Page 141 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

bears no dedication. It has a circular head decorated with two
deeply carved superimposed scrolls, one in the saz style with
hatayis and peonies, the other with large rumis. The scrolls
radiate from a central multipetaled rosette embellished with a
six-petaled gold blossom set with turquoise. The sides of the
mirror are decorated with similar saz scrolls, while a rumi
braid frames the face, which is now empty. The glass insert
must have shattered and been removed.
The handle, which is also ivory, is unusual in design. It is
hollow, pierced with long, thin openings, and originally en-
closed an ivory chain, which was broken and is now mostly
lost. The knob at the end is also pierced, its tip decorated
with a swirling petal design.
These two mirrors, one produced for Süleyman and the
other made either for him or for another member of the royal
family, possibly his wife, were set with glass, which is the
earliest occurrence of this material on mirrors in the Ottoman w^^m^^m^^mmm^^mm^m^^mi^^^mmmm^m^m
quarter sixteenth century (Kuwait
National
Carved ivory
75.
second
buckle,
world. There is no evidence that glass mirrors were used else- Museum, LNS 46 I)
where in the palace, such as on walls or in frames. Since they
appear only on small hand-held examples, one can assume
that reflective glass was a rarity at the time. shadow on the deeply recessed field, which is lost in the
Ottoman glassmakers in the sixteenth century were primar- background, creating almost a filigree effect.
ily involved with supplying the needs of architectural decora- The buckle would have been attached to an equally mag-
tion—making colorless or stained glass window panes, oil nificent strip, heavily brocaded or embroidered, possibly also
lamps, and other lighting fixtures—in addition to producing embellished with gems or with additional carved ivory
simple bottles, vases, and drinking vessels for public con- pieces. 57 Belts were also made of series of linked ivory
sumption, hardly any of which have survived. Some of the plaques, frequently inlaid with black organic material and
artists were employed by the imperial society of the camger gold, and set with gems. The Hazine of the Topkapi Palace
(glassmakers); others belonged to local guilds and made contains a number of these complete belts as well as individ-
stained glass windows as well as large blown glass bottles, as ual plaques and buckles.
can be seen in the illustration of the procession of the guilds- One of the ivory belts in the Hazine (76) is constructed of
men during the 1582 festival in Lokman's Surname.™ It has four long and three short plaques linked together by series of
been-suggested that high-quality glass vessels as well as mir- interlocking tiny pieces that provide flexibility. The plaques
rors were imported from Europe, particularly from Venice, have trefoil lobes on their upper and lower edges; in the cen-
while domestic production served more prosaic needs. 55 ter of each is a raised smaller unit with the same shape, cre-
Mirrors were considered valuable enough to be presented ating a stepped effect. The belt fastens with a series of loops
to the sultan during bayrams. Among the gifts he received held together with a draw pin.
during these celebrations were jeweled mirrors produced by The surfaces of the plaques as well as their sides are incised
goldsmiths and gold inlayers as well as ivory examples made with minute floral scrolls with occasional rumijpalmettes and
by the kündekari. The kündekari, in addition, gave ivory belt filled with black material; placed over them are gold-inlaid
plaques, dagger handles, combs, and archer's rings, some of scrolls with leaves, buds, and blossoms with ruby or tur-
which were identified in the registers as having been made quoise cores held with prongs. The ivory has been waxed or
from walrus tusks. 56 covered with a thin coat of lacquer, producing a shimmering
The same delicate scrolls used on the two mirrors described surface. The style of the mounts for the gems suggests that
above appear on an ivory belt buckle (75) with a curved and the piece was made in the second quarter of the sixteenth
lobed panel at the front and a plain bar at the back, through century.
which a strip of leather or fabric would have been threaded. Another similarly decorated belt (77) was found in the
The front panel, framed by grooved bands, is carved with ex- Mausoleum of Selim II and dates from the mid-sixteenth cen-
quisite saz scrolls bearing compound hatayis, buds, and feath- tury. It is constructed of four square ivory plaques with circu-
ery leaves that overlay and intersect, intermingled with cloud lar medallions rising in their centers; the plaques are attached
bands that form cartouches in the center and at the sides. The by hinges to narrow strips that are linked to a series of small
densely packed scrolls, rendered in high relief with extremely pieces arranged in five rows of threes and fours. The belt fas-
refined details, appear to float over the surface, casting a tens with loops held by a draw pin.

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