The Silk Reel

A Selyemgombolyító Óbudán - The Silk Reel in Óbuda

magyarul

Silk farming began in Hungary in the 17th century. Maria Theresa invited Italian specialists who built a silk weave in Óbuda. The name ’Filatorigát’ is preserved to commemorate this. You can still see the so-called Silk Reel which was built by Agustino Mazzocato upon the order of Joseph II. Here the children of poor parents found work and got schooling, where – among other things – they learned silk breeding and processing. This manufactory operated until the 1830s.

Breeding and caring for the silk beetle is a pleasure which, in a short time and with little effort by which even the finest and the weakest person is only amused, benefits the breeder. Therefore the diligent Housewife very cleverly uses the hands that are unsuitable for hard work for this purpose.” – says Nagyváthy as an encouragement for Hungarian women. He describes in detail the tricks of caring for and breeding of the silkworm. For beginners, however, it is recommended to get the eggs from “the Silk Inspectorates of the Noble Counties”. By that time, there were silk culture inspectors, and the purchase of cocoons was also organized. It was not only him who believed that silk farming was a “child’s play”: Samuel Tessedik also grew and processed a significant amount of silk with elementary school girls. 

Selyemtenyésztési Felügyelőség táblája - Plate of the Hungarian Royal Silk Production Inspectorate
A M. Kir. Selyemtenyésztési Felügyelőség táblája – Plate of the Hungarian Royal Silk Production Inspectorate

The outstanding figures of the Reform Age (first half of the 19th century in Hungary), including István Széchenyi, István Bezerédj, Miklós Wesselényi, were also involved in silk production, which reached its peak by the 1840s. At that time, a devastating Nosema bombycis infection swept across the country and led to a shortage of raw materials in addition to significant destruction. The sector emerged from the crisis after the Austro-Hungarian compromise in 1867. In 1880, under the leadership of Pál Bezerédj, the National Silk Culture Inspectorate was established. Experiments began with the participation of Ferenc Tangl, Sándor Abonyi and others in connection with the energy metabolism and feeding of the silkworm and the introduction of new species. The result did not lag behind: by 1905 Hungary occupied a prominent place in the European silk industry again. World War I delayed development, but the rank of Hungarian silk farming is indicated by the fact that in 1929 the International Silk Association invited two Hungarian specialists to take part in the elaboration of the statutes.

Éva Orbán

Original publication: Orbán Éva: A Selyemgombolyító. Magyar Állatorvosok Lapja, 2016. 138. 6. 322.

Source of the image: https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A1jl:Selyemgomb1.jpg

The plate of the silk inspectorate can be found in the collection of the cofe: Csészényi Kávéző és Pörkölő.

Further readubg: Nagyváthy János: Magyar házi gazdasszony. 2. kiadás. Pest : Trattner-Károlyi Ny., 1830. Open access electronic version: http://mek.oszk.hu/10300/10363/10363.pdf