There is a good chance he is gearing up for a snark, as witnessed in this thread; either to your face, or behind your back. If I go to a restaurant, it makes sense to ask what the lobster costs, if I am being served lobster at someone’s home, it is rude to ask what it costs.
“A good chance” is far from the your blanket statement where you implied “always.” And even then, I think that “a good chance” is not very accurate. As has been pointed out, it was probably more a case of clueless rather that open and hostile malice. Yes, there are people out there who look for chances to be snarky and cut up others behind their backs, but in my experience those people are thankfully rare.
I was raised to think that asking the price of something in someone’s home was completely rude and crass… the only ruder thing would be announcing the price tag 
so, I asked my Nonnie what I should do if I was asked such a question.
she said “Tell them it was a gift from a dear friend and smile!”
You said, “Honesty can sometimes be quite rude in itself, and a horribly bad idea.”
So it is in direct response to your endorsement of dishonesty. Perhaps you actually meant keeping quiet, which is not dishonest if you are not obligated to provide information.
I would not have a problem with that at all. I would respond “I apologize, I’m a naturally curious person, and didn’t intend any offense. I’m just ignorant about this subject, and wondered about that aspect of it.”
If that was insufficient to assuage your discomfort, I wouldn’t be interested in any further discussion. You see, I never had any bad intentions, or would have inquired about the price in any judgemental way, or made an assumption about your intentions had you inquired.
Honesty can be brutal, but it can be tactful instead. And I think that tactful honesty is better than a lie, no matter how polite. “I don’t remember” or “It was a gift” are, IMHO, not as good as “I’m not comfortable discussing that.” A rude or persitent person could call you out on your lies, maybe with “Let’s look for your receipt” or “Who gave it to you? Let’s call him and ask.”
There’s a Bamboo Arts Appendix on the website. I wonder if Bam Boo Gut is missing it.
I can see the bewilderment of guests looking at a prominently displayed wicker basket on a lighted pedestal and wondering about the price. I would be similarly bewildered, but as an invited guest I wouldn’t dare ask the price.
I might let my 4 year old son use it as a Halloween basket though.
I don’t think asking about the price is rude at all.
Maybe socially awkward, but not rude.
Perhaps they really like the piece, and want to know if they can buy something similar for themselves?
Why is it rude to ask how much something cost? I think it’s rude to ask that if someone’s giving you a gift, but why is it inappropriate to ask about an item displayed in a living room? I really don’t get it. It’s not like you’re asking for any personal information.
Jesus. That is really annoying. He was just making a general statement. Does one have to qualify everything to death around here? He was pointing out an attitude that may cause folks to feel hesitant to share what they paid for things. He didn’t mean "every single solitary time someone asks about price they are definitely, certainly, without fail gearing up for snark. Come on. What is the point of even taking the argument in that direction.
Sorry, I cannot fathom why someone would think it’s rude to ask. I think you should just stick a price tag on it and end all inquiries that way
Why is it rude to ask the price of a gift? Because it suggests that the price is the value. It’s essentially the same here.
It’s rude to ask with a gift because it suggests that the monetary value is more important than the sentiment. There is no such concern with an item on display as a decoration.
That might not be very aesthetic, but I don’t find anything objectionable about the idea in principle.
But you failed to question if the asker was a good choice for anal sex.
Show me anywhere where I said that dishonesty was a virtue, or admit that you are just blowing bilge.
Because it’s none of your business.
It’s public information.
You aren’t really answering the question anyway. Why is it rude? What’s so horrible about being asked how much something costs? Why does that make people uncomfortable? I really don’t get it.
Wow. You keep repeating this phrase as if it actually has any meaning. There is no such thing as a universally accepted set of conventions for what is or isn’t someone’s business.
People in this thread are asking why it is considered rude in our society to ask the price of things. Your idiotic response is not the answer to that question. “None of your business” can be given as the answer to just about any personal question, even ones that are not considered rude.