An Illustrated Book of Professions (1846)

JF Ptak Science Books  Quick Post

Here's a wonderful book that I found while looking for another "Hazen" (the 1930's servo-mechanism guy), one of a series of books that have appeared over the centuries that  I've seen here and there, outlining and illustrating (usually for the young reader)  some of  the  popular and  essential  jobs  of  the  era. 

• Source: the Hathi Trust,  https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112112080590&view=1up&seq=5

The professions listed here in 1846  were stock-in-trade so to speak, jobs essential to the functioning of society, producing the necessaries that couldn't already be made at home. Currently most of these professions are mostly or entirely gone, or basically gone, or reduced to niche sub-markets or some such. For example, you don't see too much interest in or need anymore for the tanner, boot-maker, soap-boiler, copperplate printer, lithographer, wheelwright, cooper, nailer, comb-maker, and the like. Many of the other jobs still exist, though now subsumed in an industrial-sized entity like a supermarket or mall. And some of these jobs took a beating because of mass-influencers like radio, television, and of course the interwebtube, where one person (or small group) can now function in place of the local/individual provider, like, for example, the preacher. There are still churches in numbers in glorioso, though I'm sure some significant number of those in the religion industry have been stacked into the dark corner by televised/monitorized electric talking religico-heads, who exist online or on the television for tens of millions of people and who have taken the place of Preacher Joe down the street.

Some of the jobs have just changed names though they provide a similar service, like the wheelwright and the tire-change shop.

Professions come and go, of course, and it would be a fun exercise to look around you and try to determine the approaching antiquarian value (the AAV) of needs serviced by particular professions that are around you, right now. One of my stores, for example, occupied the space of what in the 1920s was a greeting card maker, which was replaced by a radio repairman and electronic tube shop. If only among the professions that will soon be unnecessary one could only hope that in the near future we didn't need lawyers or doctors. Or dentists.

So, the list of professions from the Hazen book:

• The Agriculturist
• The Horticulturist
• The Miller
• The Baker
• The Confectioner
• The Brewer, and the Distiller
• The Butcher
• Tobacco Planter, and the Tobacconist
• Manufacturer of Cloth
• Dyer, and the Calico-Printer
• The Hatter 
• The Rope-Maker
• The Tailor
• The Milliner, and the Lady’s Dress-Maker
• The Barber
• The Tanner. and the Currier
• The Shoe and Boot Maker
• The Saddler and Harness-Maker. and the Trunk Maker
• The Soapboiler, and the Candle-Maker
• The Comb-Maker, and the Brush-Maker
• The Tavern-Keeper
• The Hunter
• The Fisherman
• The Shipwright
• The Mariner
• The Merchant
• The Auctioneer
• The Clergyman
• The Attorney at Law
• The Physician
• The Chemist
• The Druggist and Apothecary
• The Dentist
• The Teacher
  The Musician, and the Musical Instrument Maker
• The Sculptor
• The Painter
• The Engraver
• The Copperplate Printer
• The Lithographer
• The Author
• The Printer
• The Type-Founder
• The Stereotyper
• The Paper-Maker, and the Bookbinder
• The Bookseller
• The Architect
• The Carpenter
• The Stone-Mason, the Brick-maker, 6m. .
• The Painter, and the Glazier
• The Turner
• The Cabinet-Maker, and the Upholsterer
• The Chair-Maker
• The Carver, and the Gilder
• The Cooper
• The Wheelwright
• The Potter
• The Glass-Blower
• The Optician
• The Goldbeater, and the Jeweller
• The Silversmith, and the Watchmaker
• The Coppersmith, the Button-Maker, &c.
• The Tin-Plate Worker
• The Iron-Founder
• The Blacksmith, and the Nailer
• The Cutler
• The Gunsmith.
• The Veterinary Surgeon