Boekdrukkers-, -binders- en -verkopersgilde van Middelburg, gildepenning met no. 12 c. 1662

This bronze guild badge was probably made in the Dutch city of Middelburg at some point in the 17th or 18th century. It would have been used to identify members of the local trade association for printers, bookbinders, and booksellers. The image on the badge gives us a glimpse into the world of early modern book production. On one side, we see a printing press, a powerful technology that was transforming European society. On the other, tools associated with the work of binding books. Surrounding the image are inscriptions referring to the deans of the guild, who oversaw its operations. Guilds like this one played a crucial role in regulating trade and protecting the interests of their members. To understand the significance of this object, we might turn to guild records, local histories, and studies of the book trade in the Dutch Republic. Such sources can help us understand how the printing industry operated and how it shaped the social and political landscape of the time.