Seref Ozen dies aged 59: Istanbul rug dealer and photographic artist

Seref Ozen, internationally known as a dealer in antique rugs and textiles, has died following an illness in Istanbul at the age of 59.

Born on 1 July 1967, Ozen initially taught linguistics at Marmara University in Istanbul. His interest in antique rugs and textiles dated back to the 1980s and turned into a profession after the collapse of the Soviet Union: in the mid-1990s he gave up teaching to become a full-time dealer. He travelled widely through Central Asia, where he developed a particular expertise in Turkmen pieces.

Ozen ran shops at various times in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district and was among the first dealers to sell collectible textiles to collectors around the world over the internet. In recent years he had also turned to art photography. Seref Ozen was well known and highly regarded across the international rug and textile trade.

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