Despite the stereotype of women being more fashion-inclined, originally this trade was dominated by men—gendered work exists even in the artisan world. During an interview with one of the last few plumassier workshops in France named Masion Lemarié, the journalist, Merle Patchett, discovered that before 1776, “plumassiers were considered an old and male community.” This status was influenced by, of course, men. “The powerful and patriarchal urban craft guilds, of which plumassiers were one,” Patchett continues, “had conspired to confine apprenticeships for girls to a narrow range of trades.” Usually, the work assigned to women consisted of work one could do at home. Nothing that required skill with machinery. So detail-oriented, artisanal, in-shop work was given to men. That is how not just the plumassier craft, but “the privileges, the work identity, and the customary rights, trappings of artisanal work values, [almost] became the exclusive domain of skilled men.”
A plumassier workshop in France, as depicted by Diderot d’Alembert.
I believe it goes without saying that feathercraft is a very niche calling. Even at the height of its industry, there were not many in the flock. Today, even less so, with only a handful of individuals that answer the call. Maison Lemarié is one of the last businesses that specializes in this trade. It was founded in 1875, and has become so notable that they’ve been working with one of their chief clients, Chanel, since the 1960s.
Using Paris as an example, by the end of the nineteenth century, there were hundreds of plumassiers in the city. You could walk the streets, and count dozens of bird species on the hats, dresses, and other accessories of women. The value of feathers was just under that of diamonds. In the Titanic, at the bottom of the ocean there are about forty cases of feathers estimated at over 2.3 million dollars in value. Now, a hundred years later, there are barely a handful of plumassiers left—as of this writing, less than five.
How did this soaring trade lose its wings? It’s not terribly difficult to guess that, just like with the fur industry, people finally came to realize beauty had a price that was too high to pay. Many of the fashion victims of this trade were becoming extinct–and others were simply being slaughtered by the hundreds for the sake of fancy hats. Then, in 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed, protecting all non-game birds from being hunted or sold. The fashion itself became a stigma, and lost its hype. But this ancient practice—as we know from the continued pulse of plumassier trade—is not totally lost. With artificial options and vintage feathers available, you can still find the art of feathercraft peeking its beak into the fashion world at large.
Haruspex
Requirements: In touch with spiritual side, strong stomach
Job Status: Active
If the name of this job odd job sounds scary, that’s probably appropriate. A haruspex was a religious official in ancient times, who was trained to “read” the entrails of sacrificed animals, seeking divine meaning.
The haruspices’ practice was also called by other names (with about the same level of appeal), like extispicy and haruspicy. The ritual was performed when someone requested input from the spiritual realm—to give them a sign and/or confirmation they were on the right path. Any government official or general about to go to war were bound to visit their local augurate. If a god had been angered, it was the haruspex’s duty to determine which god was offended, and what the right offering would be to appease them. Usually, when the entrails were tossed into the fire, how exactly they burned was important to observe as well.
This unpleasant practice can be traced all the way back to the second millennium BCE, and is descended from the Etruscans. It is a branch of augury (a term some are more familiar with), a form of divination, accomplished by reading signs found in nature. Other very popular activities of augurates were to observe how birds would take flight, noting what formations or patterns they created, or the pecking patterns of a group of chickens. Augurates also found signs in lightning bolts, and the sounds of thunder.
Why was this done exactly? Well, since augury is meant to observe the signs nature gives, the theory behind killing the animal was that, once it was sacrificed to a god, it would become part of the god (making it divine). Once the animal’s insides were revealed, it was like the haruspex was getting a sneak peek into their god’s mind.
Despite the needless death of the animals and cringe-worthiness of the job, haruspicy is still practiced in some very remote areas of the world. You know, you have likely practiced a vague form of augury yourself. Have you ever broken a wish bone with someone to see who was luckier? Cracked a walnut shell on New Year’s Eve? You’re guilty of being an augurate!
Knife Grinder
Requirements: Knave for sharp blades, portable grindstone
Job Status: Active
The job of knife grinder, or sharpener man, has been known to exist at least as early as the 1600s, though probably dates back earlier. What is a knife grinder, you ask? It is someone who goes around with a portable grindstone to offer their sharpening service to the people of their town. They will sharpen knives, scissors, and any other utensil that needs a keen edge. They usually have a bell tied to their cart, so that the townsfolk know when they are passing by. Many people will rush out to get their dulled tools sharpened, and many knife grinders have frequent customers like restaurants, hotels, and families.
This profession might seem too old-fashioned to still be around, but there are a surprising number of knife grinders around the world that still practice this trade. Here are a few modern photos taken in Paris, by a local named Francis, in the 11th arrondissement. He is one of six le rémouleurs that still practices in Paris. On the edge of the man’s cart, you can see drawings of a pair of scissors, a knife, and what might possibly be a cleaver.
One of the last arrotinos in Rome, named Carmine Mainella, was interviewed in 2013 by a journalist with the New York Times in an article called “Rescuing City’s Aging Blades, a Member of a Dying Trade.” Mainella has been practicing for several decades, first learning as an apprentice when he was a teen. At age seventy-five at the time of his interview, the entire city knows him.
Though he’s seen a decline in his services over the years due to the “buy new” mentality of modern times, he has been able to support himself, and his family for his whole life. He is quite possibly one of the last arrotinos in Rome. When talking about eventually retiring from his trade, Mainella said:
“I am sorry that one day I will have to leave it. But like everyone, sooner or later we all have to leave everything.”
That is the way of life, isn’t it?
Orgy Planner
Requirements: Attention to detail, taste for debauchery
Job Status: Active
Let’s end this chapter on a climax in every way possible. In BCE times, you had to know someone who knew someone to get in touch with an orgy planner, but once you did, all your wildest desires were very near.
Despite the obvious difference, this job was kind of like being a regular party planner. They had to orchestrate the food, drink, location, participants, guest list, music, and more. Having serious attention to detail was the main requirement, because often these revelries went on for days.
There was dancing, copulating, sometimes killing (mania is a real thing), singing, and general merrymaking. Once, the Emperor Claudius’ wife, Messalina, got so carried away that she married someone else at the festivities. She quickly got her head chopped off. One party got so wild, that they took to the streets of Athens, chopping off the stone phalluses of the Hermes statues that often decorated the front of people’s residences, a symbolic sculpture to bring luck and fertility.
The orgies of this time were nothing quite like the amateur orgies of today—not like I would know what the orgies of today are like. Being an orgy orchestrator was a lot of hard work, and an important job. Orgies were important social events in Greek and Roman society. Aside from the indulgent ple
asure of it all, how over-the-top your orgy was said a great deal about your status. Once the fun was over, however, orgy planners were mostly outcasts from polite society. Those in lower classes were angered at the extravagant expense (and probably kind of pissed at not being invited!).
Now, I’m just guessing this occupation is still active. Orgies still happen nowadays, so, it’s only sensible to assume someone organizes them. Not that I would know personally that they still happen.
Closing the Creaky Cabinet
We are coming to the end of the shelf in the cabinet of our curious history. At least, the end of one shelf. There is so much more to explore in our past. So many more opportunities to incredulously ask, “We did that?” I hope this book has sparked a curiosity in you to continue opening the metaphorical cabinet, to continue seeking and smiling at all the interesting things we’ve done, said, and believed in through the ages.
Since books can only contain so much information between their covers (and authors have only so much time to research and write—I have orgies to attend), in this book we’ve only scratched the surface of our lottery ticket to amusement. Hopefully, if this sells more than ten copies (all bought by my mom), then there will be more books like this to come. If not, there is a beautiful invention called the internet that has the answers for you. Also, the library. By the way, who “invented” the library? That will be your first task.
If there is anything I’ve learned along this journey, and I hope you did too, it is how we are both brilliant, and fallible. Our species has thought up the most fascinating solutions to problems we didn’t know we had. We’ve made embarrassing errors, because we’re as flawed as the next person. We believe in the weirdest things, just because, why not? So, dear reader, let’s not judge our ancestors too harshly. After all, in a few hundred years, we will be the crazy ancestors who look like we didn’t know what the hell we were doing. And the cycle will repeat! Here is to our future brilliance, the lack thereof, and undeniable ingenuity.
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