Gilding the Silly

(In)conspicuous consumption in the second gilded age

Ben W
Ben W
Nov 4 · 5 min read

If the material culture of a historical class can help us to gain insight into its self-perception and aspirations, then what can Tiffany’s ‘Everyday Objects’ tell us about the contemporary global bourgeoisie? Despite its quotidian name, this collection may represent one of the most astonishing lines of commodities ever produced: it features a

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