MAPS -- "AVRUPA, ASYA ve AFRIKA (…)". (Istanbul?), State Printing Office Matbaa-i Amire, dated 1254 (=1838/1839). Printed map of the (Holy) Ottoman empire w. hand colouring, dissected in 32 parts, mounted on green silk. Total size 762 x 1050 mm. In green leather sleeve, upholstered w. green silk w. gilt ornamental borders on v°, tog. in green leather slipcase; both sleeve and slipcase richly gilt on both sides and w. a central gilt ornament or tughra, most probably referring to sultan Mahmud II (1785-1839). (Linen a bit weak in places, but in excellent condition).
All geographical indications and title within cartouche printed (partly written?) in Ottoman Turkish. The 'tughra', an artistically calligraphed signature, resembles strongly the one depicted in a work on this subject ('Osmanli padisah tugralari') by Suha Umur (1980), p. 294. It reads: "Mahmud Khan son of Abdulhamid is forever victorious". Mahmud II was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. Often described as the 'Peter the Great of Turkey', Mahmud instituted extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms. His disbandment of the conservative Janissary corps removed a major obstacle to his and his successors' reforms in the Empire. Mahmud's reign was also marked by further Ottoman military defeat and loss of territory as a result of nationalist uprisings and European intervention. - Very beautiful and delicate map.
€ 2000
Terug