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You may wonder why we chose a pineapple as our logo. As a holiday home rental agency based in Devon it definitely doesn't seem like the obvious choice. Salcombe is renowned for lots of things but you are right its pineapple crop is definitely not one of them. There is a reason to our randomness, find out the interesting history of the pineapple and why we chose it as our logo here.
The colourful history of the pineapple
Early in the colonial era, explorers, such as Christopher Columbus brought rare crops back to Europe when they returned from the New World. Pineapples were among those exotic imports, along with items like cane sugar and avocados. But unfortunately the highly perishable pineapple couldn't grow in European climates. Members of the nobility liked the taste of the fruit so much, they were willing to pay incredibly high prices to get their hands on one, the equivalent to £5000 nowadays.
The pineapple was extremely popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, and remained a symbol of wealth into the 17th century. King Charles II, who ruled England until 1685, even posed with a pineapple for one of his official portraits.
From status symbol to global symbol of hospitality
Due to their scarcity and price, pineapples became a status symbol and were displayed with pride at social events. Guests would feel honoured that a host had obviously spared no expense to ensure their guests' dining pleasure. Naturally the pineapple came to symbolise the high spirits of the social events themselves; the image of the pineapple coming to express the sense of welcome, good cheer, human warmth and family affection inherent to such gracious home gatherings.
That idea was translated into pineapple images so that those who couldn't afford the fruit itself could still share the sentiment. Buildings went on to display pictures or carvings of the fruit to convey a sense of welcoming. You may notice pineapple carvings inside and outside of historic buildings, one of the more over-the-top examples of pineapple architecture is the Dunmore House, a folly in Dunmore Park, Scotland that has a roof shaped like a pineapple. St. Pauls Cathedral, London also has two golden pineapples perched on top of its north towers. The pineapple continued to be used frequently as a symbol of hospitality in the 18th and 19th centuries; placed on top of gateposts, above doorways, decorate bed posts, tablecloths, napkins, and anything associated with welcoming guests.
DUNMORE HOUSE, SCOTLAND
Taylor Made Salcombe's Pineapple
The pineapple reflects our ethos. At Taylor Made Salcombe we aim to make you feel like our most-honoured guest, welcomed with great hospitality and friendliness. Our dedicated team are like our mini pineapples, their personal service and friendly approach will ensure you are always incredibly well looked after. The pineapple symbolises luxury and superiority, both aspects we champion within our company and ensure are reflected in both the standard of properties and level of service. We believe Taylor Made Salcombe is the pineapple of the holiday home rental industry, a rare and special find now, to eventually become a symbol of exceptional service, outstanding properties and warm welcomes.
Unfortunately we can't put a pineapple in your luxury welcome hamper as we can't guarantee it will be locally sourced, but we are confident you will experience everything our pineapple encompasses when staying with Taylor Made Salcombe.
We look forward to welcoming you.
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