silversmiths’ guild board

This board listing the names of the silversmiths’ guild members and their maker’s marks served to show who had joined the guild and in what year. These marks on a silver object served as a signature which enabled the assay-master to trace the maker of a piece of silverwork if there was something wrong with its silver content.

^{Leeuwarden silversmiths’ guild board, 1623-late 18th century}

Similarly, this board enabled us to trace the maker of the renowned Popta treasure, which is also on display in this exhibition. Bottom right we can see the name Rintje Jans, whose mark was a small drinking cup – exactly like the one found on two of the Popta treasure’s dishes and its large silver jug.