RARE ANTIQUE TURKISH/ISLAMIC/OTTOMAN EMPIRE SILVER EMBROIDERED EVENING BAG 1900

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RARE ANTIQUE TURKISH/ISLAMIC/OTTOMAN EMPIRE SILVER EMBROIDERED EVENING BAG 1900:
$217.50

This is a very rare and beautiful crescent moon shaped evening bag dating from the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II of the Ottoman Empire.Towards the end of Abdulhamid II\'s reign, there was a move away from traditional Turkish costumes and towards the latest Parisian fashion designs for the elite.
Armenian and Greek tailors served the wealthy and the Court with the new fasions and were in great demand. This evening bag shows that Parisian influence.Exquisite and elegant, the bag is made from fine cream coloured silk velvet with a blue silk lining (the fabrics probably originate from Bursa) and fabulous silver tasselled rope handle overlaid with a silver thread netting embroidery stitch.The cartouche to the flap on the front of the bag displays the Ottoman/Turkish moon and star emblems worked in gold and silver thread metallic threads, surrounded by an embroidered star.
These metallic threads are thought to be made of real gold and silver.
The bag has a snap fastener closure.The quality of the embroidery is just astonishing!
There are many complex and intricate patterns of silver wire embroidery, couched silver threads, couched silver ropes, together with metallic gold coloured sequins, tiny gold glass beads and a thick silver rope to the edge of the bag.

There is a striking double fringe, one layer applied to the bottom edge of the flap and another to the bottom of the bag comprised of strung bugle and rocaille glass beads in subtle shades of gold and golden browns.The back of the evening bag is embroidered with similar materials in an equally striking geometric arrangement with stylised representations of traditional Turkish floral motifs.The rope style handle is completed by two fabulous long and luxuriant silver tassels believed to be made of real silver/sterling threads.
Despite some small beading losses and slight discoloration caused by time, this bag is of museum quality and probably dates back to the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II, who died in 1909.
The bag is without any signs of repair and the velvet fabric appears to be without damage or holes. No attempts have been made to clean the item or restore lost beads.This amazing evening bag is an extremely fine and very rare example of period Turkish embroidery. It would have been made for someone at the very top of society, possibly at Court.

It was made of the finest materials and shows the highest levels of craftsmanship and design.

Absolute luxury!Genuine antique Turkish and Ottoman textiles of this period are extremely rare, particularly of such outstanding quality!The bag measures 8 inches (20 cms) wide x 22 inches (56 cms) deep (max) .