German knife makers guild
The German Knife Makers Guild DMG eV is the organization of manufacturers of handmade knives and cutlery based in Stuttgart. It represents the interests of the members throughout Germany. She also sees herself as a representative of cutlers, knife engravers and scrim handlers who work on the artistic design of knives and cutting tools. The Knife Makers Guild organizes exhibitions and events or has them carried out in order to preserve and disseminate the craft knowledge.
history
The founding meeting took place on March 16, 1986. The meeting members were Wolf Borger, Joachim Faust, Richard Hehn, Dietmar Kressler, Siegfried Rinkes, Friedrich Schneider, Günther Spretke and Egon Trompeter. The knife maker Egon Trompeter was entrusted with the provisional management of the association and with drawing up the statutes . The following year, on March 23, 1987, the association's statutes were passed. The knife makers Franz Becker, Frans and Albert van den Heuvel and Thomas Spretke were added to this. Egon Trompeter was confirmed in office as first chairman and Franz Becker was elected as second chairman. They were commissioned to register the association in the Stuttgart register of associations and to manage DMG's business.
organization
The DMG claims to have over 100 active members, including not only from Germany, but also from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the USA, Canada and South Africa. 1st chairman is Erich Niemeier.
A distinction is made between three different types of membership:
- Ordinary members: active knife makers
- Supporting members: knife collectors or knife dealers who support the purpose of the association
- Honorary members: people who have made a particular contribution to the goals of the association
A candidate for full membership must be recommended by three full members. In addition, he must submit five of his own production knives to the DMG admission committee for assessment. Thereafter, after a year of probation, admission takes place at a general assembly. Sponsors and honorary members are proposed by the board and elected by the assembly.
Activities and goals
In addition to cultivating the art of knifemaking and supporting members and organizing exhibitions of handmade knives, DMG aims to provide art lovers with quality and an orientation aid when buying handmade knives. This applies not only to the quality of the products, but also to the fair business conduct of the members. DMG issues a quality certificate that the knife maker must attach to every knife. It documents data such as steel quality, blade properties , materials used and engravings carried out . This document can be consulted in the event of discrepancies or resale of the piece. In the event of irregularities on the part of a member, the DMG board can be contacted.
The DMG organizes an exhibition every year in September in Sindelfingen . The members present their products for direct sale. In addition, there will be specialist seminars and lectures on the subject of knives.
The knife maker fair in Solingen, which has been held annually in May so far, will not take place in 2019.
From 2020, a new knife exhibition will be organized in May in cooperation with the Solingen Blade Museum, the German Cutlery Association and the City of Solingen.
literature
- Hans Joachim Wieland: Art in steel - the members of the German Knife Makers Guild and their work , Wieland, 2006 Bad Aibling, in the DNB ISBN 978-3938711026
- Jack Lewis, Roger Combs: Gun Digest Book of Knives. Iola, WI: DBI Books 1992. p. 120, ISBN 978-0-87349-129-7 .
- Gerard Pacella: 100 Legendary Knives. Krause Publications 2002, p. 145, ISBN 0-87349-417-2 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ www.messerforum.net Accessed on February 8, 2014
- ↑ www.feines-werkzeug.de ( Memento from February 22, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Retrieved on February 15, 2014
- ↑ www.deutsche-messermacher-gilde.de Retrieved on February 15, 2014