Kuipersgilde van Leeuwarden, gildepenning van Jan Jochems Kroes 1769

This is a copper guild badge from the Dutch city of Leeuwarden, likely crafted in 1769. It would have been made for Jan Jochems Kroes upon joining the local coopers' guild. On one side, we see a cooper hard at work, hammering staves into a barrel, with other tools of the trade arrayed around him. On the other side, a leafy garland surrounds an inscription bearing Kroes’s name and the year. Guilds like the coopers played a vital role in Dutch society at the time. They regulated training, ensured quality, and looked after the interests of their members. Badges like this one were signs of belonging, of status, and of commitment to the craft. What can we learn from this object? The historian can delve into guild records, account books, and local histories to understand the economic and social importance of the coopers' guild in 18th-century Leeuwarden. The badge is a tangible reminder of the world of skilled labor and craft production.