I’ve been a little overwhelmed by how over-the-top the modern baby industry is — $1200 dollar strollers, $1800 cribs, $300 wooden toys. It’s not that I feel pressure to buy all of this (or could even afford it). It’s that I didn’t grow up with anything like that. We had lots of love and lots of hand-me downs and I’m pretty sure I spent some portion of my early life sleeping in a drawer. I guess I’m struggling with how to balance my own background with some of the innovations that seem worth the money to me (a rear facing stroller, non toxic toys (but not the $300 dollar version, thank you!)). Anyway, the hub rounded up these beautiful, haute, incredibly expensive cradles on 1st Dibs to make me feel better — that our modern age isn’t completely insane — its just the way it’s always been.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Amen to this! Wherever there are wealthy people there will be people making extravagant products for them. I’m all for admiring these things as art objects and not getting caught up in the mania of statement purchases. (A logo bag and a 1500 dollar stroller aren’t so far apart really.)
i totally get this. we recently went through the same thing. i wanted nothing more than the super cool $2000 crib…but my budget was more like $200. bummer. anyway, after looking absolutely everywhere for a modern, affordable crib we ended up with this one from BRU.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3012747
i’ve been happy with it although it’s not quite my style. i added a few blik graphics to it to make it more fun. also, if i can offer up one bit of unsolicited advice, get a high-quality FOAM mattress. they are so lightweight and make changing the sheets so much easier.
congrats to the parents-to-be!
I like the moon! You can read Good Night, Moon while rocking the moon! I mean, !!
what a great post idea!
the bentwood german cradle is beautiful, and crazy.
I’m totally inspired to make a crescent moon cradle for my wee one!
wowzers, that moon bed is really beautiful, but really crazy.
I LOVE the old cradle from Holland! So beautiful! And all of the detail on it! The moon one is neat, also, but baby would easily get out of that one soon, I think.
The German one is like the 1910 version of snap and go! Love it! More retrospectives please!
Oh, these cradles are so charming. I was the last of three, so my crib and cradles were well-worn with love by the time I came around – not to mention the totally Victorian black PRAM we were wheeled around in. That thing look like a hearse.
wow!
I love all these. I like the one from England, but I think that in my own house, I would like the Italian one! so cute. The German one doesn’t even look like a crib.