|
The Oldest Known Neys
SOURCE: THE HISTORY AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF NEY TUNING
Prof. Dr. Ali Tan — Biography
۞
•
۞
Topkapı Palace Inventory
Ney Numbered 913
This is the oldest Ney that can be identified in Turkish museums.
The inscription on it bears the date H.1131 → 1718.
“I opened this Ney in the Davut tuning /
Faqr Karabaş Dervish Mehmed Nâyî /
For Hâce Mehmed, gatekeeper of Sultan Ahmed Khan, 1131”.
Its measurements indicate that it is a Mansur Ney.
The outer diameter of the upper node is 2.74 cm; the outer diameter of the lower node is 2.33 cm.
The Parazvanes and the additional section are handcrafted.
Inscription detail.
Handcrafted ornamentations.
Silver inlaid section.
۞
•
۞
Galata Museum Inventory – Ney Numbered 330
1700 - 1770
The Ney registered in the inventory of the Galata Mevlevihanesi under number 330,
is tuned in the A-flat mansur-şah mabeyn tone.
It bears the inscription “Âşık-ı Mevlânâ Kevser Mustafa Efendi Nâyi”.
It consists of two pieces; the silver başpare,
the parazvane and the additional section are understood to have been added later.
Binding groove sections are present on the nodes.
General view.
Inscription detail.
۞
•
۞
Aziz Şenol Filiz Collection
1750 - 1820
It belongs to Hasan Dede, who served as the chief Neyzen
during the period of Mehmet Saib Çelebi’s (†1812) postnişinship
at the Kütahya Mevlevihanesi.
The chain of transmission of the Ney is as follows:
Neyzen Şevki Sevgin → Neyzen Sencer Derya → Aziz Şenol Filiz.
General view.
۞
•
۞
Niyazi Sayın Collection 1
The Mansur Ney belonged to Aziz Dede.
It dates back to 1838.
The Ney of Aziz Dede was first passed on to his student Emin Dede.
Emin Dede later entrusted the Ney to his student, Attorney Hicabi Fıratlı.
The Ney remained in the possession of Hicabi Fıratlı for many years,
and was later entrusted for a period to Ayhan Songar in order to be delivered to Niyazi Sayın.
For this reason, the Ney was passed on to Niyazi Sayın through Ayhan Bey.
General view.
The throat node of the Ney.
۞
•
۞
Mevlana Museum Inventory – Ney Numbered 1174
1845 - 1860
The Ney is in the Mansur tone.
The Mansur Ney belonging to Neyzen Aziz Dede
was donated to the museum on 10.10.1954
by Neyzen Şevki Sevgin.
It consists of two pieces and has a başpare.
The Ney of Aziz Dede is made of two sections and includes a başpare.
General view.
Throat node.
Jointed Ney detail.
۞
•
۞
Mevlana Museum – Ney Numbered 1513
1869
The Ney registered under number 1513 in the Mevlana Museum is in the A-flat mansur-şah mabeyni tone.
The Ney was donated to the museum by Emel Eza Hanım on 15.12.1966.
It belonged to Abdurrahman Şakir Bey, who served as Mabeyinci and Masahib to Sultan Abdülaziz (1830–1876).
Although no detailed information about the life of Abdurrahman Şakir Bey could be found,
the Ney registered under number 1513
can be dated to the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz:
(1861–1876)
 (1861-1876)
 (1861-1876)
۞
•
۞
Mevlana Museum Inventory – Ney Numbered 1183
The Ney dates back to the year 1870.
The Ney is in the mansur-şah mabeyni tone.
It was donated to the museum by Cemil Büyükaksoy on 10.8.1955.
It bears the inscription
“Sâlim – Yâ Hazreti Mevlânâ 287”.
The Hijri date written on the Ney corresponds to the year 1870
in the Gregorian calendar.
The name Salim is inscribed on the Ney.
It may therefore be considered to have belonged
to Neyzen Salim Bey (1829–1894).
Salim Bey, who was from Üsküdar,
was a student of Oskiyan Efendi and the teacher of Neyzen Aziz
Dede.
 General view.
 Inscription detail.
۞
•
۞
Niyazi Sayın Collection 2
The Ney numbered 2 in the Niyazi Sayın Collection is a Mansur Nay,
and belonged to Kazasker
Mustafa İzzet Efendi (d. 1876).
Since Mustafa İzzet Efendi passed away in 1876,
the Ney must have been made no later than that date.
That is, before 1876.
Therefore, there is an indirect historical limit for this Ney:
we may date it to the mid-19th century.
The Ney was presented to Niyazi Sayın by Udi Hüsnü Coşar.
The inscription on the Ney reads:
“Take the telescope of the Ney into your hand and behold what it is /
Do not ask why Hazreti Mevlâ
created the Ney.”
The general structure of the Ney and
the details of the inscription upon it
can be seen.
۞
•
۞
Nuri Uygun Collection
The Ney dates from the years 1883–1945.
The Ney in the Nuri Uygun Collection is a Mansur Ney.
It belonged to Neyzen Emin
Dede.
The Ney was passed on to our teacher Nuri Uygun
through İsmail Karaçam.
Sikke-patterned Başpare.
 Parazvane detail
۞
•
۞
Mevlana Museum Inventory – Ney Numbered 1258
The Ney dates from the years 1883–1945.
The Ney registered under number 1258 in the Mevlana Museum is a Şah Ney, that is,
it is tuned to the piano key of G.
The Ney, donated to the museum on 17.12.1957
by Neyzen Halil Can, belonged to Neyzen Emin Dede.
Emin Dede lived between the years 1883–1945.
Let us therefore express the dating of the Ney in the same manner.
General view.
Başpare detail.
۞
•
۞
Topkapı Palace Museum Inventory
Ney Numbered 2/3376
The Ney dates from the years 1900–1915.
It is a Mansur Ney.
The Ney, which is in remarkably well-preserved condition, features enamel craftsmanship on its parazvane.
On the upper parazvane decorated with enamel work, written in gold gilding,
appears the inscription: “Ya Hazreti Mevlânâ Kuddise Sirrûhûl Âlî”
The lower parazvane bears no inscription.
General view.
Upper parazvane detail.
Lower parazvane.
۞
•
۞
Topkapı Palace Inventory
Ney Numbered 8/878
This Ney dates from the years 1900–1915.
It is a Şah Ney, its tone being defined as G.
The outer structure of the Ney, which bears no cracks or fractures,
appears lighter in color compared to the other historical Neys
that we have as references, suggesting that the Ney may have been opened in the early 1900s.
General view.
© 2026 www.neyzenim.com — Neyzen Zeki Sözen
| 
