The Silver Items

These silver pieces tell a story of honor and taste.

They were sent as gifts in the early 20th century. They marked the 25th year of Sultan Abdulhamid the Second on the throne. Sultan Abdulhamid the Second was an Ottoman ruler.

The silver works show a clear European style. But they are not only European. They also carry Ottoman shapes and Ottoman taste. So they bring two worlds together.

This mix was common in the palace at that time. The Ottoman court also welcomed European music. The Imperial Music Band, called Mızıka-yı Hümayun, was trained by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti Pasha.

So these silver items show more than wealth. They show a time when Ottoman art and European style met in palace life.