Heritage
A house, in its own words
The company traces its roots to 1923, when Eyüp Sabri Tuncer opened a small workshop in Istanbul to create traditional Turkish colognes. Early records show the founder sourced rose and orange blossom oils from the surrounding Anatolian farms, applying methods learned from Ottoman perfumers. In 1961 the business was formally incorporated as an unlimited liability company under the name Eyüp Sabri Tuncer & Sons, reflecting the involvement of the founder’s two sons. The post‑war period saw the brand expand its distribution to regional markets, maintaining a focus on locally sourced botanicals. By the 1990s the product line had grown to include household fragrance items such as incense sticks and room sprays, each bearing the same emphasis on natural ingredients. A notable milestone arrived in 2015 when the house released a quartet of scents—Basilica Cistern, Maiden's Tower, Harem and Hagia Sophia—each referencing a specific cultural site in Istanbul. These releases marked the first coordinated thematic collection in the brand’s history and were accompanied by limited‑edition packaging that highlighted Ottoman calligraphy. Throughout its existence the company has remained under family ownership, passing stewardship to a third generation in the early 2000s. The continuity of leadership has allowed Eyüp Sabri Tuncer to preserve archival formulas while gradually integrating contemporary extraction techniques. Today the brand operates from a production facility in the Kadıköy district, where a blend of heritage recipes and modern quality controls guides daily output. Eyüp Sabri Tuncer positions its creative vision around the idea of place‑based scent storytelling. The house believes that a fragrance should evoke a specific memory or location, which is why many of its offerings reference historic Istanbul landmarks or regional flora. The brand’s statements emphasize authenticity, stating that each ingredient is chosen for its cultural relevance as well as its olfactory character. Sustainability appears in the company’s public materials, noting a preference for locally harvested botanicals and a reduction of synthetic additives where possible. The design process involves a small team that reviews archival scent formulas, then adapts them to contemporary concentration standards. Transparency is another stated value; product labels list the primary natural extracts and the country of origin for each key component. While the brand does not claim to lead the industry, it consistently highlights its role as a custodian of Turkish aromatic heritage, aiming to keep traditional scent profiles accessible to modern consumers. Community engagement is reflected in occasional workshops held in Istanbul, where participants learn about the history of Turkish perfume and the basics of essential‑oil blending.