Tugra hallmark. 19th century. Ottoman Empire, before 1923.

Silver, partially gilded. L 24.5 cm. 311 g.

Complete qalamdan (elongated case with attached inkwell), containing an added sterling silver pen holder, hallmarked "Tiffany & Co" . Slight signs of age and wear; solder marks on the hinged lid.

In the Ottoman Empire, scribes and calligraphers formed an important and influential elite. The “people of the pen” (kalem ehli) worked in various administrative departments and shaped political, diplomatic, and intellectual life. Thus, expensive and artfully crafted qalamdans, which were often worn on the belt, became symbols of their wealth and status.