Turkish artisans Mahmut Sami Özcan and Serkan Özçelik preserve traditional crafts

Mahmut Sami Özcan, a 71‑year‑old craftsman in Konya, has been binding Qur'an volumes for 57 years. He learned the mücellit (book‑binding) trade from his father and now works alone in a small workshop, emphasizing the patience the work requires. Customers from England, Germany and the Netherlands still seek his restoration of worn Qur'ans, which he views as a service to the sacred text.

In the coastal town of Fatsa, Ordu, Serkan Özçelik has practiced the tin‑working (kalaycılık) trade for 26 years, also inherited from his father. His workshop produces tin‑coated copper items and repairs traditional cookware. Özçelik notes that modern technology has reduced demand for the craft, yet he continues to work to keep the skill alive as part of Turkey’s cultural heritage, lamenting the lack of new apprentices.

Both artisans see their work as a duty to preserve a fading heritage and to provide a livelihood rooted in patience and tradition.