The history of chain-making in Samobor

The making of objects from various materials does not start in the workshops or factories, but already before hand, at the ''source'' of the materials. In the chain-making business, this means that the making starts in the mines.

In the past, the Samobor area had an abundant amount of copper and iron minerals, tin, galena and gypsum. The extraction of minerals dates back to Roman times in the Samobor area, and towards the end of the 15 centruy the village Rovi was mentioned for the first time (today called Rude).

The owners of copper and iron mines in Rude had been the keepers of the feudic town Samobor (Old town). Because of the great extraction of copper and iron minerals, which were exported all over Europe and the Middle East, the market town Samobor also profited. The crafts of ironworking, copperworking and tinworking were developed. In the Gornji kraj (Upper part) in Hamor, a copper mine is mentioned where copper was forged, later remade to be used for making coppers, bowls, roof panels, trophies, kettles etc.

Blacksmiths, chain-makers and locksmiths fall into the group of workers that make iron objects. The following things have come out of their workshops: the balcony fence of Samobor's City Hall and Livadić's castle, the gates of church altars, various shackles, locks, keys, chains, wedges, nails, etc.

The mentioning of the metal craft-guild in Zagreb dates back to the 16th century. The craft-guild rules were given to them by King Louis in 1521; the listed crafts were: blcksmiths, locksmiths, nail-makers and chain-makers. This group of craftsmen were called road-menders because their trades were located along roads (horse-shoeing, shackling cariages, chain-making, etc.).

In old documents with names of craftsmen, the following are listed: blacksmiths, mine blacksmiths, mine hammerers, ship blacksmiths, chain-making blacksmiths and anchor blacksmiths. In 1862 two trades of chain-making blacksmiths are mentioned in Zagreb.

According to its assets, this trade is seen as a middle class one.

From 1880 to 1922 Andrija Nogoda's chain factory in Samobor was in operation. It stopped working when the owner past away, but was reopened that same year. The new owner, Milan Pavlica, renovated the old factory and produced chains until 1929, when it was taken over by Matija Ulle.

During the 1950s the chain service Posarić was in operation. It was in that workshop that Franjo Kupres, the founder of today's company, was an apprentice. Knowledge and crafts are passed on from generation to generation. That is why the craft of chain-making successfully continues throughout its second generation.