OTTOMAN EMPIRE EMBROIDERY.
OTTOMAN EMPIRE EMBROIDERY. This collection has been sold and is awaiting delivery.
THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE which lasted for more than 600 years finally collapsed in the early 1920s when the modern state of Turkey was formed and Constantinople became Istanbul Its epicentre was what is now western Turkey and at its zenith it stretched from south east Europe, the Balkans and the Middle East It also occupied large parts of Arabia and the North African lands stretching from Egypt westwards to Algeria.
Today the surviving magnificent hand embroidered textiles, mostly from Turkey itself, but also from Greece and the Balkans and lesser known sources are much sought after. The larger pieces such as bed sets, drapes, curtains, bolsters and items for Mosques and major buildings were made in studios by the most skilled workers. Smaller and more functional examples were made in the home, mostly for domestic use as napkins, towels, sashes and headcovers.
They have provided a rich source of study for researchers, scholars and authors and many authoratative text books are available today.