Matrix of the seal of the Zunft zu Brotbecken (bakers' guild)

Description

The guild of 'Brotbecken' (bread bakers) included not only bakers who sold their wares in bread shops, but also home bakers who were paid for baking bread for people who provided their own flour, and the grain measurers. It is not known when their trade association was formally elevated into a guild as no document registering its foundation has been preserved, but its origins certainly go back to the C13. There were sales kiosks - selling pretzels, rolls and other baked goods as well as bread all over the town. However, because of the risk of fire, baking was allowed only on the outskirts. Regulations of this type led to the interesting phenomenon of streets and districts given over to a particular trade or profession. As the guilds became more powerful they, too, began to have their own coats of arms and seals, in imitation of the nobility and church dignitaries. The elegant seal of the bread baking guild bears the guild's arms, a triangular shield with a pretzel and two rolls before sexfoil tracery. Two beaded circles form the wide ring containing the Latin inscription, which means "seal of the bakers of Basle".