A "Sacit" Sealed Bookbinding in Topkapi Palace

Abstract

The signature "Sacit 1939" was found on the right cover of the volume with inventory number 923 in the Revan Collection of the Topkapi Palace Museum Library. It is highly probable that this signature was made by Mehmed Sacit Okyay, who worked in the Palace Library between 1939 and 1946. It has been observed that the moulds used both on the outer cover and inside the cover have the same ornamentation as a few other works signed by Necmeddin Okyay, Sami Necmeddin and Mustafa Düzgünman, as well as a few other works in the palace collection. It is known that Necmeddin Okyay and his son Sami Necmeddin produced new moulds by studying some of the works in the Topkapı Palace Museum Library. It has been observed that the pattern on the outer cover of the binding has the same illumination as the work with the inventory number TSMK III.Ahmed 2531 with a few motif differences, and the schema pattern on the inside of the cover has the same illumination as the work with the inventory number TSMK Revan 583. Thus, it was determined from which manuscripts in the palace these moulds belonging to the 'Okyay' family were taken. In addition, it has been determined that the monolithic rectangular mould used on the outer cover of the work and the binding moulds used in the production of the cartouche plates on the outer moulding are now in the collection of 'Mehmet Ali Kundaracıoğlu'.  The ornamental features of these binding moulds, which were commonly used in the works of the early period of the Republic, were determined and their designs were analysed.