Ottoman gold and seed pearl stick pin in form of crescent and star
c. 1915Gold and seed pearl stick pin in the form of the Ottoman Empire crescent and star.
It appears to be made from gold metal (untested) with eight inlaid seed pearls - 7 in the crescent and one in the centre of the star. The pearls vary in size, with the largest in the middle of the crescent, reducing incrementally in size towards the tips. They are silver grey in colour.
The stick has diagonal fluting in the central section to aid with attachment.
The reverse is plain gold with no maker's marks.
The crescent and star symbol has been used for centuries, appearing on coins and in the iconography of various ancient Near Eastern cultures. The Ottoman Empire adopted the crescent and star as a symbol of their rule, and it became widely associated with their vast empire. Following this period, the symbol became increasingly associated with Islam, particularly in countries that were once part of the Ottoman Empire.
This stick pin came with the timber box with bird motif. They were sold as being Turkish souvenirs bought by a soldier during World War One.
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