Original Afghan 19th Century Water Animal Hide Shield with Original Leather Handles

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a gorgeous Afghan circular shield, measuring roughly 17¾” in diameter, and is roughly 2¾” deep. The shield retains both of its original leather straps connected to the crude iron rings on the interior. The shield is constructed from a heavy leather hide embellished with iron & some brass fittings. The construction of the shield gives provenance to its age, with extremely crude nails being used to secure the fittings which are still clearly visible on the reverse.

The reverse of the shield shows several period repairs, done with small strips of iron attached by small crude nails to repair breaks in the leather. There are four of these small repairs, and they appears as old as the shield itself, so this is certainly a shield that saw extensive use over a long period of time.

The front of the shield has a thin iron border with strips dividing the front into four quadrants. Each quadrant has a small and loose iron circle, a smaller circle of possibly zinc, and a brass “wreath” looking device, although one of the quadrants is missing this brass piece.

A fantastic early Afghan shield, ready for further research and display.