The shopkeeper’s eyes lit up when he saw me. I must have looked like a potential customer. He quickly invited me upstairs and apologized for the poor state of the place. He offered me a chair, a cup of coffee, and a cigarette, saying it was a pleasure to have an English gentleman in his shop. I told him I wasn’t sure I would buy anything, but he assured me it was okay to just look.
The Shop’s Collection
The shop was filled with carpets, most of which were new and of poor quality, though there were a few older, better ones. The shopkeeper wanted me to buy the new, bad ones. I told him I could find similar carpets at the same price back in London. He then showed me a silver sword with a beautifully decorated handle, inlaid with coral. He offered it for twelve lira. I said I would only pay three. He laughed, saying I was joking, and put the sword aside, but not far Private Tours Istanbul.
Bargaining for Embroideries and Silver
Next, he showed me some beautiful embroideries from Asia Minor and Rhodes. I admired them reluctantly, but the prices were too high. The shopkeeper thought I was either foolish or had more money than sense. He offered me a piece for five lira but then lowered it to four lira, saying he would sacrifice himself to make a sale. I countered by offering only one lira! He laughed and said I was joking again Salonika’s Trade .
Making Up My Mind
In my mind, I was determined to buy certain things, but I had to act uninterested. I told the shopkeeper he was asking too much, and I wasn’t sure I’d buy anything. He pleaded with me to stay and buy something, but I continued to act disinterested. I picked up the embroideries and examined the silver sword again. I also saw a delicate Greek cast, which looked nice but was too fragile to bring home. I tried out a few silver bowls used by Turkish women in baths for pouring water over themselves. They looked nice and could be used as finger bowls at my house, but I casually put them back.
Leaving Without a Purchase
After a final look around, I told the shopkeeper I wasn’t pleased with anything and decided to leave. He asked me to come back later, confident we could make a deal. I told him I might, but didn’t promise anything. With that, I left the shop.
