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May 27, 2022

Pineapples were a privilege few could afford. (bbc.com)

Have you ever wondered why you see pineapple motifs in 19th-century jewelry or carvings of pineapples on wooden banisters in 19th-century homes? That’s because pineapples were once considered a status symbol that only the very wealthy could afford. Not only did the rich and famous of the 1700s and 1800s like to add pineapples into their fashion and décor, but they also liked to flaunt their wealth by making a real pineapple the focal point of their lavish dinner parties and by simply strolling the streets with a pineapple tucked in their arms. Seriously. Let’s look at how the pineapple became a sweet and juicy status symbol and why this fad suddenly ended.

Ode to the Pineapple

Contrary to popular belief, pineapples are not native to Hawaii. They are, in fact, native to Brazil and other parts of South America. During the Golden Age of Exploration, European explorers sailed around the globe and brought back a cornucopia of new, exotic foods. During one of his voyages to the New World, Christopher Columbus gathered a load of pineapples to take with him on his return trip. According to legend, most of the pineapples rotted aboard ships, but one survived the journey. Columbus famously presented this pineapple to King Ferdinand as a token of thanks for sponsoring the trip. The fruit was a hit in Ferdinand’s court and started Europe’s insatiable appetite for pineapples.

In the decades that followed, there were many attempts to grow pineapples in Europe, but nearly all of them failed. Pineapple plants are quite temperamental. They require the right soil, right temperature, right amount of moisture, and right amount of sunlight to thrive and produce fruit. Even the elaborate and expensive greenhouses that were built in Europe for the sole purpose of cultivating pineapples didn’t offer the ideal growing environment for these plants. Europeans next started large-scale pineapple growing operations in tropical climates where the fruit was sure to thrive. These were much more successful, but they were quite expensive.

A field of pineapples, in the Hawaiian islands, late nineteenth century. From the photo book 'Scenes in the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Hawaiian Islands and Scenes Relating to Soldiers,' 1902. (Photo by Interim Archives/Getty Images)

Luxury Pineapples

As the 1800s progressed, pineapples became easier to get but only for those people wealthy enough to pay the price. Just one pineapple cost a fortune. Not only did a person need lots of disposable income to buy a pineapple, but he needed to be well-connected and have an in with a pineapple broker. So, if you were invited to a dinner party in the early 1800s, and the host served the guests fresh pineapple, you could be sure that the host oozed wealth, power, and prestige. You can be equally sure that the host wanted you to know that. In a not-so-subtle way, a slice of fresh pineapple on a plate was a way to show off status to dinner guests.

Pineapples are perishable. And there was no refrigeration in the early 1800s. So, when a wealthy person acquired a pineapple, they wanted to get their money’s worth before the fruit went bad. They might use the pineapple in an ornate centerpiece at a party or ball … to make sure everyone saw it. Then they might bring the pineapple with them to various events. Yes, a prominent person might walk around with a pineapple to flaunt their wealth and status. In many cases, the pineapple was too valuable to eat. It was a constant companion of a status-hungry flaunter until it became too decayed to inspire envy.

Why buy a pineapple when you could rent one? (bbc.com)

Rent-A-Pineapple

The middle class, nouveau rich, and the wannabe wealthy were so smitten with the pineapple and so valued its symbol of money and social status that they naturally wanted their own pineapple. But remember, at the time pineapples were ridiculously expensive. Some enterprising businessmen in London came up with a clever solution. They opened rent-a-pineapple businesses. No joke. Someone could rent a pineapple for an evening, in much the same way that men rent tuxedos for formal occasions. The renter could display the pineapple in a highly visible location, escort it to a swanky party, or anything else – except eat it. The pineapple had to be returned to the rental company the next day in perfect condition. The same pineapple would be rented out day after day until it went bad. The pineapple rental business gave folks who desired status the opportunity to flash a faux status symbol … fruit to impress.

The End of the Status Symbol

All while the rich and famous were flaunting the rarity of pineapples, pineapple growers were working to make the fruit less expensive and more accessible to the general public. There were more pineapple plantations, including some in Hawaii, flooding the market with the fruit. But the biggest factor in the decline of the pineapple as a status symbol was the widespread use of canning techniques. Canned pineapple was an inexpensive way to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Advancements in farming, production, and shipping methods drastically lowered the costs of canned pineapples. Now, even people in the lower socioeconomic classes could afford to dine on pineapple. As with everything, once the value has been deflated and an item is no longer exclusively available to the elite members of society, their interest in it plummets. That is what happened to the pineapple. Pineapples were once the king of all fruits and a fruit fit (only) for kings and the upper class. Once everyone could get their hands on some of the sweet, golden fruit, pineapples lost their value as a status symbol.

A Fruity Status Symbol: When Pineapples Were King

Ode to the Pineapple

Luxury Pineapples

Rent-A-Pineapple

The End of the Status Symbol