Crafts in Biala - History and Modern Times

Biala (Podlaska) as a town and and center of crafts began to
emerge as early as in the 17th - 18th century.
It was the time when guilds as craftsmen organizations in the
southern and western Poland had long become outdated, replaced by
the newly established manufacturers and individually working craftsmen.

The first guild of shoemakers in Biała (Podlaska) had been
granted the statue by the end of 17th century from Katarzyna
z Sobieskich Radziwiłłowa. It may be presumed that there were other gilds
such as the guild of butchers, potters, barrel makers and wheel makers.

Artistic crafts developed in Biala (Podlaska) in the first half of
the 17th century at the initiative of Anna z Sanguszkow Radziwillowa.
The objects of artistic crafts hovewer had not been the products of
guilded craft since they were manufactured in manufactures of
carpets, embroideries, cloth and and common china.