[Ansteorra] Haggling is not period?

[L T]

I think it would be terriffic if you did a paper on this topic.

I could see where, when there were guild structures in
place, that the guild would set the price...and wouldn't
want any of the members to undercut the others...

But I don't see where it necessarily would apply to
all markets in all europe in all time periods. I also
think that it probably didn't apply to people who
weren't in guilds...like egg sellers, or vegatable sellers.
Or in places that had alot of Islamic influence like lower
Spain.

I'd really like to see the finished paper!

L DeerSlayer

BTW I think that the "belief that someone who sells things will
never become a Laurel" is an outdated one. I've spoken to
many Laurels in this kingdom and they realize that merchants
often put things up for sale that are not period...because they
need to make a profit. The best way for a merchant to show
that they know and can do period pieces is to enter them in
competitions and displays.

Claude Anthony Penny <cpenny at swbell.net> wrote: Most prices were set, especially in everyday markets.  I'm sure that
there  was some haggling done for large purchases, at the large fairs.
There are records of merchants being fined for under or overpricing.   I
started doing quite a bit of research on merchants, several years ago,
when I was told that the merchants couldn't have a 'culture' camp,
because they were never a 'culture', but pirates were!  The same noble
(no longer active, of course) told me that he wanted to see the
merchants haggling, instead of having set prices.  I found out that the
merchants were probably the most modern group, in period.  They educated
their children, including the girls! (in fact they can be credited with
starting the first non Church schools), organized a type of postal
system, and started many modern banking ideas, including branch banking,
letters of credit and even a type of options trading.  There were  even
merchants that just bought and resold items.
If anyone is interested, I will try to work up a paper with more info.
It will have to wait until the winter break, since, I have a lot of
mundane shows, coming up.  I can however start reviewing my books and
making notes, now.  I have a fairly decent collection of books on
merchants, fairs and artists, since they all interacted.
There is a common belief, that anyone who sells their work will never be
seriously hampered in getting a Laurel, because, you should GIVE your
work away, not sell it for filthy lucre.  This is a very modern concept,
and a version of it is common in the mundane art world (nothing that is
commercial, is REAL art).

Cairenn
PS If anyone wants to know what shows I'll be at, just email me.


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