Metselaars-, steenhouwers-, leidekkers-, loodgieters- en pompenmakersgilde van Amsterdam, gildepenning van Mattheus Uurling, metselaar, pompmaker en loodgieter 1749

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this intriguing guild medal from 1749. It’s an engraving on metal, crafted to honor Mattheus Uurling, a master in masonry, stonework, roofing, plumbing, and pump-making within the Amsterdam guild system. Editor: The simplicity strikes me; a rudimentary design hinting at larger symbolic structures. A hatchet-like shape with a regal crown overhead--stark, authoritative. Curator: The symbols themselves are quite layered. The central image indeed depicts a specific tool, symbolizing Uurling's skill set. Above, the crown likely signifies not royalty, but the authority and stature of the guild itself, its royal charter perhaps, legitimizing the trades. Editor: So, it’s a power dynamic visually rendered. The trade under the blessing, or maybe the dominion, of established authority. Interesting how the engraver prioritizes function over embellishment, really underscoring this hierarchy of labor and legitimacy. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the intended purpose of this medal; it's not mere decoration. It’s an assertion of status within the community. It’s a physical embodiment of achievement. We see on the other side a straightforward inscription stating "Mattheus Uurling" with "M, P, & L"--likely referencing his key crafts, masonry, pump-making and lead-working. Editor: What I also noticed is the texture, the slightly worn patina. The evidence of age emphasizes its significance. This medal silently declares continuity, of trades and traditions surviving through time. The engraving is spare but deliberate, etching its meaning through generations. Curator: And the medal’s small scale allows for discreet, yet palpable display, creating perhaps an undercurrent of self-respect, societal acknowledgement, a portable monument, if you will. Editor: Thinking about this, beyond its face value, the piece offers a reflection on community identity, where a shared trade offers not only a livelihood, but also belonging, a collective ethos solidified in metal. Curator: Precisely. The careful arrangement of images, materials and craft coalesces to shape a resonant relic from an era where trade, skill, and social standing interlinked so distinctly.