PAHLAVI CROWN 1926
This crown was created for the coronation of Reza Shah, the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty. The year before, he had been elected monarch of Iran after the deposition of Ahmad Shah Qajar, ending the Qajar dynasty that had ruled for 140 years. Made with red velvet, gold, silver, pearls, emerald and over 3,000 diamonds, including the 60-carat yellow diamond at the front, this crown was inspired by the headdresses worn during the Sassanid Empire, between the 3rd and 7th centuries. It replaced the Kiani crown used by the Qajars and was last used for the coronation of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1967.