A pair of Ottoman Greek silver mounted slippers, Turkey, 18th century

The present pair of slippers belongs to a group of objects which were produced for the members of the Ottoman Greek elite. Jewelled and silver mounted shoes and slippers were equally sought after by Muslim members of the Ottoman court and the leaders of Christian minorities. A Treasury register dated 1734 refers to "boots densely embellished with pearls" (Irepoğlu 2012, p.260).

Shoes and slippers adorned with gold and silverwork were still prized by later Ottoman patrons. Among the wedding presents sent to Shah Sultan, daughter of Sultan Mustafa III (r.1757-74), were a pair of slippers adorned with emeralds, garnets and pearls (ibid.)

A further pair of Ottoman silver slippers is in the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul (inv. no/TSM 2/4461, published in ibid. pl.249). The present slippers are a rare example that reflect the fashion and taste of the Ottoman female elite in the eighteenth century.