Turkish/Ottoman Fez.

[muzrub]

Hi guys,


This was described as a Military Fez, Turkish and was alluded to be a bring back from Gallipoli.

Your thoughts and what is a fair price?


Cheers,

Jamie.

[Tan Berk]

Hey Jamie,
Although it seems familiar and likely, I have never seen anything like that in period photos from Gallipoli. Other thing is there is no term as ''Military Fez'' in Ottoman Army regulations. I might be wrong but this has a different style than all the caps worn by the Turkish troops during Gallipoli. But when it comes to caps and hats during WWI Ottoman Army, it is always a slippery road because when you look at random Gallipoli pictures you can not find two matching caps in any of the Turkish soldiers, officers and enlisted men.

[muzrub]

Thanks Tan, I can't find a picture of one similar either. I suppose it could be just some random guys hat, which become someone elses souvenir. There is no firm provenance to this piece. Who knows hey? It may well have been there...

I'm not sure what I should do?

Cheers,

Jamie.

[Brian Calkins]

It's an interesting piece. I like the age and I like the fact that it is woven wool, but there is no way to say that it is Turkish or even military. I have looked for over twenty years for a fez I could say with certainty was Ottoman and six months after I found and bought one, I sold it because I changed my collecting direction.

Then, I found another! I could not help myself and I bought it. Paid about $200 and I still own it. Now while these are documented to be Ottoman, there is no certainty that they were military.

There was really no distinction between the red fez worn by the military and civilians.

So here is the question....is this a faded red fez? Or is this brownish color it's original color?

[muzrub]

It's an interesting piece. I like the age and I like the fact that it is woven wool, but there is no way to say that it is Turkish or even military. I have looked for over twenty years for a fez I could say with certainty was Ottoman and six months after I found and bought one, I sold it because I changed my collecting direction.

Then, I found another! I could not help myself and I bought it. Paid about $200 and I still own it. Now while these are documented to be Ottoman, there is no certainty that they were military.

There was really no distinction between the red fez worn by the military and civilians.

So here is the question....is this a faded red fez? Or is this brownish color it's original color?

Hi mate,

I might have to buy it. I like its age to. But was it red, I don't know? If it were I'd imagine the red had been boiled out of it. It was common here to boil souvenirs, during/after WW2 people in Australia boiled Japanese hats, uniforms etc to remove "Jap Germs". I can only imagine the hysteria created by a Fez and who knows the condition it was originally found in (the battles at Gallipoli were fought at very close quarters). All that said, the price would have to be right.

Cheers,

Jamie

[Brian Calkins]

I agree, if the price is right. Personally, if I were still collecting WWI headgear from every country like I was years ago...I would take the chance at maybe $300.

I own a book on turkish uniforms....I will look through that tonight for similar photos.

The fez I own now is more conventional. It has the Ottoman coat of arms embossed in the lining and was made at a Solonika shop.

Good luck and let us know how it all turns out.

[Tan Berk]

I agree, if the price is right. Personally, if I were still collecting WWI headgear from every country like I was years ago...I would take the chance at maybe $300.

I own a book on turkish uniforms....I will look through that tonight for similar photos.

The fez I own now is more conventional. It has the Ottoman coat of arms embossed in the lining and was made at a Solonika shop.

Good luck and let us know how it all turns out.

Hey Brian

I am curious to see the one you have! Did you share it previously on WAF?

Tan

[Peter_Suciu]

There was really no distinction between the red fez worn by the military and civilians.

So here is the question....is this a faded red fez? Or is this brownish color it's original color?

I don't think this is even a fez at all, but as Brian noted there is no real distinction between the fez worn by the military and civilians. By the start of WWI the Turks weren't really using the fez.

Part of the efforts to modernize the army was the adoption of khaki uniforms. Under the 1908 Army reforms the ‘Kabalak’ or ‘Enver Pasha hat’ as it has become known was introduced. However, many officers still wore the Kalpak, the traditional wool cap that looks similar to a fez.

Either way the cap in the photos doesn't look like a fez. It does look like the civilian caps that Turks in Antonia were wearing. That would be my guess. Still a fascinating piece. I would say it has faded but it was never red.