Fashioning Old and New: Changing Consumer Preferences in Europe (Seventeenth-Nineteenth Centuries)

A continuing 'cry for the new', it is said, drives present-day consumerism. People are producing and buying new goods in ever-larger quantities. However, in the past, consumer choices for new products were paralleled and even overlapped by structurally embedded practices such as re-use, recycling and resale. Unfortunately far too little is known about these important practices. The 'birth of a consumer society' was grounded not only in the appearance of new products and new industries; a similar drive manifested itself in the handling, buying and selling of 'second-hand'. In this book then the editors confront and integrate historical research on the world of the new and the old. Papers focus on the relationship between material culture and novelty, fashion and innovation on the one hand; and/or patina, second-hand and re-cycling on the other. Differences existed in the use of old and new products according to time, place, social and gender groups. By paying close attention to this historical diversity, this book explores the changing meanings and motivations of consumption. The geographical coverage will be an urban one. The studied time frame will be 'the long eighteenth-century' (from circa 1650 until 1900). It was only then that rapid fashion changes, new imports and spreading industrialization changed the existing material culture dramatically. However, comparisons crossing time and place do place sweeping 'modern' assumptions in perspective. After all: who can decipher how the concepts old and new are changing today, with the current popularity of more responsible (social and ecological) forms of consumption and recycling, and with vintage-clothing and antique furniture back en vogue? A continuing ‘cry for the new’, it is said, drives present-day consumerism. People are producing and buying new goods in ever-larger quantities. However, in the past, consumer choices for new products were paralleled and even overlapped by structurally embedded practices such as re-use, recycling and resale. Unfortunately far too little is known about these important practices. The ‘birth of a consumer society’ was grounded not only in the appearance of new products and new industries; a similar drive manifested itself in the handling, buying and selling of ‘second-hand’.In this book then the editors confront and integrate historical research on the world of the new and the old. Papers focus on the relationship between material culture and novelty, fashion and innovation on the one hand; and/or patina, second-hand and re-cycling on the other. Differences existed in the use of old and new products according to time, place, social and gender groups. By paying close attention to this historical diversity, this book explores the changing meanings and motivations of consumption. The geographical coverage will be an urban one. The studied time frame will be ‘the long eighteenth-century’ (from circa 1650 until 1900). It was only then that rapid fashion changes, new imports and spreading industrialization changed the existing material culture dramatically. However, comparisons crossing time and place do place sweeping ‘modern’ assumptions in perspective. After all: who can decipher how the concepts old and new are changing today, with the current popularity of more responsible (social and ecological) forms of consumption and recycling, and with vintage-clothing and antique furniture back en vogue?Bruno Blondé is Research Professor at the Center for Urban History (University of Antwerp). His research interest includes urban networks, transport history and the history of consumption.Natacha Coquery is appointed Professor at the University of Nantes. She has written extensively on the shopping and consumer habits of the French elites.Jon Stobart is appointed professor at the University of Northampton. He has worked on urban networks and consumption in spatial perspective.Ilja Van Damme is Postdoctoral Fellow of the Fund for Scientific Research. He has written a PhD on the interrelationships between consumer changes and retail evolutions Editorial Preface / Bruno Blondé, Natacha Coquery, Jon Stobart and Ilja Van Damme vii CHAPTER 1. BRUNO BLONDÉ AND ILJA VAN DAMME / Fashioning Old and New or Moulding the Material Culture of Europe (Late Seventeenth–Early Nineteenth Centuries) 1 PART I. PRODUCING 15 CHAPTER 2. ARIANE FENNETAUX / Toying with Novelty: Toys, Consumption and Novelty in Eighteenth–Century Britain 17 CHAPTER 3. MARIE-AGNÈS DEQUIDT / Watch and Clock Ownership in Paris, 1750–1850 29 CHAPTER 4. CLIVE EDWARDS 43 / Perspectives on the Retailing and Acquisition of New and Old Furniture in England, 1700–1850 43 PART II. CONSUMING 59 CHAPTER 5. BRUNO BLONDÉ / Conflicting Consumption Models? The Symbolic Meaning of Possessions and Consumption amongst the Antwerp Nobility at the End of the Eighteenth Century 61 CHAPTER 6. AMY BARNETT / In with the New: Novel Goods in Domestic Provincial England, c. 1700–1790 81 PART III. RETAILING 95 CHAPTER 7. ILJA VAN DAMME / The Lure of the New: Urban Retailing in the Surroundings of Antwerp (Late Seventeenth – Early Eighteenth Centuries) 97 CHAPTER 8. NATACHA COQUERY / The Semi-Luxury Market, Shopkeepers and Social Diffusion: Marketing Chinoiseries in Eighteenth–Century Paris 121 CHAPTER 9. JON STOBART / In and Out of Fashion? Advertising Novel and Second-Hand Goods in Georgian England 133 CHAPTER 10. MARIE GILLET / Supply of Shopkeepers in Besançon in the First Part of the Nineteenth Century: Novelties between 'Old' and 'New' 145 PART IV. AUCTIONING 167 CHAPTER 11. DRIES LYNA / Changing Geographies and the Rise of the Modern Auction. Transformations on the Second-Hand Markets of Eighteenth–Century Antwerp 169 CHAPTER 12. KRISTINA LILJA, SOFIA MURHEM, GÖRAN ULVÄNG / The Indispensable Market: Auctions in Sweden in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries 185 CHAPTER 13. CHARLOTTE GUICHARD / From Social Event to Urban Spectacle: Art Auctions in Late Eighteenth–Century Paris 203 CHAPTER 14. MANUEL CHARPY / The Auction House and its Surroundings: the Trade of Antiques and Second-Hand Items in Paris during the Nineteenth Century 217 Fashioning Old And New Or Moulding The Material Culture Of Europe (late Seventeenth-early Nineteenth Centuries) / Bruno Blondé And Ilja Van Damme -- Toying With Novelty : Toys, Consumption And Novelty In Eighteenth-century Britain / Ariane Fennetaux -- Watch And Clock Ownership In Paris, 1750-1850 / Marie-agnés Dequidt -- Perspectives On The Retailing And Acquisition Of New And Old Furniture In England, 1700-1850 / Clive Edwards -- Conflicting Consumption Models? The Symbolic Meaning Of Possessions And Consumption Amongst The Antwerp Nobility At The End Of The Eighteenth Century / Bruno Blondé -- In With The New : Novel Goods In Domestic Provincial England, C. 1700-1790 / Amy Barnett -- The Lure Of The New : Urban Retailing In The Surroundings Of Antwerp (late Seventeenth-early Eighteenth Centuries) / Ilja Van Damme -- The Semi-luxury Market, Shopkeepers And Social Diffusion : Marketing Chinoiseries In Eighteenth-century Paris / Natacha Coquery -- In And Out Of Fashion? Advertising Novel And Second-hand Goods In Georgian England / Jon Stobart -- Supply Of Shopkeepers In Besanc̜on In The First Part Of The Nineteenth Century : Novelties Between Old And New / Marie Gillet -- Changing Geographies And The Rise Of The Modern Auction. Transformations On The Second-hand Markets Of Eighteenth-century Antwerp / Dries Lyna -- The Indispensable Market : Auctions In Sweden In The Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries / Kristina Lilja, Sofiea Murhem, Göran Ulväng -- From Social Event To Urban Spectacle : Art Auctions In Late Eighteenth-century Paris / Charlotte Guichard -- The Auction House And Its Surroundings : The Trade Of Antiques And Second-hand Items In Paris During The Nineteenth Century / Manuel Charpy. Bruno Blondé ... [et Al.] (eds.). This Volume Originated From A Session Organised ... At The Eight International Conference On Urban History In Stockholm, 2006.--pref. Includes Bibliographical References.