Umbrella maker
An umbrella maker (in older names also Umbellarius , Parapluiemacher or Parasolmacher ) designs and manufactures umbrellas. The recognized training occupation is in the group of wood craftsmen out, although in rain or sun umbrellas , many metal and plastic parts are used long ago. The umbrella makers belong to a now rare profession.
history
It is a very old activity in human history that an umbrella maker carries out. The first sunshades are reported from the time of the Egyptian pharaohs . Protection from the rigors of the weather by means of umbrellas was initially reserved for rulers and nobles, because the product had its price. In southern Europe, parasols were already being used on a large scale in the 17th century. In the 18th century, the umbrella first established itself as protection against rain in England, made popular by Jonas Hanway , and then spread to the population of Central Europe.
The great demand in Biedermeier soon led to industrial production in factories and the decline of independent umbrella makers began. Handcrafted umbrellas or parasols currently cost significantly more than industrial products, but can have advantages in terms of quality and durability.
Products
Traditionally, the umbrella maker produces all kinds of umbrellas (obsolete Parapluie ) and parasols (obsolete Parasol ) for customers. There are also umbrellas for the garden, for campers or for outdoor dining .
tasks
The umbrella maker designs umbrellas for every desired purpose. He creates the necessary components such as the frame, the handle or the umbrella pole, makes the umbrella cover out of fabrics and assembles the individual parts into a functioning product. The umbrella maker repairs the umbrella if necessary. He can advise customers on purchasing an umbrella.
Profession, education and training
The craft of an umbrella maker could be learned in Germany in a three-year training until 1998 . As a journeyman's piece, an umbrella was required to be made in a maximum of four hours. The specialist knowledge was asked for in a theoretical test in front of the Chamber of Crafts and, if it passed, the journeyman's certificate was issued. After passing the master’s examination , the umbrella maker can become self-employed. The corresponding master craftsman training is also no longer possible due to the abolition of the underlying training occupation. In the GDR , after successfully passing the master craftsman's examination, one bore the title "master craftsman - textile processing craft, onA". Umbrella manufacturers often have a shop that sells the umbrellas made in the affiliated workshop.
Skills
The job requires the mastery of various techniques.
- The handling of the umbrella fabrics requires, among other things, measuring, cutting, incising, sewing by hand or using a machine, steaming and, if necessary, subsequent impregnation .
- The frame requires specialist knowledge of how to use a drill , file and rasp . It may be necessary to grind the individual parts , to clamp them in the lathe , to mill them, to screw them together , to rivet them or to mortise them together .
- The assembly of the materials is also done by gluing or gluing , it has to be stained and also polished. Handles and tops are to be fitted properly. The frame is sewn and provided with the umbrella cover.
- The Aufspannautomatik of the screen is controlled by the insertion and pinning of springs causes. Its folding and storage is secured by a suitable snap fastener and zip .
- The umbrella maker must be able to present his creative ideas in drafts and drawings and also be able to produce cutting patterns .
Work equipment
Various tools are used by the umbrella maker in his workshop or at his workplace in a production facility. The machine equipment can not do without a sewing machine .
future
The industrial production of umbrellas and foreign competition have meant that umbrella makers have become rare, especially since the repair of cheap umbrellas is no longer worthwhile or is no longer possible due to the way they are manufactured. Federal Education Minister Annette Schavan wanted to reduce the number of apprenticeships in Germany and in 2007 thought of abolishing this job description. She advocated the abolition of this and other similar professions (especially in the manufacturing trade), which became a reality in the form of vocational training that has not been practiced since 1998. It can be assumed that the profession will die out in the foreseeable future. At the moment (as of September 2011) there are still around eight master umbrella makers' businesses in Germany, one of which is responsible for training.
Umbrella Museum
In Italy, the "Museo dell'ombrello e del parasole" in Gignese offers an insight into everything related to the umbrella. The life of the umbrella makers in the region and their working techniques are also presented.
literature
- Christiane Spary; Parasol and Parapluimacher: Social-historical analysis of a regressive craft; Frankfurt am Main 1995; ISBN 3-631-48340-6
Web links
- Federal Employment Agency - Contribution to the BerufeNet archive
- ALMOST FORGOTTEN - Kirchtag - the umbrella factory , producing an umbrella, with walnut, carnauba wax , piano wire, double-coated A.
Individual evidence
- ↑ umbrella. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007 ; accessed on May 24, 2016 .
- ↑ zeit.de - Article on the profession of umbrella maker from September 19, 2011 http://www.zeit.de/karriere/beruf/2011-09/beruf-schirmmacher
- ↑ berufenet.de - archive entry in the BerufeNet of the Federal Employment Agency http://berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de/berufe/start?dest=profession&prof-id=29966
- ^ "Augsburger Allgemeine" from May 21, 2007