A handy stepladder from the Thuringian Ladder Valley, where the craft of making wooden stepladders and tools has traditionally been carried on by the Schirrmacher family. To this day, this sturdy model remains a staple of painters’ and finishers’ equipment. The painter’s ladder is crafted from finely sanded, oiled pine wood. All wood joints are mortised and glued. The support rung provides additional stability, as does the solid top step.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, no other region in Germany had as many “Schirrmachers” (craftsmen in woodworking trades) as the triangle of towns comprising Eisenberg, Bad Köstritz, and Stadtroda, along with the “ladder-makers’ village” of Weißenborn. This is also where the manufacturer of this painter’s ladder has its headquarters. Founded in 1924, the family-owned business is now in its fourth generation. Even today, this region—the Thuringian Holzland—remains the center of ladder-making and is also known as the “Leiterwinkel” (Ladder Corner). Even seemingly simple tools like ladders bear witness to a knack for well-thought-out designs and masterful craftsmanship.