Fatih Sultan Mehmet’s ‘talismanic Medallion’ To Go On Sale

A portrait of Mehmet the Conqueror on a medallion dating back to his princedom will be auctioned in London

In a statement made by Bonhams Auction House, it was stated that the medallion dates back to the period when Mehmet the Conqueror was a prince.

THE OLDEST KNOWN PORTRAIT OF A MUSLIM LEADER BY A WESTERN ARTIST

The bronze portrait is the oldest known portrait of a Muslim leader by a Western artist, the statement said, adding that the estimated sale price of the medallion could be between 1.5 and 2 million pounds sterling (approximately 61 to 82 million pounds).

The artifact, which was discovered in 2000 in a collection of Italian Renaissance medallions, has the words “Great Prince, Great Emir, Sultan Mehmet Efendi” written in Latin on the edges, the statement said: “The most interesting thing is that there is no design or inscription on the back of the medallion, it is portable in size and has a smooth hollow on the top. It is thought to be a very personal and important item of the Sultan and that the medallion was worn as a talisman.”

NO ONE KNOWS WHO DID IT

It was also noted that there is no signature or mark of the artist who made the medallion.

Bonhams Director of Islamic and Indian Art Oliver White, who was quoted in the statement, stated that there is no significant material evidence of Fatih for the period in which the work dates.

Emphasizing that the medallion is an important discovery in this respect, White said, “It is the only known medal showing Mehmet II as a young man before the conquest of Istanbul. It is thought to have been worn by the Sultan as a personal talisman.”

The bronze medallion, which is estimated to date back to the princedom period of Mehmet the Conqueror, will be auctioned on May 21.