“Abandon handwork?”

French tileries in the 19th century, local production versus mechanization

Abstract

This article examines changes in work experience in French tileries in the 19th century, during a period of tensions and transitions between an organizational model inherited from modern era, and new realities resulting from the two industrial revolutions. Original workshops, employing less than ten workers, enjoyed strong links with their environment. Workers as well as bosses practiced polyactivity and products were generally sold in neighboring municipalities. Development of mechanical means had variable effects: some simple machines, relatively inexpensive and not significantly modifying the operating chain, were quickly adopted. Molding machines questioned the very logic of work and forced an upgrade of the operating chain. In the last quarter of the century, establishments which had invested in these innovations won a monopolis- tic situation in a developing market, putting an end to the activity of most tileries which had kept their manual work.