Consumption and the Country House

Consumption and the Country House explores the spending patterns, tastes, and preferences of the Georgian aristocracy, a class of people we think we know well. We think of the aristocracy as extravagant and perhaps decadent, but was this really the case? What kinds of goods did the aristocracy purchase and how did they spend their vast fortunes? How much of their income did they spend on the country house, on fine china, artwork, and extravagant clothing, and how much did they spend on more everyday items such as fuel to keep their houses warm and wages for their servants? Where did the aristocracy buy their goods from and who influenced their changing tastes in fashion and architecture? Through a series of detailed case studies this volume explores these questions and more to reveal the real lives of the eighteenth century aristocracy; their needs, desires, and the kind of lives they led on an everyday level.