Magic world without spell casters

[ZeroGear]

This is a thought gut that I've been toying with for a while:
I'm a fan of the alternate casting system known as Spheres of Magic and it's flexible system of casting customization. Interestingly, the system allows casting requirements to carry over into crafted items, and that got me thinking: since it is possible to craft magic items that have a material requirement to use, it should be possible to crate a world where the only magic used comes in the form of items.
Admittedly, part of the inspiration came from the alternate universe in Fairy Tale, but the concept still stands.
So, how do you think a world of magic would work if classes like Wizard, Sorceror, Cleric, and Druid didn't exist, and classes like Paladin and Ranger only had variants without spells?

Edit:
For clarification's sake, allow me to add a few details:
Magic items in this would could still be made by craftsmen with high enough skill. As I mentioned, they'd be able to cast spells as long as one has a supply of the component used to power said item (essentially like a magical battery). The exception here are potions, which would function as normal and can be brewed by those with the alchemy skill.
Armor and weapons would still be able to be enchanted, though I raise three points here:
1) Given that anyone would be able to use wands and staffs, it is reasonable that some might forsake the use of swords in their stead.
2) Firearms could potentially exist along this system, with the tradeoff being that while they are cheeper, they don't scale with damage the same way casting tools do. Also, firearms can potentially be rendered useless underwater.
3) The SoP system allows craftsmen to craft effects rather than particular items in question. Thus a lantern could carry the same effects as a staff or a bow might be able to cast like a wand. While some things may be standardized, feel free to consider various implications of effects and form.

[Satinavian]

The obvious Question is "Where do the items come from ?"

The real spellcasters would not be those using the items but those who make that possible and coincidently decide who can use wich kind of magic.

[Sky]

One possibility is you'd end up with a world very similar to Lord of the Rings. A +1 Ghost Touch bastard sword is pretty good if it's the only one around. Would you still have spellcasting monsters? Outsiders, especially, make a big difference in your world by virtue of their very existence.

Another is that you have lots and lots of rituals. SoP has a very nice system for that, and you could just make all magic time-consuming stuff that isn't a good combat option, but still could be good for raising crop yields, creating magic weapons, etc.

Another is that all magic is limited-use talismans or trinkets. Sure, you can get a magic feather that can fly across that chasm, but if you didn't bring a second one to get you back...

[DeathToGazeebos]

Sounds interesting. Something like the Xanth novels by Peirs Anthony? Lots of opportunity for the absurd!
....loved those books.

[Cluedrew]

That's science when you get down to it, different aesthetic but really it is science and technology. Unless people are the fuel (source of energy through mana or equivalent), then it is a bit of a hybrid.

[Knaight]

It works just fine - I probably would shy away from D&D to run it*, but there's absolutely no reason that this sort of thing wouldn't work as a magic system. It's not even that radical a departure from the formalized spell caster system, and I can personally verify that you can go straight into magical realism territory without issue.

*You know, more so than I do anyways.