3 ms·
Pineapple and aluminium come to mind. Both were considered absolute luxuries in the 19th century. Mechanical watches, perhaps.
by dredmorbius 2y ago
Pineapple and aluminium come to mind. Both were considered absolute luxuries in the 19th century.
Mechanical watches, perhaps.
- chronogram 2y agoSugar was a Veblen good, now its superfluousness is the worst part about it.
- dredmorbius 2y agoWhen and where? AFAIU by the time of British colonisation in the Carribean / West Indies, sugar was cheap and afforded plentiful calories (and caries) to the working class. Along with (relatively) inexpensive tea, the practice of serving boiled water-sugar solution greatly improved health (given the lack of water treatment at the time), reduced alcohol consumption, and provided additional food energy. And that was by the mid-to-late 18th century so far as I'm aware. I'm not aware of any time or place where sugar was considered a luxury item, at least not for any substantial duration (say, excepting famine, economic recession, or war).