour, London, 1896, p. 124, Cat. No. 589"}],"production":"Transferred from the India Museum to South Kensington Museum in 1879","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"","date":{"text":"18/09/2013","earliest":"2013-09-18","latest":"2013-09-18"}},{"text":"HELMET\r\nQuilted cotton, originally covered with green satin,\r\nlined with green velvet\r\nMysore\r\n1780-95\n\r\n3518(IS)\r\nTransferred from the Indian Museum\r\nin 1879\r\nThis was one of Tipu Sultan’s personal helmets. It was taken from his palace in 1799 and exhibited at the Indian Museum in London. A Persian inscription embroidered on the inside states that the helmet had been dipped in the waters of the Zam Zam well at Mecca. It was believed that this would make it impenetrable","date":{"text":"27/9/2013","earliest":"2013-09-27","latest":"2013-09-27"}}],"partNumbers":["3518(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"3518","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Egerton Catalogue Number","id":"THES50387"},"number":"589"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-05","recordCreationDate":"2003-09-29","availableToBook":true}}