Archívum - A Heves Megyei Levéltár közleményei 19. (Eger, 2010)
TANULMÁNYOK, KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Veres Gábor: Adatok a Bükk és a Mátra környezetében kialakult bútorkészítő központok XVII–XX. századi történetéhez • 93
Gábor Veres: Data on the 17-20 century history of the furniture manufacturing centers in the region of the Bükk- and the Mátra mountains Amongst the centers that exercised significant influence on the traditional dwelling culture of North-East Hungary, the town of Miskolc occupies an outstanding place. The first data regarding woodworkers in the town date from the end of the 17th century, nevertheless their first guild was only founded at the end of the 18th century. Although several guild masters had worked in the town before that, these woodworkers had been the members of the woodworkers guild in Kassa which was a guild of long history (founded in the 16th century). These woodworkers exercised a great influence by their direct sales activity carried out at marketplaces and they also made a great impact on the woodworkers of the towns of Eger, Gyöngyös, Mezőkövesd, Pásztó, Átány. Researchers distinguish two different stylistic periods in Miskolc. The stylistic features of the first period were determined on the basis of the painted woodworks found in churches: ceiling boards and furniture. The second stylistic period evolving from the 1840's had a greater influence on the rural dwelling culture. This period coincided with the final great boom of folk art. This style is characterized by a new type of base coating. Instead of the previously used base coating, red and sienna colors were used with curly, wavy, black graining. This kind of base coating reflected the influence of the baroque-era marbling and the 18th century furniture painting features of Rimaszombat (capital of Gömör County). The basic ornamental colors also showed similarities with those used in the capital of Gömör County. Many researchers do not consider the woodworking centers of Mezőkövesd to be independent, because in the early days it was the masters in Miskolc who manufactured furniture for the people of this region reflecting their own style. One can speak of independent furniture style in Mezőkövesd only from the mid-19th. century. This statement can also be verified by the fact that according to researchers even in this period the majority of the furniture used in Mezőkövesd was manufactured in Miskolc. The woodworkers' guild in of the town of Eger was founded in 1732 while that of the town of Gyönygyös was set up in 1771 even though woodworkers had been working in these settlements long before that. In Eger, before the Turkish conquest, they mainly worked for the bishopric. Little is known about the style of the early period of the two centers, which may be explained by the smaller volume of the market place sales activity and a less significant demand from the side of the peasantry. From the second half of the 18. century there are several sources indicating the presence of woodworkers on market places, still no furniture has been found so far that could be linked to any craftsman in Eger or Gyöngyös. The majority of the still existing furniture dates back to those days when the furniture makers of the above mentioned market towns of Heves County took over the Mezőkövesd style. It was the denomination of the above 112
