Review of Garo Kürkman, Ottoman Silver Marks, Istanbul: Mathusalem Publications The government of the Ottoman sultans controlled the distribution of precious metals by testing the purity of the gold and silver used to fashion precious objects and strike coins. An official stamp (sah) guaranteeing the purity, usually 90% for silver, accompanied by the monogram signature…

If at first this seems an exotic addition to most people’s libraries, take a simple glance through this book and you will find it hard to resist. The standard of the photography, both of the pieces and of the marks themselves, is superlative. With a wealth of information, this is a fascinating and comprehensive book,…

Ottoman Silver Marks By Garo Kurkman Mathusalem Publications Istanbul, 1996 Yet again, a major publication concerned with Turkish art and history comes from the pen of a gifted and diligent amateur. Garo Kurkman is an engineer by profession, yet his passion and enthusiasm for Ottoman silver marks have produced a text and reference work for…