Torn de gerrer — Traditional Mallorcan object

What is

The potter's wheel: a platform that rotates and on which the gerrer or oller lifts the pieces of clay. It is the central machine of the Pòrtol and Sa Cabaneta olleries. The DCVB picks it up as a terrisser roda.

How is

Torn de peu: a low wheel that the potter pushes with his foot, joined by an axle to the roda or upper head, where the clay is centered (general description; names of the parts in Pòrtol to be verified).
Today the torn de peu and the torn elèctric coexist (according to the job description).
Next to the lathe: table of pieces, rope or wire to cut the wheel piece, sponge, wooden ribs (check local names).

How is fa

Wooden wheels and bench, the work of Fuster; iron shaft and bearing, from the ferrer (to verify on an old lathe from Pòrtol).
Many lathes are inherited within the same ollers saga.

Com s'usa

1. The mud is prepared in summer: it is crushed, sieved and stored ground for the whole year (photo by Tomeu Coll in Can Vent, 2010).

2. Center the pellet on the stem.

3. Open and climb the walls; shape olles, greixoneres, gerres.

4. Cut the piece and let it air dry before glazing and firing.

The great gerres do not emerge at once: they are raised in successive layers (see Pere Coll ).
In the workshop the master was in charge, helped by fadrins (officials) who taught the mossos (apprentices) (Coll Conesa 2020).
Itinerant wheel: potters from Consell went to Sa Teulera de Sóller to turn gerres, gibrells and cossis with the clay from the tile; ollers from Pòrtol went up to Lluc to make fire pieces (Coll Conesa 2020).

Vocabulary

torn: lathe; terrisser wheel (DCVB).
gerrer: someone who makes or sells gerres. In Mallorca it is also the kitchen stand where the gerres are placed (DCVB).
oller: potter of fire pieces (olles, greixoneres).
olleria: oller workshop.
mestre / fadrí / mosso: master / official / apprentice of the workshop.
clot: hole from which the mud is removed.
no fer-se davall es gerrer: in Mallorca, growing up with difficulty (DCVB).

History

13th century (1229 onwards): the Gremi d'Ollers, Gerrers i Teulers is organized (see official document).
Around 1580: Inca has its own brotherhood and up to 31 ovens (Coll Conesa 2020).
End of the 17th century: first documented olleries in Pòrtol (according to seemallorca).
Around 1900: about 20 manufactures in Pòrtol (Mallorca Magazin 2019).
2006: the Associació d'Ollers de Pòrtol is founded (according to seemallorca).
Today: nine potters in Pòrtol and two in Sa Cabaneta (seemallorca; data date not indicated).

On veure'n

Pòrtol Olleries with visible lathe: Cas Canonge (the lathe is part of the store's daily life), Can Bernadí , Can Vent .
Museu del Fang (Sa Cabaneta) and its ceramics school.
Fira del Fang (Marratxí) , every March.

Why is it design

A machine, a whole set of dishes: from the half-liter bottle to the ten-pot pot, the same gesture.
Free symmetry: rotation gives regular pieces that stack, cover and measure.
Human energy: the torn de peu only needs the body of the potter.
Incorporated school: the master-fadrí-mosso workshop transmitted the trade on the lathe itself.

For the project

Record the complete cycle in a pottery in Pòrtol (preparing clay, turning, firing) for the atlas.
Lathe workshop for designers with an oller; short series of redesigned pieces based on traditional measurements.
Trade: ceramica-i-gerreria · olleria-de-felanitx · siurells .
Files: greixonera , olla-cassola-i-perol , alfabia-gerra-i-gerrico , cantir , escudelles-i-plats-de-portol .

Frequently asked questions

What is Torn de gerrer?

The potter's wheel: a platform that rotates and on which the gerrer or oller lifts the pieces of clay. It is the central machine of the Pòrtol and Sa…

What are the traditional words for Torn de gerrer?

Some words: clot, gerrer, mestre / fadrí / mosso, no fer-se davall es gerrer, oller, olleria, torn.

Sources

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

Open it in the atlas →