216 - RARE SMALL OTTOMAN SILVER SIDE TABLE

RARE SMALL OTTOMAN SILVER SIDE TABLE Made of solid silver (800°/°° hallmarked), the circular top is bordered by a double beaded and fluted frieze. The baluster-shaped stem is adorned with a chased design of acanthus leaves on the upper portion and a frieze of interlaced scrollwork with fleurons on the lower portion. It rests on three scalloped legs decorated with volutes and foliage scrolls. Ottoman Turkey, late 19th century or early 20th century. Hallmarks bearing the Tugra and Saf of Sultan Abdülhamid II (reigned 1876–1909). Height: 47.5 cm - Diameter: 32.5 cm - Gross weight: approx. 7,200 g (normal wear and scratches) Provenance: – By reputation, acquired by Philip Henry Wodehouse Currie, 1st Baron Currie (1834–1906), ambassador to the Sublime Porte (Ottoman Empire) between 1893 and 1898, and subsequently passed down through inheritance to the present day. Description: The hallmarks on this exceptional piece of silverware take us back to Constantinople in the late 19th century, during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II (1876–1909). Its tuğra, an imperial calligraphic monogram, is one of the hallmarks characteristic of Ottoman silverwork from this period. With its proportions and refinement, this small side table, or sehpa, is a luxury piece intended for the most prestigious interiors. Its Western-inspired silhouette—with its tripod base, baluster-shaped shaft, and classical ornamental repertoire—reflects the evolution of taste among the Ottoman elite in the 19th century. This Westernization of the decorative arts, which had begun under previous reigns, found one of its most spectacular expressions in the construction and interior design of the Dolmabahçe Palace, built on the shores of the Bosphorus between 1843 and 1856, during the reign of Abdülmecid I. European styles—notably Neoclassical, Baroque, and Rococo—blended there with Ottoman artistic traditions, giving rise to an original decorative language that was particularly prized in court circles. The interest in our pedestal table also lies in its presumed provenance. According to family tradition, it is said to have belonged to Sir Philip Henry Wodehouse Currie, a prominent British diplomat who served as ambassador to Constantinople during the reign of Abdülhamid II. His career placed him at the heart of political and diplomatic relations between the two powers. The presence of this precious piece of furniture among his descendants thus suggests the possibility that it was a diplomatic gift, in keeping with a long-standing practice of the Ottoman courts, where gold and silverware and luxury items played a central role in the ceremonial exchanges between sovereigns and foreign representatives. Beyond its remarkable silver weight and the quality of its craftsmanship, our pedestal table thus serves as a valuable testament to the artistic and diplomatic exchanges between the Ottoman Empire and Europe in the late 19th century.