Bulgarian folk art pottery

I spent some time working in communist-era Bulgaria as an archaeologist during the 1980s and collected examples of some of the pottery being produced at the time as representative of their traditional crafts. From the labelling I'm sure these items were made in small manufactories or workshops, everything was given a set price, the labels were hand cut and glued on the bottom of the item. Only one pot came from a 'real' studio potter's studio and I'll post that later - I'm trying to find the slide I took of the workshop.

Slip-painted earthenware bowl from Gabrovo





Slip-trail decorated earthenware plate - from Troyan
Wiki page




Raki (plum brandy) set, earthenware with glossy blue glaze - from Troyan

I should have said that the Gabrovo bowl was actually made at nearby Etara a famous open air folk museum where crafts people produce a whole variety of wonderful stuff in traditional stylee. Still going strong and well worth a visit.

Etara wiki

Here is a photo of the potter working at Etara ethnographic museum in 2008 when I visited as part of a museum study trip. By this time the studios were being let on a commercial basis to craftspeople who face strong competition for their 'spot' in the complex.



And here are two of my colleagues drinking coke from pottery cups made onsite