Interest in historic documents increasing at online auctions

ISTANBUL

The trend of selling historically important documents, with prices ranging from 80,000 to 250,000 Turkish Liras each, at online auctions has become popular in recent years.

Documents of historical importance, including telegrams signed by modern Türkiye's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in his own handwriting, the papers of Erdoğan Teziç, former president of the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) and Galatasaray University rector; the memoirs of Fevzi Efendi, who took part in the Turkish War of Independence; and documents stamped with the Kuva-yı Milliye stamp are being offered for sale online.

Museum expert and curator Hasan Mert Kaya said that ephemera, which are primary sources of information about the developments of the period, shed light on history.

Almost all kinds of materials, from handwritten notes to the clothes worn by historical or famous figures, as well as posters with historical, cultural, or artistic value, are also considered in the ephemera category.

"When the person to whom these documents belong and the economic, political, or cultural topics mentioned are examined in detail, historiography is actually realized, and the occurrences of events are evidenced on the basis of these documents. Therefore, personal probate records, diaries, correspondence such as copies of letters and telegrams tell a lot to experts," Kaya said.

"If the person to whom these ephemeral materials belong has an important position in social life, the importance and value of these documents increases even more. It is precisely from this point, namely the importance of the person to whom they belong to, that the financial value attached to these documents is derived," he added.

Kaya stated that these materials can be frequently found at online auctions, which became widespread especially during the pandemic.