This dataset covers all of the marbriers (stonecutters) listed in the commercial almanacs for the city of Paris from 1798 to 1907. The author used the almanacs available digitally on the Bibliothèque nationale de France's digital library, Gallica (gallica.bnf.fr). The dataset was initially compiled to study the development of the funerary monuments industry in Paris, although the dataset aggregates all stonemasons' enterprises and ateliers regardless of their field of specialization. Binary variables are included in the dataset, based on text descriptions in the almanacs, to indicate named areas of specialization.
Historically, the compilation of the annual commercial almanacs was a project undertaken by two different publishers (Bottin and Firmin Didot), who eventually merged in 1857. Every year, in addition to the information that had already been collected, corrections and additions were solicited from the general public. According to the notice included at the beginning of the 1838 issue, listing in the almanac was (and always had been) free. If one wanted details in addition to a general category of work to be included in a record, individuals needed to contact the editor directly (there is no mention of what this might have cost). See: Sébastien Bottin, Almanach du commerce de Paris, des départemens de la France, et des principals villes du monde (Paris, 1838); and Firmin Didot et Bottin Réunis, Annuaire et almanac du commerce, de l’industrie, de la magistrature et de l’administration (Paris: 1857).
