Large crucifix. Glazed earthenware (with painting over the glaze) from Çanakkale, 19th – early 20th century.

A French named Vital Cuinet in his book “La Turquie d’ Asie, Geographie Administrative” Vol. III, (Paris 1893-94) gives important information and statistics for the population and the pottery workshops of Çanakkale. Cuinet estimates the population of Çanakkale to around 11,000 residents in 1890s. The majority was Muslim, but there was a thriving community of Orthodox Christians of Greek origin (‘Rum’), as well as Armenians, Jews and others. Amongst the pottery workshops a few were run by Greeks and produced ceramics for churches and monasteries along with the normal production.
After 1922 Greek potters from Çanakkale and Kutahya, came as refugees in Greece, where they continued to make pottery greatly influenced by the ceramics of their homeland. So, Çanakkale ceramics continue to be collected by many collectors around the world, but mainly in Turkey and Greece.

Regarding ceramics from Çanakkale:
Çanakkale is a town on the Asian coast of the Dardanelles (or Hellespont) at their narrowest point. Çanakkale was an Ottoman fortress called Sultaniye kalesi (Fortress of the Sultan). It later became known for its pottery, hence the later name Çanak kalesi = ‘Pot fortress’ (from the words çanak = ceramic bowl and kale = fortress) or ‘Çanakkale’.
Çanakkale ceramics from late 17th to 20th century attest that the city was one of the most important centres of ceramic production during Ottoman Empire, running in parallel to the Kütahya pottery industry. Çanakkale ceramics gained popularity in 18th and 19th centuries, and benefiting from the city’s geographical location on the water passage of all commercial and naval ships, became widely known as souvenirs and gift articles, often with a curious design. Another particularity, common practise in Çanakkale potteries, is the painting over the glaze (instead of under glaze, as was done in Kütahya).

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: Website of ‘ceramopolis.com’.