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The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 3 (189), 733—740

UDK339.564:745/749(477.43/.44) “1927/1935”

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

EXPORT OF ARTISTIC CRAFT PRODUCTS FROM PODILLIA IN 1927—1935

KAROIEVA Tetiana

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000­0001­5012­9513
  • Dr (History), Professor,
  • Professor of the Department of Culture,
  • Methods of Teaching History and Auxiliary Sciences of History,
  • Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University,
  • 32, Ostrozhskogo str., 21100, Vinnitsia, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e­-mail: tetiana.karoieva@vspu.edu.ua

Abstract. Introduction. In the search for additional sources to finance industrialization in the USSR, the Bolshevik authorities sought a new category of export goods within the cultural sphere. Among other things, they began exporting artistic handicraft products, which could be regarded both as everyday household items and as luxury goods.

Problem statement. Ukrainian scholars have actively studied the Soviet export campaign aimed at selling cultural valuables abroad. Against this background, the export of handicraft products has remained largely on the margins of scholarly interest.

Purpose of the article. Using the example of Podillia, the article seeks to examine the organization of the collection of products manufactured by artistic artels for export in 1927—1935 and to clarify the impact of these export activities on the development of artistic crafts.

 Results. The study outlines the main regulatory framework governing the organization of handicraft exports. According to the relevant regulations, the collection of such items was initially organized through the system of Derzhtorg of the Ukrainian SSR and the structures of industrial cooperatives. Officials of Derzhtorg regarded artistic craft products as luxury goods, and their export took place within the framework of the campaign of selling cultural heritage abroad, which ultimately proved economically unsuccessful. Due to the low efficiency of employees of local Derzhtorg offices in collecting handicraft products, this line of activity was soon curtailed, especially since the officials had no direct influence over artistic cooperatives and the producers themselves. The artels, for their part, continued to operate for a long time through cooperative structures, particularly Vukopromkredytsplka (from 1931 — Vukoppromrada). However, from 1934 the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Trade of the USSR attempted to centralize the export of artistic handicraft products.

Keywords: artistic crafts, artel (artisanal cooperative), handi­crafts, cultural valuables, embroidery, Podillia.

REFERENCES

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