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THE RUGS AND TEXTILES OF HEREKE
Sümerbank Genel Müdürlüğü Yayını, 1987, Ankara
The RUGS AND TEXTILES Of HEREKE
A Documentary Account of the History of Hereke
… Court Workshop to Model Factory…
Prof. Önder Küçükerman
A Sümerbank General Directorate Publication
Design, Önder Küçükerman
Translated by Maggie Quigley-Pınar
Printed by Apa Ofset Basımevi Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. İstanbul
Cover by Emin Barın, Barın Yazı ve Cilt Sanayii, İstanbul
English edition I, 1987, Ankara
CONTENTS
PREFACE
M. Tınaz Titiz, TC Minister of State, s. 11
FOREWORD
Dr. Erkan Tapan, General Director of Sümerbank, s. 13
INTRODUCTION
The Factory of Hereke, s. 14
I- INDUSTRY IN ANATOLIA DURING THE 19 CENTURY
The General Situation, 18; Transformation in the Weaving Industry, 1532-1839, 20; The Industrial Revolution, 26; Internal Trade and Customs Tariffs, 28; The Reform Period and Later, 30; Technical Schools and Exhibitions, 31.
II- HISTORY OF THE FACTORY
Hereke and its Surroundings, 40; The History of Hereke, 41; State of the Industry at the Time of the Foundation of the Hereke Factory: Why Hereke? 45; The Imperial Factory of Hereke: 1843, 47; A Chronological Table of Events Related to the Hereke Factory, 50; Industrial Statistics Concerning the Hereke Factory from 19131915, 55; The Hereke Factory and Sümerbank: 1933, 58; The Hereke Weaving Workshop in Dolmabahce Palace, 67; Hereke in 1986: A Survey of Renovation and Change, 69; Sümerbank Factory Organisation, 70; Rug Weaving at Hereke, 75; Technical Characteristics, 76; Sources of Influence on Traditional Rug Types, 78; The Hereke Contribution to Turkish Rugs, 79.
III- THE ARCHIVES: HEREKE FACTORY THROUGH THE DECADES
Album I, 82; Album II, l 13; Awards presented to the Hereke Factory, 143; A Selection from the Factory Collection: rugs, 154; Silks, 170; The Modern Factory of Hereke, 194: Silk-weave and carpet looms, 200; Antique products, 'Examples from the Palaces', 209; From the Archives of the Sümerbank General Directorate, 225; The Administration 239; Plans of Hereke, 240; Notes, 242; Photographs and Photographic sources, 244.
BIBLIOGRAPHY, s. 245
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PREFACE
M. Tınaz Titiz, Minister of State
There is perhaps no single feature of civilisation which is as important as documentation, while at the same time being so low in profile. The search for ideals can only be pursued with the aid of accumulated knowledge.
It is only by analysing the documented deficiencies, the low production levels of an industrial enterprise that they can be solved; similarly, only through documentary analyses can the economy of an insufficiently developing country be freed from obstacles to its development.
Hence, a true evaluation of Turkey's first industrial enterprise, the factory of Hereke, in terms of its place in Turkish industry as a whole, its role in industrial development, and the overall problems of industry is dependent on detailed study of the documentation concerning that enterprise.
This approach alone is one which may provide the means to modernise Turkish industry.
With my sincere appreciation to those who have made this valuable work possible.
FOREWORD
Dr. Erkan Tapan, General Director of Sümerbank
Hand-weaving is a craft which is a very important part of the Turkish folk tradition, and one to which the Turks have, for a very long time, attached a great deal of significance.
Much fine archeological evidence, including silk and woollen weaves, has been discovered, including many Turkish finds of this sort. Their quality and quantity increased in direct proportion to the historical ascendancy of the Turks. Rug weaving, in particular, became a significant part of the culture, developing characteristic features over a long period of evolution.
Both silk and woollen fabrics and pile rugs woven by Turks betray the colours and designs typical of their culture, regional and material differences apart. They portray a general harmony of tone and softness of texture which excites the eye rather than the fineness of detail. Turkish rugs, in particular, have long maintained an international reputation for fine weaving, and for the harmony and richness of their colours and patterns.
Unfortunately, however, the social and technological changes of recent times have led to a fall in demand for such handwoven products. This in turn has forced some branches of the weaving crafts into a crisis of identity, and others to disappear altogether. The percentage of looms and workshops now producing weaves of artistic value has thus fallen dramatically. Of the few remaining such enterprises, we may count the Hereke factory as the most important. It is important mainly because it has sustained continuous production at the Hereke plant since its foundation in 1845. It is unique in its production of silk, gilt satin brocades, silk velvet and other fabrics, alongside silk and woollen carpets of fine quality, each the product of a comprehensive artistic approach.
SÜMERBANK is proud to be the owners of an enterprise with such a distinguished and varied artistic heritage. At the same time, we are aware of the responsibility related to the possession of such an historical institution. All our efforts are concentrated towards sustaining and developing the production of artefacts in line with the original function of the plant at Hereke, with the aim of increasing Hereke's international prestige, as well as increasing exports from the factory. However, preserving and developing the source of such unique artefacts is one thing, documenting those artefacts and their source is another. With the happy occurance of the publication of this work, patrons of the arts are now assured of a reliable and scientific source of information on the history of the factory and its products.
For his dedicated and fastidious research and documentation of the history of the Hereke factory and its products, we have to thank our colleague, Prof. Önder Küçükerman, whose advice and support has always been of the greatest value to the Sümerbank Enterprise. We are indebted to his contribution both to our enterprise and to the world of art in the completion of this work.
INTRODUCTION
The Factory of Hereke
Prof. Önder Küçükerman
Situated on a small, green bay enclosed by steep cliffs on the Istanbul-Izmit highway, the factory of Hereke has been in production here almost continuously, since 1843, and has long been renowned for its products.
This book traces the growth of the factory since its foundation, in the context of its significant position as regards the Turkish weaving industry and the weaving arts.
If we were to ask: 'What are the origins of this factory's important reputation', we would find that here are a number of different approaches to this question. Basically, these relate to the continuity of production there since its foundation in 1843. The Hereke factory has not only survived the industrial changes of the intervening period, but has adapted itself to them, and indeed is one of the most notable institutions of its kind to do so in Turkey, retaining a reputation, even today, both for product development and consistancy of quality.
The factory was founded in order to supply the royal palaces with specially-designed fabric, but in later years it was able to adapt to changing demand, a feature probably related to the fact that the industry was not bound up with a long tradition of weaving in Turkey, 'but was itself a departure from that tradition. Bursa had long been Turkey's traditional silk-weaving centre, and silks woven in that region were justifiably renowned. Hereke itself is not far from the Bursa region, and the factory remained in close touch with the Bursa tradition by way of employing its chief material-silk.
The use of silk at Hereke also provided the factory with the means of weaving silk pile rugs, which became typical for the district-an interesting variation on the traditional weaving craft of Anatolia.
The term 'Hereke rug' now implies a particular kind of rug of high quality woven only in that region, of which the Hereke factory's products are the finest examples. Although the type is now accepted alongside those of other regions in Anatolia with centuries of weaving tradition behind them, Hereke rugs have only gained that reputation with some considerable effort. The foundation of this little factory had much to do with Hereke becoming a centre of carpet weaving.
The historical information and illustrated woven types presented here are based on archival material as well as contemporary documentary accounts. These documents have only been compiled with a certain amount of difficulty, the primary sources being confined to a small number of photographs and written documents in the factory archives, and the buildings themselves, sometimes parts of buildings and original machinery, along with the factory grounds, which preserve their original layout in part.
Fabric sample catalogues dating back to the early days of the factory, together with those of more recent date, have also been a considerable help in the preparation of this work, although plainly this meagre documentation begs to be augmented by any future archival discoveries of similar type. Nevertheless, even what we have at present is sufficient to illustrate the long and interesting story of the Hereke factory.
It is a story of constant innovation, of an institution adapting to the repeated demands of change, and of the machinery of change. Unfortunately, much of the original technology introduced at Hereke, discarded along the years, has decayed or is lost, thus depriving the factory of the opportunity to display what would have been, effectively, the material for an industrial museum, although it still possesses some machinery still in use which can be classed as antique-as we shall see later in the book. The oldest machinery still in use in the factory reflects decades of maintainance and industrial activity. It has seen generations of workers come and go, and still chugs on, cheerful if not quite as bright as before.
1986 - Istanbul