An Ottoman Ostrich Egg Hanging Ornament with tughra of Abd al-Hamid II - Turkey, AH 1293-1327/ AD 1876-1909

the egg embellished with gilt mounts set with coloured glass stones, a ball suspension set with pearls and below a tassle of strings of seed pearls and coloured semi-precious stones, the domic silver suspension section set with turquoises forming floral rosettes, later replacements  67 cm. long overall - Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000

Provenance: Acquired in Paris, 1962.

Notes: Decorated ostrich eggs, marked with the Sultan's tughra, were a traditional decoration of the Ottoman court; a bejewelled and enamlled egg, bearing the tughra of Mahmut II, can be seen in the Imperial Treasury at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul (see, J. M. Rogers, The Topkapi Saray Museum, The Treasury, New York, 1980, no. 13).

Ostrich eggs were believed to repel spiders, and were included in the chandeliers of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul to avoid the build-up of cobwebs.

Bonhams. The Jacques Desenfans Collection, 10 Apr 2008. New Bond Street