When Kenneth Kortemeier traveled to Wales to work with chairmaker John Brown, JB referred to Kenneth as his apprentice. The two men worked together on some chairs, and Kenneth then worked on some cabinetmaking with members of JB’s family.
I have heard some people question whether Kenneth was truly John Brown’s “apprentice” or not.
I don’t have a dog in that fight. JB said the words, so I’ll take him at face value.
The reason I bring up this story is not because of Kenneth, who makes a good living as a hand-tool woodworker and teacher in Maine. He leads a life today much like what JB preached in his columns in Good Woodworking magazine.
Instead, I bring up this story because of Kale.
When I’m gone, where is the proof of Kale’s apprenticeship? Yes, we signed papers, but papers get lost. Yes, I’ve written it here on the Internet, but that is as ephemeral as paper. (And somewhat less believable these days.)
If Kale lost all their tools, there should be some proof of their work.
In European craft culture, when you were admitted to a guild you would receive a token of some sorts that looked like a coin. You carried it on your person, kept it in your tool chest or wore it around your neck.
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