Gilded Silver Ottoman Buckle

Fine, Gilded Silver Buckle

This splendid large belt buckle is very much in the Ottoman and Ottoman Greek style, a style that was also worn in the Ottoman Balkans. Ottoman empire rulers and warriors wore belts and elaborate, over-sized buckles as symbols of their power and rank. The fashion for such ostentatious belts was largely over by the mid-19th century.

Formed as two

boteh-shaped halves of gilded (gold-plated) silver that has been cast and chased with fine baroque-like vegetal scrollwork, the two sides clip together by means of a gilded hook on one and a reciprocal gilded eyelet on the other.

The buckle is large and decorative. It is in fine condition and is without obvious losses or repairs. The gilded has mellowed with age to a soft gold, enhancing the beauty of the buckle.

A related buckle was offered as part of lot 129, Sotheby’s London, ‘Arts of the Islamic World, October 8, 2014. Click

to see the lot.

Koc, A., et al, Istanbul: The City and the Sultan, Nieuwe Kerk, 2007.

UK art market