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Ottoman Map of the Balkans (Balkan) – Likely from Tüccarzade İbrahim Hilmi’s Umumi Cep Atlası (ca. 1906–1910)

Description:
An original Ottoman Turkish map titled “Balkan”, closely resembling the version included in Tüccarzade İbrahim Hilmi’s Umumi Cep Atlası (Universal Pocket Atlas), first published in 1324 AH (1906 CE) in Istanbul. While the exact edition is uncertain, the style and content strongly suggest it derives from a later printing of the same atlas, dating to the pre-World War I period.

The map depicts the Balkans and surrounding Ottoman territories, with most of the Aegean islands still shown under Ottoman sovereignty (except Crete), a detail confirming its publication date before the Balkan Wars (1912–13). The sheet reflects the late Ottoman understanding of the region during a politically volatile era, when territorial control in the Balkans was increasingly contested.

Tüccarzade İbrahim Hilmi, one of the most prolific Ottoman publishers of educational and reference works, produced pocket atlases to make modern cartography widely accessible. Surviving examples of individual maps from these small-format atlases are uncommon, as they were designed for everyday use by students and travelers.

Key Features:

• Date: ca. 1324 AH / 1906 CE (or slightly later, pre-WWI)
• Title: Balkan
• Source: Likely Umumi Cep Atlası by Tüccarzade İbrahim Hilmi
• Publisher: Istanbul
• Dimensions: 18.5 × 17.1 cm
• Region Depicted: Balkans and Ottoman European territories, with most Aegean islands shown as Ottoman
• Historical Context: Pre–World War I and pre–Balkan Wars geography, illustrating Ottoman territorial claims in Europe
• Cultural Significance: A rare example of an Ottoman pocket atlas map, reflecting both educational publishing and shifting political boundaries in the early 20th century