Philly pricebook exhibition

[chamfer]

Jerome et al,

When I worked for the Ohio Historical Society, a colleague and I had access to their copy of the 1828 _Philadelphia Cabinet and Chair Makers' Union Book of Prices_ in conjunction with preparing an exhibit. We were allowed to make our own personal research photo-copies, and that is what I have available.

According to the World Catalog there are also original copies at Bryn Mawr College and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Don McConnell
Eureka Springs, AR

[Jerome Bias]

The earlier discussion on the different price books lead me to do some reading on the history of cabinetmaking in Philly between 1800 and 1840.  I read a thesis by Kathleen Matilda Catalano Cabinetmaking in Philadelphia 1820-1840 (U. Del) and a dissertation by Deborah Ducoff-Barone The Early Industrialization of the Philadelphia Furniture Trade (U. Penn).

I see why the curator of the current exhibit did not compare and contrast the price book that she is working with that of 1811 or 1828 price books .  I was surprised by both the amount of industrialization that cabinetmaking had experienced and also the role that Journeymen and apprentices played during that time frame.   

In these two papers  it was pointed out that during this time frame cabinetmaking was industrialized through the division of labor and tasks.  The later introduction of saw mills furthered this industrialization. With the compartmentalization and specialization of various tasks, the need for highly skilled workers diminished.  Journeymen were used less and less, apprentices and unskilled laborers were increasingly used.

The other outcome of this division of labor was that cabinetwares could be produced at an increased pace, at a lower overhead cost.

I also got a very clear understanding that the start rate that is listed in the various price books do not reflect the actual amount that the journeymen often received.  I understand that when paid by the piece they received a predetermined percentage of the start price up front.  The remaining amount often was not paid or was heavily effected by the lack of cash in the market system at the time.

To me this makes the search for an estimate of productivity rates even more elusive and interesting.

Jerome Bias
Mebane, NC