The Zagreb family Bashota is one of the longest-standing goldsmith bastions not only in Zagreb, but in Croatia as well. The family was already actively involved in the trade at the beginning of the twentieth century all over the Adriatic coast, and since 1942 they have been operating in Zagreb.
After a number of moves, the family goldsmith tradition in Zagreb is maintained by Đuro and Džan Bashota while their brother Robert runs the goldsmith’s shop in Crikvenica.
The family business will be taken over by Đuro’s daughter Maja Bashota, who has spent her whole life in and around the Ilica 37 shop. Džan Bashota runs the store next to the Zagreb Britanac Square. The Bashota brothers make jewelry together using the same workshop and equipment.
They apply the skills they acquired from the long-standing family tradition to make impressive Art Deco jewelry as well as modern jewelry. In addition to making unique articles, they also specialize in jewelry and antiques repair. They used to focus more on designing jewelry, but these days they design symbolic souvenir pieces inspired by traditional motifs.
Photo: Borna Filić/PIXSELL
They have dedicated a whole line to the “Licitar heart” motif, offering small pendants, bracelets, brooches, or earrings in various shapes. For the creation of this line they used patterns found on old wooden toys, parts of folk costumes, musical instruments, and other old household objects in combination with gold, silver, and enamel. The whole unique line contains fifty different designs, and the Bahsotas are more than satisfied with their customers’ reactions.
It was for this cultural heritage souvenir line that they were awarded the first prize by the expert jury and the public at the Zagorje Souvenir triennial. In addition to this, Đuro and Džan have won numerous accolades from the City of Zagreb Trades and Crafts Association.
They often make jewelry to order, first sketching the details and then making the jewelry in consultation with the customer. Owing to exclusively hand-made and unique pieces of jewelry, the Bashota family has successfully kept the long-standing goldsmith tradition alive. Visit their stores at Ilica 37 and Ilica 69!
