Roei-, steiger- en schuitenvoerdersgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van Pieter Wessens, ligplaats Kamper steiger 1761

Editor: This is a guild penny from 1761 by Pieter Wessens, created using metal engraving. The design on one side shows a sailboat, and the other side features script lettering and symbols. I find the boat particularly charming; it has a sort of naive quality to it. What social and economic currents do you see reflected in this piece? Curator: The charm you observe is deceivingly complex! These guild pennies were essentially membership tokens. Thinking about guilds at that time in Amsterdam is fascinating when we apply intersectional lenses. Who had access to these maritime trades? Consider gender, race, and socioeconomic status. What narratives are being included and more importantly, excluded? Editor: So it's not just a pretty picture of a boat, but a symbol of belonging and also exclusion? How did these guilds function, what power did they hold? Curator: Exactly. Guilds regulated trades, set standards, and, crucially, controlled who could participate. This becomes an issue of power and social mobility. Did membership perpetuate existing hierarchies? The date on the coin can give some answers to those specific political issues happening at the time. Think of it as an early form of institutional gatekeeping. Editor: That’s fascinating. I hadn’t considered the guild system in terms of exclusion. The coin, on its surface, seemed like a simple object, but it actually holds so much history within it about accessibility to maritime jobs! Curator: Precisely. This one token, linked to Pieter Wessens, speaks volumes about the sociopolitical dynamics of 18th-century Amsterdam. Always ask: whose stories are deemed worthy of representation and why? Editor: I’ll never look at old engravings the same way again. Thanks!