The American
film "Topkapi" made in 1964 was shown to the whole world.
The story of the film takes place in Istanbul, and is concerned
with a gang of art thieves who come up with incredible plans to
steal the priceless Emerald Dagger on display in the Treasury
of Topkapi Museum. In the end however, thanks to the measures
taken in Topkapi Palace against robberies and the extraordinary
efforts of the Turkish police, the gang was apprehended and the
Emerald Dagger was restored to its rightful place.
"Topkapi" was shown just about every theater all over the world and earned great renown both for Topkapi Palace and for the Emerald Dagger in the Treasury. Foreigners coming to Istanbul were eager to see the Emeald Dagger in Topkapi. Postcard pictures of the dagger and imitations made from worthless stones passed from hand to hand and were among the foremost of Istanbul's touristic souvenirs. Leading tourism and travel agencies throughout the world had posters printed with pictures of the dagger on them, and the Emerald Dagger was made known to the world as the most famous work among the priceless articles in Topkapi Museum.
When was the Emerald Dagger made? How did it enter Topkapi Palace? Is its value really so great? In order to answer these questions we must first start with a storyà
An Oguz Turk from the Avsar Tribe named Nadir Han, having overthrown the Safevi dynasty and taken the throne of Iran as Shah Nadir, embarked upon a great series of conquests. First he marched against the Timurogullari in India, and entering their capital city of Delhi carried off their legendary treasury to Iran. Among the treasures there was also the famous Peacock Throne, which is now on display at the Topkapi Palace Treasury as the Nadir Shah Throne. The campaign extended as far as Turkestan and the Caucasus Mountains. Thinking to establish good and friendly relations with the Ottomans, Nadir Shah sent two of his trusted men, Sanli Mustafa Han and Mehmed Mehdi Han with an embassy and extremely valuable gifts to the Ottoman Padishah, Sultan Mahmud the First. Among these gifts was included the Peacock Throne taken from the Delhi treasures.
On 11 May 1747, the Ottoman Padishah Mahmud the First also sent an embassy with valuable gifts and led by Kesriyeli Ahmed Pasha to Nadir Shah. Among the gifts which Sultan Mahmud sent was a particularly outstanding dagger whose handle and sheath were decorated with precious stones. The Treasury Master had had this dagger made by the foremost jewelers of Istanbul, having provided all the stones necessary from the Treasury. The ambassadors of the two sides met near Baghdad and with a special ceremony displayed their treasures to one another. A few days later the Iranian embassy set out for Baghdad and the Turkish embassy for Hamedan.
About the time the Turkish embassy crossed the Iranian border, news reached them that Nadir Shah had been assassinated in his headquarters at Fethabad. With nothing left to do, the leader of the embassy, Ahmed Pasha decided to return immediately so as to prevent the gifts from being plundered. Indeed after a host of troubles they managed to return no Ottoman lands, but no damage had occurred to the gifts. Arriving in Istanbul they surrendered the gifts in their original condition to be Treasury. The Iranian embassy on the other hand had reached Baghdad and requested asylum from the Ottoman government, which was granted to them. All the gifts which they had brought with them, including of course the Peacock Throne were handed over to the Ottoman Treasury.
Thus today the
Emerald Dagger, subject of the movie "Topkapi", is on
display at the Treasury of Topkapi Palace, the dagger which had
been prepared among the gifts to be sent to Nadir Shah. The dagger
is 35 centimeters long. On one side of the sheath are there large,
clear emeralds the size of pigeon's eggs, and it is for this reason
that it has become famous as the "Emerald Dagger". The
emeralds are surrounded with diamonds. At the point of the handle
is an octagonal cover of emerald, which reveals a small watch
when lifted. The cover and the handle are decorated with enamel
and diamonds. The dagger's sheath, made of gold, has a separate
beauty and richness of its own. The enamelled flowers and diamonds
each constituting a separate motif dazzle the eye. At the lightly
turned end of the sheath is a large emerald.
Many other daggers are on display in the Treasury of Topkapi palace besides the Emerald Dagger which are of the same value and beauty. Among these is a dagger belonging to Sultan Selim the Grim with a crystal handle, and another is a dagger whose owner is unknown, possessing a handle consisting of a single emerald and a gold sheath decorated with diamonds. Each of these is a treasure in its own right, and each is a masterpiece of the Turkish art of jewelry making. Nevertheless neither of these is as well known or as much talked about as the Emerald Dagger, of movie fame.
Thousands of visitors come to Topkapi Palace every day and without fail line up before the glass case embracing the Emerald Dagger in the second chamber of the Treasury. In the markets and bazaars copies of the Emerald Dagger stand waiting for their customers wishing to take away a memento of beautiful Istanbul.
Source: Antika; The Turkish Journal of Collectable Art, May 1985, Issue: 2
By Mehmet Onder