According to this Washington Post feature, Cairo has only a handful of remaining craftsmen makkng the fanoos, the Ramadan lanterns, in the traditional way. Most of those sold today are made in China. I suppose it's no surprise; Zeinobia's blog noted earlier in Ramadan (along with a photo gallery) that this year one of the Chinese lanterns is in the shape of a tank.
It made me recall how back in the 1970s there were still two tarbush-makers in Cairo making and blocking the fez in the old-fashioned way; both were in the Ghuriyya suq, the cloth merchants' suq. They had elaborate old brass instruments for blocking the hats; I imagine they too have faded away since even then no one except waiters at Groppi's was wearing the fez.
Monday, August 15, 2011
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2 comments:
There is still at least one fez maker that makes them the old fashioned way. He is on the path towards Bab Zuwayla if you're coming from the Khan. I think he mostly sells to tourists.
Glad to hear there's at least one.
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