Calm down, people. The $190 refers to the whole set of rocks with wrapping. That one rock is probably like $20. They just sell the whole thing as a set, and put the price tag on one rock.
Man, that explanation sounds like BS.
But is it?
“It’s not a purse - it’s European.”
…rat and…?
A Google search on “rattan rocks” or “rattan wrapped rocks” shows results similar to the example in the OP, such as the website of this artist. His stuff is more elaborately wrapped than the $190 example from the Hamptons (although one of the out-of-focus rocks in the background of the OP’s photo also shows more elaborate wrapping). I can see the artistry in what this guy does. Perhaps if the photo in the OP showed the other side of the rock, the artistry would be more apparent?
Honestly, if you think this is a ridiculous example of conspicuous consumption, congratulations on finding nothing new. Thorstein Veblen wrote the book on that over a hundred years ago, and it certainly existed well before then.
75 cents for the rock
25 cent for the twine
189 dollars for the Shaman that “blessed” the rock
or, maybe, for the Artists “creativity”, assuming no Shaman was involved…
Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there I just watched every single I Saw You Coming skit and they are without exception brilliant! Thank you so much for introducing me to Harry & Paul, Novelty Bobble!
That’s not a rock. Only someone unfamiliar with a gall stone from a Dodo bird would think that. The clear giveaway is the bile stains in the top portion of the picture. This shop obviously has no idea what they have here. These things go for tens of thousands when they are available.
I thought for sure this would be something for sale on Etsy but I think they prefer to wrap their rocks in yarn.
I hate to ask this, but is it actually $1.90, with the decimal inadvertently left off?
Clearly it’s a tiger repelling rock. You can make jokes about it not being worth the price but when’s the last time you heard about a tiger attack on Long Island?
Oh, good. Artisanal pet rocks.
It looks to me a bit like the boundary stones used in Japanese gardens:
A better thank-you would involve a promise never to use your catchphrase ever again.
There is huge mark up over materials here to be sure but do note that a large polished rock of granite or such, like that, by itself as raw material, would cost you $23 on EBay. $60 being asked for a similar one of marble.
And of course being priced does not mean that it sells. Maybe it is part of marketing. They know that the usual price point for a spur of the moment craft art purchase is may say up to $150, so put some things above that make your $150 craft works look relatively like good deals in comparison!
So no one else thinks it’s just some item that someone slapped a $190 sticker on and took a picture to generate a meme? Or the sticker is itself part of the art, as a way of making fun of the concept we are making fun of?
Somewhere, someone will pay any price for any thing, for any reason, BigT.
Ours is not to question why, but to throw rocks. You should never miss the opportunity to throw rocks at a rock.
I find the Weather Forecasting Rockmore useful, personally
And it’s far more affordable, and can be personalized to boot, not to mention 100% accurate
You know, BigT, quite a few women wear rocks on their fingers.
If you think that’s expensive, you haven’t seen how much they’re asking for prosthetic foreheads.
Maybe it’s a World’s Largest Ball of Twine starter kit…