H. M. King Mohammed Zahir Shah of Afghanistan, 1934, in military uniform.

Afghanistan. A rather scarce portrait of H.M. King Mohammed Zahir Shah [1914-2007] who ruled Afghanistan from 1933 until his deposition in a coup of 1973. The portrait measures 8¼ x 6 ins and is fixed to an amateur card mount with tape. A one inch closed tear without loss on the right hand edge beyond the figure’s elbow is repaired from behind with old tape. The portrait dates from 1934, shortly after the King’s accession when he was around twenty. He wears the insignia of the Collar of the Order of the Sun, which was instituted in 1920 by his predecessor, King Amanullah. His late Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was also a holder of this award. The troubled history of Afghanistan since 1973 is one of the reasons why this photograph is not often to be found.       feb5/5