THE GLOVEMAKER'S GUILD IN RANDERS
In 1302, Randers was given market town privileges, which meant that the town now allowed trade and exercise of finer crafts within the town's borders, including glove making.
INDEPENDENCE & RIGHTS
In July 1684 the glove and fur makers in Randers organized themselves into an independent guild with the permission of King Christian 5. The guild then consisted of 11 glove masters, which by Randrusian conditions meant quite a large guild.
THE GLOVEMAKER'S GUILD IN DENMARK
As early as 1460, three men approached Copenhagen's Town Hall to present a letter to Copenhagen's chieftain and the city's council. They requested that the contents of the letter were to be recognised as guild articles for "Strap cutters and purse makers" in Denmark. Their wish was granted, and the profession was officially recognised.
This was the foundation of the association that is known today as the Glovemaker’s guild in Denmark - and which still meets annually.
STRAP CUTTERS & PURSE MAKERS
Belt cutters were specialists in harnesses and belts, while the purse makers' job consisted of cutting gloves, lined with silk and making a good ring purse and women's purse. The production of purses was then an important craft, as the suits of the time did not have pockets. Only during the 16th century were pockets introduced, and in the 17th-century purse makers became redundant, which is why they then only dealt with gloves.
THE GLOVEMAKERS' GUILD CUP
The guild cup was used for the admission of new members to the glove makers' guild. The cup is made of pewter with 5 silver plates shaped like gloves. These carry Chr. V's monogram, the year 1696 and the inscription: "This one welcomes to Randers all glove makers".
FROM SEAL TO TRADEMARK
At the founding of the Handskemakerlauget in 1684, a seal was also drawn up for the guild's documents. This seal was taken over by the later owner of Randers Handskefabrik, Marinus Thomsen, and made into the company's trademark in 1896. In 2019, the trademark was updated to its current form.
RHANDERS IN HISTORY
The artisan guilds and their importance
The crafts guilds in the individual towns had the task of regulating the number of masters within a given trade, so that this did not exceed the market town's needs.
A craftsman began as an apprentice, trained as a journeyman and was expected to eventually become a master and create his own business. Everyone was part of the guild within the trade in question, and in the guild the price of work and materials was set, mediated in skirmishes between masters, and supported the sick and widows.
When the Business Act (“Næringsloven”) came into force in 1862, it was no longer mandatory to be part of a guild in order to carry out one's profession, and this de facto dissolved all Danish guilds, which in many cases continued as social meeting places.
