Ottoman Turkish 1926 Early Republic Of Turkey Land Deed Agricultural Land in İstanbul Title

Ottoman Turkish Deed (Tapu) – Early Republic of Turkey, 1926

Description:
An original property deed (tapu) dated 12 Kanun-ı Sani 1926 (January 12, 1926), issued in the name of the Republic of Turkey but written in the Ottoman Turkish script (Arabic alphabet). This document represents the short transitional period between the founding of the Republic (1923) and the Alphabet Reform of 1928, after which the Latin alphabet replaced Ottoman Turkish script in all official records.

The deed concerns a property in Çatalca, Istanbul, specifically the Kara Halil farm (çiftliği), which included buildings and agricultural land. The title records that half of the property belonged to the Ebulfettah Sultan Mehmed Foundation (Vakfı), requiring an annual payment of 42 kuruş to the vakıf.

According to earlier records (Şubat 1305 / 1889, entries no. 67 and 68), half of the estate had belonged to Ahmed Ratıb Pasha. Due to debts and court rulings against him, his share was sold at a public auction, purchased by Abdullah Banacı Efendi for 2225 lira.

This deed not only reflects the continuity of Ottoman landholding practices into the Republican era, but also illustrates the transitional use of the Ottoman script in official documents just before the Latin alphabet reform. It combines elements of land law, vakıf obligations, and judicial enforcement, making it an especially rich piece for collectors of Ottoman and early Republican history.

Key Features:

• Type: Property deed (Tapu)

• Date: 12 Kanun-ı Sani 1926 (January 12, 1926)

• Script: Ottoman Turkish (Arabic alphabet), prior to the 1928 Alphabet Reform

• Location: Çatalca, Istanbul – Kara Halil farm

• Ownership: Half-share recorded; tied to the Ebulfettah Sultan Mehmed Foundation

• Obligation: Annual payment of 42 kuruş to the vakıf

• Previous Owner: Ahmed Ratıb Pasha (per 1305/1889 records)

• Transfer: Auction sale due to debts; purchased by Abdullah Banacı Efendi for 2225 lira

• Historical Significance: A rare early Republican land deed in Ottoman script, bridging Ottoman administrative tradition and the reforms of modern Turkey