~Regency Wednesday~ Basket Maker

Hello, my lovely readers! I hope you are well this fine Wednesday, and eager to learn about another trade from the handy 1818 Book of English Trades, and Library of Useful Arts. This week's selection is the Basket Maker.

"The ancient Britons have been celebrated for their skill in the manufacture of baskets, from the time of the Romans; and so much were the baskets of this country valued by that people, that immense quantities of them were exported to Rome, where they were held in great estimation, and bore so high a price, that they are mentioned by Juvenal, among the extravagant and expensive furniture of the Roman tables of his time."*

It goes on to discuss the various materials used to weave baskets—even going so far as to explain the optimum growing conditions for some of those materials—and how those materials are prepared for use. Eventually, the book gets into the way baskets were used at the time this work was published. 

"Baskets have, of late years, been introduced by coach-makers, to form the bodies of gigs, for which purpose they are particularly well calculated, as we know of no other means, whereby so much strength can be obtained with so little weight. The mail carts in London are baskets, and many of the stage coaches have baskets placed behind them, for the purpose of carrying parcels; and we are convinced that the principle of basket-making might be extended with good effect, to many other purposes, where the three qualities of strength, lightness, and elasticity are required."*

...and then we learn about the basket-fish. LOL

*Taken verbatim from The Book of English Trades, p. 18-22 (1818). Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ Bookbinder

It's been so long since we've had a Regency Wednesday, and I thought it was time. I probably won't be able to do this regularly, but I'll aim for every few weeks or so to share just a tidbit of Regency trivia for your enjoyment. 

For this edition of Regency Wednesday, let's take a look at another Regency profession.

The bookbinder.

  "BOOK-BINDING is the art of sewing together the sheets of a book and securing them with a back and side boards. Binding is distinguished from stitching, which is merely sewing leaves, without bands or backs; and from half-binding, which consists in securing the back only with leather, the pasteboard sides being covered with blue or marbled paper; whereas, in binding, both back and sides are covered with leather."*

It goes on to talk about the history of bookbinding and how there's no way to be sure exactly when it started. Very interesting reading. ☺

*Taken verbatim from The Book of English Trades, 1818, p. 29. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Jeweller

Time for another clipping from The Book of English Trades. This week let's take a look at a profession that is near and dear to my heart. ☺ 

The Jeweller.

"It appears from history that the profession of a Jeweller is of very ancient date: for we read in the Bible that Aaron had a breast-plate set with a variety of precious stones; and in succeeding ages, there is frequent mention of rings and other ornaments being made of gold and set with stones. Hence, the name Jeweller, one who sets jewels or precious stones, is properly derived.

  There is scarcely a nation in the world who has not employed Jewellers of some kind or another."

And, of course, this is an English publication so... 

  "Civilized countries have greatly improved the art of Jewellery. The French for lightness and elegance of design, have surpassed their neighbours; but the English Jewellers, for excellence of workmanship, have been, and still are superior to every other nation."

That made me chuckle.

It goes on to talk about a few of the most commonly used gems and various tools of the trade, as well as the amount of money jewelers generally could expect for their labor.

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades (1818), p. 210-216. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ Paper Maker

Time for another clipping from The Book of English Trades. For today's post, let's take a look at the...

PAPER MAKER.

"The art of making paper, as at present practised, is not of a very ancient date; paper made of linen rags appears to have been first used in Europe towards the beginning of the thirteenth century, but of its origin nothing can with certainty be affirmed." 

The chapter continues to describe various "papers" throughout history. They also talk about "current" paper making practices and materials. 

  "Another important alteration has been recently made in the art of paper-making, by the adoption of machinery for fabricating it from the pulp, and at one operation pressing it between the felts, and rendering it fit for the second pressure, by which an immense saving of labour is made, and the quality of the paper improved. Messrs. Fourdriniers have a patent for these machines, of which they have erected a great number in different parts of the kingdom.
  Paper has been occasionally made of straw, and other materials not commonly in use, and Mr. Koop, in 1802, obtained a patent for making straw-paper, but we have not heard that the use of this article is become common.
  Paper is subject to heavy excise duties, the particulars of which we have not room to enumerate; and the manufacturer of paper must also take out an annual license."

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades (1818), p. 284-292. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Apothecary

After a few weeks of not posting anything on this blog, I'm back. My apologies for disappearing. I have another clipping for you from The Book of English Trades. Enjoy! ♥ 

"The office of Apothecary is to attend on sick persons, and to prepare and to give them medicines, either on his own judgment, or according to the prescription of the Physician."

Pretty straightforward. It goes on to explain that an apothecary wasn't always someone who administered medications, but a simple shopkeeper, and how that changed and evolved over the years. 

Of particular note is the end paragraph of this section: 

"In China they have a singular mode of dispensing their medicines. In the public squares of their cities, there is a very high stone pillar, on which are engraven the names of all sorts of medicines, with the price of each; and when the poor stand in need of such assistance, they go to the treasury, where they receive the price each medicine is rated at."

I admit to very little knowledge of Chinese history. This is intriguing, though, and bears looking into. ☺

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades, pgs.1-5. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Copper-Plate Printer

I've long been a fan of the plates (pictures) included in Regency publications. So let's take a look at the Copper-Plate Printer. ☺

  "The Copper-Plate Printer is a person who transfers portraits, landscapes, and a variety of other pictures and writing, from engravings on copper to paper, by a very ingenious process, of which we are now to speak.
  This art is said to have been as ancient as the year 1450, and to owe its origin to Finguerra, a Florentine goldsmith, who accidentally pouring some melted brimstone on an engraved plate, found the exact impression of the engraving left in the cold brimstone, marked with black taken out of the strokes by the liquid sulphur: upon this, he attempted to do the same on silver plates with wet paper, by rolling it smoothly with a roller; and this succeeded. But this art was not used in England till the reign of King James I, when it was brought from Antwerp by Speed.
  The principal things requisite in this business, are the ink, and a press, called a rolling-press."

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades (1818), p.120. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Comb Maker

What would Regency England be without hair combs? We'll never know because, of course, there was the Comb Maker. ☺

"The comb is a well-known instrument made of horn, ivory, tortoise-shell, box, or holly-wood, and is used for separating, adjusting, cleansing, and ornamenting the hair. The commoner sorts of combs are generally made of the horns of bullocks', or of elephants' and sea-horses' teeth; some are made of tortoise-shell, and others, of box, holly, and other hard woods."*

It goes on to describe, in great detail, exactly how to make combs of various materials. It even tells how to make imitation tortoiseshell combs. Way more detail than I was expecting for what seems like such a simple trade. ☺

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades, 1818, p.105. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Hair-Dresser

Yet another clipping from The Book of English Trades. This time let's take a look at the hair-dresser of Regency England. ☺

  "The Hair-Dresser cuts and dresses ladies' and gentlemen's hair; he also makes wigs and braids, and in most cases, the business includes the art of shaving.
  The Hair-Dresser who is represented in the plate engaged in his profession, requires a pair of scissars, combs, a pair of curling-irons, some powder and pomatum, as well as razors, and a strap and hone; all things too well known to stand in need of description.
  The principal requisites in a Hair-Dresser, are a light hand, an aptness in catching the changing fashions of the times, and a taste to improve upon them."

It also talks about the fashion involved and the history of hair dressing, facial hair, and wigs. Very interesting reading. ☺

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades (1818), p. 186. Get the Google e-book HERE. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Chemist

For this week's Regency Wednesday offering, I give you....

The Chemist!

"The Chemist of trade, might be defined the maker of medicines; the Druggist, the seller of them. In London, and many other places, a Chemist and Druggist are frequently combined in the same person, and in other instances, the trade of a Chemist is divided into a variety of branches. Some prepare compositions of mercury; others refine saltpetre; some distil essential oils; and others, as the Apothecaries' Company, prepare the greatest part of the compositions themselves: some prepare the sulphuric acid, the nitric acid, the muriatic acid, and a few neutral salts only, in a very large way; whilst others distil oil of Turpentine, make pitch, lamp-black, &c."* 

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades, 1818, p.96. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ The Musical Instrument Maker

What would life be without music? Pretty flat, I'd say. (See what I did there? lol)

This week's Regency Wednesday post is another clipping from The Book of English Trades: The Musical Instrument Maker.

"THE Musical Instrument-maker requires no further definition than that which the name itself imports."

'Nuf said. lol

It goes on to talk about several specific instruments. Very interesting reading.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ Brewer

Here's another clipping from The Book of English Trades. This is a profession near and dear to my heart, the Brewer. Enjoy! ♥

"BREWING is the art of making porter, beer, or ale. This art is undoubtedly a branch of chemistry, and depends on fixed and invariable principles. Those principles are now beginning to be better understood than they formerly were: and although no complete and unerring theory has yet been obtained, sufficient is now known to enable us to give directions for brewing with ease, certainty, and promptitude, and in the small space to which we are necessarily limited, we hope that we shall exhibit a compendium at once useful and correct."*

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades, p 45. Get the Google e-book HERE. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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~Regency Wednesday~ Ladies' Dress Maker

Here's another clip from the The Book of English Trades. Enjoy! ♥

"UNDER this head we shall include not only the business of a Mantua Maker, but also of a Milliner: for, although in London these two parts of in fact the same trade, are frequently separate, they are not always so, and in the country they are very commonly united." 

After a bit more description of the trade itself, the book then goes on to describe a few of the materials commonly involved in this trade. Very informative to those of us who need these little details to bring our Regency-era works to life. ☺

*Clipped from The Book of English Trades, p. 222. Get the Google e-book HERE.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

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