HUGH fish smoker - 1779

This incredible kiln to smoke red herring is pictured in a French book published in 1779.  The fish were strung through sticks which were then passed up to be hung.  After being dried in the smoke, the fish were taken down, pulled off the sticks and put in barrels. While there are a couple women helping in the first image, all the workers in Figure 2 - even those climbing in their long dresses - are women. Click on the images for larger views.

Salting and putting the fish on sticks:

Climbing to place or remove the sticks of fish... notice the supports for the climbers/sticks on the side walls: 

Smoked fish removed from the sticks:

Figure 2 

These women are climbing. climbing. in their long dresses. with the fish sticks. on supports/stairs coming out of the back wall.  Amazing.

 Fish being removed from the sticks:

Smoking fire:

All the images are from:  Duhamel du Monceau. Traité des pêches et histoire des poissons, v2. Paris: 1779 (Fishing and the History of Fish).  Past posts have included images of smoking fish...on a much smaller scale.  Shad Fishing - over fire c1590 and planked c1900 HERE and Planked Fish - over/by the fire 1705, suspended over fire 1837 HERE For the post on Smokehouses for ham HERE

©2013 Patricia Bixler Reber
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