What it is and technique
The calderer made or repaired calderes (boilers) and hammered copper vessels (aram). The courer works copper. They supplied kitchens, slaughterhouses, dyers, saboneros, chandlers and distillers: the still carries "caçoles d'aram" (doc. 1415).
Process step by step
1. Beat the copper sheet hot and cold on anvils and forms.
2. Ring (shape a bowl blow by blow).
3. Join seams and handles with rivets.
4. Sealing the interior for food use (general practice; check in Mallorca).
5. Marinade bottoms and dents.
Forms and objects
- Slaughter boiler, dyer's, sabonero's, chandler's ( cereria , sabó artesà ).
- Perol: see pot, cassola and perol .
- Cucurbita del alambí: see alambí .
Vocabulary
- boilerer — someone who makes or fixes boilers.
- courer — copper worker.
- aram — copper.
- kettle — large metal container for heating.
- calderó — small boiler.
- copper — hemispherical copper container.
- calderer (fig., occ., men.) — person who does things badly or is dirty.
Geography
- Palma and regional capitals (to verify specific workshops).
Short story
- 1397: «Bn. Janer, calderer quondam”, Mallorcan document published in the BSAL (DCVB).
- 1436: Jacme Asbert, boiler and tabaler, named tabaler of the city (Catalan area).
- 20th century: stainless steel and aluminum replace copper.
State
Almost extinct. Register of artisans (consultation 10/13/2026): 2 courer registrations in Mallorca (same person).
Why is it design
- Material that lasts generations and is repaired.
- Form by blow: hammering leaves the imprint of the gesture on the surface.
- Infrastructure of other trades: without boiler there is no wax, soap or dye.
For the project
- Recover the copper pot as a contemporary kitchen piece with a courer.
- Inventory slaughter boilers in use in the towns.
Frequently asked questions
What is Calderers and courers (coppersmiths)?
The calderer made or repaired calderes (boilers) and hammered copper vessels (aram). The courer works copper. They supplied kitchens, slaughterhouses, dyers…
Who practises Calderers and courers (coppersmiths) in Mallorca today?
The Balearic Islands Crafts Register lists 2 artisans linked to this craft, in Palma.
What are the traditional words for Calderers and courers (coppersmiths)?
Some words: aram, caldera, calderer, calderó, courer, perol.
Sources
- dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=calderer
- dcvb.iec.cat/results.asp?Word=alamb%ED
- caib.es/siciefront/artesania/index.jsp?idioma=ct
Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.