Iron Master Refuses to Sell Historic Door Featuring ‘Virgin Mary’ Despite Priests’ Persistent Requests

Ibrahim Germi, a 74-year-old blacksmith from Samsun, is holding onto a remarkable 158-year-old door adorned with a ‘Virgin Mary’ motif. Despite persistent requests from priests and antique enthusiasts, he refuses to sell it.

A Legacy of Blacksmithing

Germi has practiced blacksmithing for 58 years. He possesses a registered historical artifact: a pair of iron doors crafted without welding by Armenian artisans using a traditional interlocking technique. Many people have approached him to buy this unique door, but Germi has consistently declined their offers.

The Door’s Historical Significance

Located in Demirciler Yokuşu, Germi keeps this door, believed to have been passed down from his grandfather, safe in his shop. He revealed that the priest from the Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church and several antique collectors have pressured him to sell the door. However, he remains firm in his decision not to part with it.

“This Door is One of a Kind”

Germi shared that if he donated the door to the church, he would receive unlimited travel and accommodation opportunities abroad. “I have been in this profession since elementary school. Blacksmithing is our ancestral trade. I am currently the oldest active blacksmith in Samsun. For 150 years, I have been forging iron on the anvil passed down from my grandfather to my father and then to me.

The anvil holds immense material and sentimental value, but I worry it will end up as scrap metal after I’m gone. In addition to the anvil, I have two historically registered doors in my shop. One features the ‘Virgin Mary’ figure, and the lock installed years ago still works perfectly. An Armenian blacksmith crafted the door using the interlocking method without welding.

One of the doors weighs around 150 kilograms and is truly magnificent. Many people have asked for it, but I have not sold it. I fear that when I die, it will also end up as scrap.”

The Church’s Interest

The priest from the Catholic Church approached Germi after learning about the door. He took photos and examined the ‘Virgin Mary’ figures. They mentioned wanting to place the door in the church. Germi responded, “If you’re going to put it in the church, it can stay here.” They offered him money and other opportunities, but he declined.

“This door is irreplaceable. A regular craftsman could not create the frame in a year because it is entirely riveted and made using the interlocking technique. They joined the pieces using a single solid iron bar. The mechanisms still work perfectly. The handle was originally yellow, but someone stole it, thinking it was gold before it came to me. This door has been a family heirloom, passed down from my grandfather to my father and now to me. I keep it as a cherished memory,” he concluded.