Zijdelakenkopers- en -kramersgilde van Middelburg, gildepenning met no. 133 1705

This is a lead guild badge, or 'gildepenning', made by Johannes van Vijven for the Zijdelakenkopers- en -kramersgilde – that’s the silk merchants' and drapers' guild – of Middelburg. These badges were typically cast in two-part molds, a relatively simple process, but one that yields a wealth of information. Consider the image: two figures display cloth on a table before an official, a dog sits between them, as if sealing the bargain. All of these details would have been painstakingly carved into the mold. The text surrounding this central scene tells us that the object literally embodies the authority of the guild. And let's remember the material itself: lead, a relatively inexpensive metal, but also one that subtly conveys the weight of economic power. These badges were signs of belonging and solidarity, but also of exclusion. They offer a glimpse into the pre-industrial world of labor and commerce.