THE CHARM OF OLD CRAFTS IN KREMNICA

TINSMITHS

Tin working was a very precise and not very widespread craft. Their masters were few in numbers, and the number of guilds even fewer.

Tin had a nice silverish color, it could be easily worked and decorated, was not harmful to health, which was important for tin products. For long time tin products were luxury items. From the 16th to 17th centuries, the customers were wealthy burghers and guilds. After the Reformation, tin objects also appeared in churches. The tinsmiths made cups, jugs, dishes, plates, and cutlery, candle holders, censers, flasks, jars, and various measuring cups.

Tinsmiths bought tin in rolls or rods at fairs. It could not be worked in its pure form, so they alloyed it with copper, zinc, and lead, to achieve necessary malleability. They used three different qualities of tin, pure tin (Feinzinn), tested tin (Probzinn) and low quality tin.

Apart from new raw material, the tinsmiths also used tin, which they obtained by melting damaged tin objects. The masters also received tin from customers, whether for the repair of an old and damaged object, or for a new order.

The small number of tinsmiths was not sufficient for the creation of a separate organization (a minimum of 3 masters was required), so they formed a joint guild with members of other less numerous crafts. Thus, the tinsmiths of Kremnica formed a joint guild with the locksmiths, belt makers, saddlers, joiners, sword, knife, gun, glassmakers, and cart wrights. We know of one tinsmith from the 17th century. In 1652, Zacharias, a tinsmith, bought the Hellwig house at the Town Square. After 1695, Kremnica tinsmiths belonged to the guild in Levoča.

It was not easy to get into the guild and be a fully qualified master. A journeyman, who wanted to become a master, had to make a masterpiece usually a vessel for water, jar, or dish. He had to make these pieces himself in the workshop of a master. He could have an assistant only during casting. A further condition was payment of an entry fee and hospitality for the masters. Guild meetings were held once a month or quarterly, and attendance was obligatory. Only tinsmiths from more distant places could be absent. They participated only in the election of the guild-master.

The tinsmiths chose one of their products, a jar or carafe, as their emblem.

GO BACK TO OLD CRAFTS

Reprinted from: The Charm of Old Crafts, PhDr. Ludmila Nemeskurthiova
Published by © National Bank of Slovakia-Museum of Coins and Medals Kremnica 1998
Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 7, No. 3, Fall 1999 
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