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The tools : Choose a masterwork...
Among the woodworkers the coopers stand apart from the rest. Whereas carpenters, joiners and cabinet-makers have a fair number of tools in common or similar, coopers’ are completely different.
The hand of a sandstone cutter from Vitré area (Ile-et-Villaine) has slowly shaped the handle of this mallet, worn down by abrasive dust and sweat over the course of a whole life of labour.
Arrays of miniature tools were sometimes made by edge-tool makers. This one displays tanner’s tools and was produced in the early 20th century by Touzalin Co from Château-Renault (Indre-et-Loire), the once ‘leather city’.
The earrings worn by the 19th century compagnons were sometimes ornamented with miniature tools of gold or silver. These ones show the small anvil and the specific hammer roofers use. Nowadays, only bakers and pastrycooks du Devoir sport them on special occasions. In the other crafts, they are no more than plain gold rings and their usage is far from widespread.
Tools are present in the coat of arms of all the compagnons’ brotherhoods. To the ever-present set square and compasses are generally added tools or objects specific to the craft : a double-ended chisel for the carpenters, a cooper’s axe, a spoke-shave or a wheel for the cartwrights, a small anvil and the peculiar hammer for the roofers or the wooden shovel and fire-rake of the bakers as shown in this photo.
Among the woodworkers the coopers stand apart from the rest. Whereas carpenters, joiners and cabinet-makers have a fair number of tools in common or similar, coopers’ are completely different.
The hand of a sandstone cutter from Vitré area (Ile-et-Villaine) has slowly shaped the handle of this mallet, worn down by abrasive dust and sweat over the course of a whole life of labour.
Arrays of miniature tools were sometimes made by edge-tool makers. This one displays tanner’s tools and was produced in the early 20th century by Touzalin Co from Château-Renault (Indre-et-Loire), the once ‘leather city’.
The earrings worn by the 19th century compagnons were sometimes ornamented with miniature tools of gold or silver. These ones show the small anvil and the specific hammer roofers use. Nowadays, only bakers and pastrycooks du Devoir sport them on special occasions. In the other crafts, they are no more than plain gold rings and their usage is far from widespread.
Tools are present in the coat of arms of all the compagnons’ brotherhoods. To the ever-present set square and compasses are generally added tools or objects specific to the craft : a double-ended chisel for the carpenters, a cooper’s axe, a spoke-shave or a wheel for the cartwrights, a small anvil and the peculiar hammer for the roofers or the wooden shovel and fire-rake of the bakers as shown in this photo.