Artisanal Production in the Bulgarian Lands through the Eyes of the Brothers Pulievi (30s - 60s 19th C)

Various recent and past studies provide extensive in-depth information about the artisanal production in the Bulgarian lands during the Ottoman period (15-19 c.). The existing literature delves into the distinctive features of the numerous types of crafts, looking into their regional distribution, the specific organization of the artisanal production, but also analyzes the contacts between producers and traders, and touches upon many other related issues. However, further aspects of the artisanal production in the Bulgarian lands during this period are worth to be outlined in order to provide better understanding of the topic. An excellent opportunity to gain further in-sights into the artisanal production in the Bulgarian lands during the Ottoman period is to explore the archive of the brothers Pulievi, which is kept in the National Library-BIA (fund 183). The preserved copies of letters and commercial notebooks reflect not only the entrepreneurial activity of the brothers Pulievi, but also shed light on various other perspectives of the artisanal production in the Bulgarian lands during the period of 1830s - 1860s. Intriguing is not only the information about the zoning of certain areas and settlements in the production of certain types of items, but also the data about events otherwise briefly mentioned in literature - for instance the fire in the carsi (bazaar) in Stara Zagora during the summer of 1853. Additionally, the archive allows us to gain an appreciation not only of the purely commercial relations between producers and Karlovo contractors in relation to their trade dealings, but also to enrich our knowledge related to the overall entrepreneurial mindset and spirit during the Revival period. Another peculiarity is that the Pulievi brothers abide by postulates of the 'Commercial Code of Ethics'.