In reply to Sacha ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

In Country Life I have just read that, in the 18th century,
pineapples were very highly prized as a high status fruit to offer
one's guests. This is one of the reasons they're the symbol of
welcome as shown in stone pineapples on so many gateposts. However,
back then one fruit could cost the equivalent of £5000 in today's
money!

I presume that included the delivery charge

:-)