Ottoman 1917 Preliminary Real Estate Sale Contract Istanbul Feriköy Armenian Citizen Armenia

Ottoman Preliminary Real Estate Sale Contract from Feriköy, Istanbul (1917)

Description:

This Ottoman Turkish document is a preliminary real estate sale contract dated 27 April 1333 (27 April 1917). It records the intended sale of a building plot located at No. 63, Kuyulubağ Arka Street, Feriköy, one of Istanbul's rapidly developing residential districts during the late Ottoman period.

According to the agreement, Halid bin Ahmed Efendi agreed to sell his 175 zira building plot by transferring a two-share interest to Takuhi Hanım, daughter of Kirkor, and the remaining one-share interest to her husband, Haçadur, son of Hüdaverdi Efendi. The agreed purchase price was 14,875 kuruş, of which 1,500 kuruş was paid immediately as a deposit.

The contract further specifies that the seller undertook to complete all necessary legal procedures within ten days of the agreement and to appear before the competent land registry official in order to make the formal declaration of transfer and complete the sale, at which time the remaining balance would be paid. The agreement also contains a detailed penalty clause. If the seller refused to complete the official transfer, he agreed to compensate the buyers by paying an additional amount equal to the deposit already received, making a total compensation of 3,000 kuruş. Conversely, if the purchasers withdrew from the transaction, they would forfeit the deposit and would have no legal right to reclaim it. Such reciprocal penalty provisions illustrate the sophistication of Ottoman contract law and the legal safeguards commonly employed in real estate transactions during the empire's final years.

Beyond its legal significance, the contract provides an excellent example of everyday commercial relations between Muslim and Armenian Ottoman citizens. A Muslim property owner entered into a formal land sale agreement with Armenian purchasers, reflecting the multicultural character of early twentieth-century Istanbul and the participation of different religious communities within the same legal and commercial framework.

The document is further enhanced by the presence of two Armenian witnesses. One is recorded as Petri Pekmezyan, residing at No. 16 in the Nişanhanesi district, while the other is Murat veled-i Almik, residing at No. 14 on Ayazma Street in Feriköy. Their participation as official witnesses further illustrates the active role of the Armenian community in the legal and commercial life of Istanbul during the late Ottoman period.

Bearing its original revenue stamps, official seals, and signatures, this contract is an outstanding historical document illustrating Ottoman real estate law, contractual practice, and the multicultural social fabric of Istanbul during the First World War era.

Key Features:

• Type: Ottoman preliminary real estate sale contract

• Date: 27 April 1333 (27 April 1917)

• Location: No. 63, Kuyulubağ Arka Street, Feriköy, Istanbul

• Property Type: Building plot

• Property Size: 175 zira

• Seller: Halid bin Ahmed Efendi

• Purchasers: Takuhi Hanım, daughter of Kirkor (two shares), and her husband Haçadur, son of Hüdaverdi Efendi (one share)

• Sale Price: 14,875 kuruş

• Deposit Paid: 1,500 kuruş

• Contract Terms: Formal transfer to be completed within ten days before the competent land registry official; reciprocal penalty clause protecting both parties

• Witnesses: Petri Pekmezyan of Nişanhanesi (No. 16) and Murat veled-i Almik of Ayazma Street, Feriköy (No. 14)

• Historical Context: Documents commercial relations between Muslim and Armenian Ottoman citizens and illustrates Ottoman real estate contract law during the late Ottoman period

• Physical Features: Original revenue stamps, official seals, and signatures

• Collectible Significance: Valuable for collectors of Ottoman legal documents, Istanbul history, Armenian heritage, multicultural urban history, and Ottoman property law