In searching the sahhaf's (book-sellers in Ottoman/Turkish tradition), we very rarely encounter some Ottoman print books with excellent cover designs. They have always the same word on them: Mükafat. Mükafat means reward, and these books were given by school directors to the most hardworking students during the Ottoman era. These book covers were always fancy, always carrying the relief of Ottoman coat of arms, and always written mükafat with the same calligraphic style. The back cover of these books may be also decorated with special reliefs such as the Ottoman flag.
ngurelman
