Umbrellas over time

The umbrella and parasol are both constructed in the same way, although the latter is not waterproof and only protects the user from the sun. In France, in the 19th century, other terms were used to refer to the umbrella, such as "marquise" (canopy) and "en-cas", "encas" or even "en-tout-cas" (all variations on the French for "in any case"). The umbraculum is a flat, long-handled umbrella used to provide shade for the Blessed Sacrament, the Pope or other senior Church dignitaries. There are also other terms that refer to umbrellas and parasols, some more poetic than others, such as "paraverse" and "abris de lumière".

In the 19th century, umbrella and parasol manufacturers were mostly based in Paris and other cities. This was possibly because they wanted to have direct contact with their customers and with any new innovations that were emerging. These manufacturers were always willing to try out new fabrics and use more modern methods. However, the objects' portability lead to certain inventors making some bizarre improvements that did not last…

Today, the umbrella is impersonal: we lend it out, we lose it, we buy another one. This was not the case in the 19th century, when umbrellas were made by skilled workers using expensive materials. Their high cost made them the exclusive preserve of the wealthy.

Although collapsible umbrellas and parasols were already around at the beginning of the 19th century (and probably before), during the next hundred years inventors improved the design to make them smaller and enable users to take them almost anywhere.