| Photo Information |
Copyright: kapil jadhav (kapil)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 102 W: 45 N: 67]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/g-s-g.gif) (500) |
| Genre: Places |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2006-04-16 |
| Categories: Nature |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2007-02-01 21:14 |
| Viewed: 522 |
| Points: 12 |
|
| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Tulip Mania
The tulip, introduced to Europe in middle of the 16th century from Ottoman Empire, experienced a strong growth in popularity in the United Provinces (now the Netherlands), boosted by competition between members of the upper classes for possession of the rarest tulips. Competition escalated until prices reached very high levelsThe flower rapidly became a coveted luxury item and a status symbol. Special breeds were given exotic names or named after Dutch naval admirals. The most spectacular and highly sought-after tulips had vivid colors, lines, and flames on the petals as a result of being infected with a tulip-specific virus known as the Tulip Breaking potyvirus.
In 1623, a single bulb of a famous tulip variety could cost as much as a thousand Dutch florins (the average yearly income at the time was 150 florins). Tulips were also exchanged for land, valuable livestock, and houses. Allegedly, a good trader could earn sixty thousand florins a month.
By 1635, a sale of 40 bulbs for 100,000 florins was recorded. By way of comparison, a ton of butter cost around 100 florins and "eight fat swine" 240 florins. A record was the sale of the most famous bulb, the Semper Augustus, for 6,000 florins in Haarlem.
By 1636, tulips were traded on the stock exchanges of numerous Dutch towns and cities. This encouraged trading in tulips by all members of society, with many people selling or trading their other possessions in order to speculate in the tulip market. Some speculators made large profits as a result.
Some traders sold tulip bulbs that had only just been planted or those they intended to plant (in effect, tulip futures contracts). This phenomenon was dubbed windhandel, or "wind trade", and took place mostly in the taverns of small towns using an arcane slate system to indicate bid prices. A state edict from 1610 (well before the alleged bubble) made that trade illegal by refusing to enforce the contracts, but the legislation failed to curtail the activity.
In February 1637 tulip traders could no longer get inflated prices for their bulbs, and they began to sell. The bubble burst. People began to suspect that the demand for tulips could not last, and as this spread a panic developed. Some were left holding contracts to purchase tulips at prices now ten times greater than those on the open market, while others found themselves in possession of bulbs now worth a fraction of the price they had paid. Allegedly, thousands of Dutch, including businessmen and dignitaries, were financially ruined.
Attempts were made to resolve the situation to the satisfaction of all parties, but these were unsuccessful. Ultimately, individuals were stuck with the bulbs they held at the end of the crash—no court would enforce payment of a contract, since judges regarded the debts as contracted through gambling, and thus not enforceable in law. |
Dawn, rintile, lgfoto, JohnTulip, broadcaster, vandana2923 has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekLens members may rate photo notes. |
|
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 37 W: 9 N: 26]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/s-n-s.gif){kind=small}
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 652 W: 117 N: 138]](http://i1.treklens.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(1348)