Masterpiece

[Lakeslass]

I know what an apprentice piece is. Can you tell me what a masterpiece is?

[jno]

in the middle ages (and I think later) apprentices would serve their masters for years, but eventually they would produce some piece of work - whatever trade it was, carving or leatherwork or whatever - that it would be accepted as a masterpiece, and this would make them masters of the trade themselves, able to go solo and even take on apprentices of their own.

[Lakeslass]

Thankyou jno. There are one or two examples of (I presume) stonemasons' work now inserted into dry stone walls and bridges in my area. What a wonderful legacy to leave!

[Skids]

There are three ranks to skilled crafts; Apprentice Craftsman, Craftsman and Master Craftsman. So for example someone could be an Apprentice Carpenter and someone else a Master Stonemason. An Apprentice Piece is work produced by an Apprentice, a Master Piece (or Masterpiece) is work produced by Master.

As an aside, as well as Craftsmen there are also Artificers. An Artificer is a craftsman in a technical trade such as engineering or, more traditionally, armoury.

The Royal Navy started recruiting Apprentice Artificers in the engineering trades in 1903. By 2005 the trades had evolved into Marine Engineering, Weapons Engineering and Air Engineering. It was in 2005 that the Royal Navy stopped recruiting Artificers.

[Lakeslass]

Thankyou Skids. I wish I could give you more than three stars.