Yıldız Tile Imperial Factory was founded by Sultan Abdulhamid II (1876-1909) at the beginning of 1890’s, in the garden of Yıldız Palace for the purposes of arousing, reshaping and stimulating the Turkish tiling art. The factory which began manufacturing immediately, was damaged at the earthquake in 1894 and in the same year, it was nearly reconstructed by Italian Architect Raimondo d’Aronco.

Sultan Abdulhamid II’s Interest to art, his desire to visit Western countries and bringing new technologies and his idea of revivifying tile and ceramic art which have been developed in Anatolia for centuries, all had influence in construction of this Factory. Advanced technology and all kinds of materials and moulds, required for the foundation of the Factory, have been imported from Sèvres and Limoges factories in France. All the artifacts, manufactured at Yıldız Tile Imperial Factory carries the star and crescent mark, which is the original emblem of the Factory. Right below the emblem production year of the artifact is written. On some of them, on corner or under the artifact, name of the craftsman presents. Under or in one corner of some artifacts, there are emblem of the Ottoman ,  initials of sultan’s name and his tugra (ımperial seal of the sultan) .

The porcelains manufactured at the Yıldız Tile Imperial Factory, which is an Imperial factory like Hereke Factory, have been used primarily for decorations of palaces, kiosks and pavilions of the late Ottoman Empire and presented as gifts to foreign royalties.

Many native and foreign craftsmen worked at the Factory. Halid Naci, one of the most important craftsmen among them, was sent to Sèvres Porcelain Factory in order to be trained. Naci, who learned tile painting there, was appointed as the head painter of the Yıldız Tile Factory. He managed painting and ornamentation works of the factory through long years and put his signature under many artifacts. The artifacts, created during the first years of the factory, were under influence of French porcelains in terms of shape and ornament.

Manufacturing at Yıldız Tile Imperial Factory was suspended with dethronement of Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1909. Osman Hamdi Bey, who was the manager of Imperial Museum, made an attempt for restarting manufacturing at the factory which was attached to the Imperial Museum Directorate in this period. Upon death of Osman Hamdi Bey in 1910, Halil Edhem Bey started preparations for reoperating Yıldız Tile Imperial Factory and manufacturing has commenced in 1911 once more. At this factory, porcelain cups, required for telephone and telgraph insulators, needed by the country during the First World War (1914-1918) were produced.

The factory which continued manufacturing under the roof of Sümerbank during Turkish Republic Period, was attached to National Palaces Head of Department in 1944.

Yıldız Porcelain Factory, which today has a special position as a museum-factory among its kind, continues manufacturing of porcelain items appealing to taste of today’s individual on one hand, and on the other hand, by manufacturing replicas of the products manufactured during foundation years, develops projects to ensure the esthetic of the period to reach large masses. These products are offered to the interested persons at the shops within the body of National Palaces.

BRAND REGISTRATION OF YILDIZ TILE AND PORCELAIN

Application to Turkish Patent Institute for renewal of the factory’s emblem and obtaining brand protection right, was accepted and brand registration was made for 10 years beginning from August 28, 2009.
TBMM millisaraylar.gov.tr