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The Furunović Family has been engaged in pottery production for six generations, spanning over 300 years, making them one of the oldest potters in the region. Branislav Furunović learned the craft from his grandfather.
Their pottery workshop is located within their household in Mirijevo (Ljubiše Miodragovića 75 Đ), where everyone is welcome to view and purchase their products. They also showcase their pottery at the "Stara Srbija" ethnic gallery in Slavija (Bulevar Oslobođenja 15).
For years, Furunović pottery has collaborated with numerous restaurants and taverns across the country and beyond, including well-known establishments like Konoba Akustik (all franchise parts), Tri šešira, Skadarlija, Dva jelena, Mali vrabac, Mali vikend, Lider, Trpeza, Kod Bandže, Sedmica, Konoba pod Avalom, Konoba Pale (Republika Srpska), Novi Beograd (Russia), Marko Polo (Vienna), Broćić Avlija, and Salaš 38. They also have a partnership with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Belgrade.
Their range includes cookware and serving utensils (plates, pots, pans, pitchers, cups), garden decor (pots, jars), decorative pottery, and many other items made from high-quality clay. In addition to handmade items, Furunović pottery produces molded decorative figures for interior and exterior decoration. All clay products are 100% organic, free from toxins, and biodegradable. Products can be glazed or unglazed.
"Perhaps for many of you, the surname Furunović is intriguing, suggesting a connection to 'furuna' (kiln). Most of you might chuckle.
I, the writer, am actually a member of the Furunović family involved in this rare craft. From the stories of my grandfathers (Branislav, Goroljub, Tomislav, and Siniša), and based on the tale told to them by great-grandfather Sima, our surname was derived from an ancestor whose name, unfortunately, we do not know. During great-grandfather Sima's time, he was becoming senile when he told the story. Our ancestor worked honestly and conscientiously for an aga (feudal lord), and he was fairly compensated. He had the privilege of staying overnight after completing his work. For him, who had the sole goal of saving enough money to start his own business, this was sufficient for success. When conditions were right, he left the aga and opened a pottery workshop.
At that time, there were many poor families, and he, knowing how difficult it was to come by money, freely shared bread and bagels with them whenever he could. Children from these poor families often visited the potter for bread and bagels, as he never sent them home on an empty stomach.
Because of his benevolent deeds, he became a highly respected citizen of the southern Morava region. People began to call him 'Furundžija' (potter) and no other name, and it is from this title that we obtained the surname Furunović.
How we later transitioned from the potter's craft to pottery, we do not know. It is only known that this craft has been in our family since great-great-grandfather Sima's time until today. Six generations have passed since then, and if we take an average of sixty years (of working), we can say that the Furunović family has been engaged in pottery for over three hundred years, placing us among the oldest potters in the region."
