Creators and Crafters

Crafters are at once artists, tradespeople, and business owners. In the past, craftspeople often embedded their personal emblem, hallmark, or trademark into the wares they created and sold. For the maker, leaving a mark proclaimed pride in their craftsmanship and helped create more demand for their work, while for the buyer, owning a signed piece elevated the object’s value and importance. Today, these “makers’ marks” also help historians and curators link an object with its creator, enabling us to tell their stories more fully.

Today, terms such as “brand” or "logo" are used interchangeably with "trademark," and are used to distinguish among different mass-produced items on the market. In a world where mass production is the norm, a creator’s unique mark stands out even more, indicating a work made by hand rather than by a machine.

Tracking the Trade

In Fairfield, natural waterways connect Long Island Sound to the interior of Connecticut, making the town a center of commerce and trade. Objects that have been preserved over time, traceable through their materials and maker’s marks, represent the ebb and flow of Fairfield’s coastal trade between the historic hustle of New York City and Black Rock’s deep-water port.

The Maker's Mark

Maker’s marks were used by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans to identify an artisan's work, like swords, jewelry, and ceramics. Well-known Greek craftsmen signed their names to vases and other works to advertise their craft or workshop. England passed the first trademark legislation in 1266, requiring bakers to use a unique stamp on their bread. This mandatory marking both protected the public and allowed bakers to market their distinctive products, and brewers of ale soon followed suit. By the colonial era, it was common for craftspeople to leave their mark on the special goods they created.