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Product Ref: 111666
At the age of nine, Mehmet Tamdeger started to work for Mikhail Zilcan, grandson of Kerope Zilcan. Mikhail and Kirkor taught Mehmet the art of Turkish cymbal making to the finest detail, based on history that can be traced back to the early 17th century. The Istanbul brand was established by two cymbalsmiths, Mehmet Tamdeger and Agop Tomurcuk.
In 1984 the first cymbals were shipped to the US under the name ''Zildjiler'', later being renamed to Istanbul. Some Zildjiler cymbals are still available as collector's items today, though are quite rare in supply.
After Tomucurk's unexpected death in July 1996, Mehmet decided to continue the production of cymbals under his own name, Istanbul Mehmet. The industry has moved substantially since then, and Mehmet continues to make cymbals according to ancient Turkish tradition, handcrafted and perfected - with an open eye to the music of today and the future.