Historic trade emblems

In 1937 the Conference of German cities called for "general" proposals for designs for trade emblems for the craftsman branches of the trades entered in the trades register at that time. Fifty-two official trade emblems were put forward and published in 1938.

In the publication of historic trade emblems the following professions are included with description:

The bakery trade, the orthopaedic and dressing trade, the construction trades, the sculpting and stonemason trades, the barrel making trade, the brewing and malting trade, the glazing trade, the window and building cleaning trade, the engraving and girdle makers trades, the gents' tailoring trade, the pipefitting and plumbing trade, the jewellery, gold and silversmith trade, the confectionery trade, the basket making trade, the motor trade, the furrier, hat and glovemaking trade, the painting trade, the mechanician trade, the milling trade, the musical instrument making trade, the optical and precision engineering trade, the paving and road surfacing trade, the millinery trade, the horse slaughtering trade, the saddlery and upholstery trades, the signmaking, signwriting and illuminated signs trade, the locksmith trade, the blacksmith trade, the chimney cleaning trade, the shoemaking trade, the rope, line and sailmaking trade, the wheel and wagon building trade, the stucco work and plastering trades, the joinery trade, the pottery and furnace fitting trades, the clockmaking trade, the laundering and pressing trade, the hosiery, weaving and embroidery trade, the dental engineering trade, the carpentry trade, the bookbinding trade, the gunsmith and armourer's trades, the brushmaking trade, the roofing trade, the dressmaking trade, the turning trade, the electro-technical trade, the dying and dry cleaning trade, the butchery trade, the photography trade, he hairdressing trade and the glazing trade.



The orthopaedic and dressing trade

The construction trades

The barrel making trade

The brewing and malting trade

The bookbinding trade

The gunsmith and armourer's trades

The brushmaking trade

The roofing trade

The dressmaking trade

The turning trade

The electro-technical trade

The dying and dry cleaning trade

The butchery trade

The photography trade

The hairdressing trade

The glazing trade

The window and building cleaning trade

The engraving and girdle makers trades

The gents' tailoring trade

The pipefitting and plumbing trade

The jewellery, gold and silversmith trade

The confectionery trade

The basket making trade

The motor trade

The furrier, hat and glovemaking trade

The painting trade

The mechanician trade

The milling trade

The musical instrument making trade

The optical and precision engineering trade

The paving and road surfacing trade

The millinery trade

The horse slaughtering trade

The saddlery and upholstery trades

The signmaking, signwriting and illuminated signs trade

The locksmith trade

The blacksmith trade

The chimney cleaning trade

The shoemaking trade

The rope, line and sailmaking trade

The wheel and wagon building trade

The stucco work and plastering trades

The joinery trade

The pottery and furnace fitting trades

The clockmaking trade

The laundering and pressing trade

The hosiery, weaving and embroidery trade

The dental engineering trade

The carpentry trade



The carpentry trade



This emblem is distinguished from some others by its deep practical symbolism. It has a deep blue ground, the colour of the sky. A gold ring and triangular gable end frame the carpenter's tools. The oak tree, the noblest working material of the carpenter, is green. The lower branches with the trunk represent an ancient symbol, the "Irminsul". On either side the tree limbs branch under the leaves into the Konrune, one of the twenty or so letters found mostly inscribed in wood, ore and stone. The-se were included among the inscriptions, symbols and occult articles used by the Germanic tribes. The Konrune is a rune preferred by the carpenters as it symbolises ability. The gable rises from the tree as an expression of the carpenter that the orb of the sun is showing under the peak. A rule, axe and square, representing the most important tools, form the recognised sign of the Nagelrune, which symbolises a oneness with a higher order. The carpentry trade wishes to express in this form its rela-tionship with nature, mankind and the universe.

Although the carpentry trade boasts a tradition that is several centuries old its emblem has, sadly, no direct historic connection.