he most important trades guild was the gold and silversmiths. "The work of the gold and silversmiths" writes Jean de Garland "was in the use of an iron anvil and light hammers to fashion gold and silver for encasing precious stones into the rings used by nobility"

his definition is incomplete. It completely ignores another side of the work of the gold and silversmiths, dealing with ornamental work in churches and in public and private buildings. Indeed it's this work in churches that these craftsmen excelled in. Cathedral and museum collections are filled with works of art, shrines, containers for relics, altar vessels and crucifixes, which testify to work of patience and ingenuity.

he gold and silversmiths made considerable use of enamel in various ways, which was smelt and cast and was sometimes used as a background colour to highlight figures in relief, and sometimes for the figures themselves. Inlaid decorative work on engraved silver was also used extensively.

he gold and silversmiths also made silverware, drinking vessels, 'aiguières' (1), and plates.

Glassmakers made items of crystalware, fine stones, and clear or tinted cut glass stones. However they were forbidden from mixing these various materials. Despite their capabilities they were a long way from matching their rivals in Italy, especially those of Venice, where the finest blown glass was being made at that time.

The gold and silver 'wire drawers' drew out and reduced these metals to strands of gold or silver while the gold and silver leaf makers made leaf metal of extreme thinness. Thus fashioned, the gold was used for church decorative work, ladies costumery, illuminated parchments and other purposes.

Histoire des Corporations de Métiers
Etienne Martin Saint-Léon
1e édition 1897, 2e édition : 1909, 3e édition: 1922
p.204-5

Translation by David Wilson

1. aiguière (nf) - a sort of vase from this period with a handle and a pouring lip