Playfair: a sample of the 1821 chart

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This view selects every eighth observation with a known wage. The axes have different scales; compare changes, not mark heights. Prices are not inflation-adjusted.

Wheat and a mechanic's weekly wage

Shillings, selected observations from 1565 to 1805

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Rich Markdown

---
title: "Playfair: a sample of the 1821 chart"
styles: [hand-drawn]
---

```chart
{
  "axes": {
    "x": {
      "label": "Year"
    },
    "y": {
      "label": "Wheat per quarter",
      "unit": "s"
    },
    "y2": {
      "label": "Weekly wage",
      "unit": "s"
    }
  },
  "data": {
    "csv": "data.csv"
  },
  "encoding": {
    "line": "wages",
    "x": "year",
    "y": "wheat"
  },
  "style": {
    "gaps": "break",
    "ratio": "16:9"
  },
  "subtitle": "Shillings, selected observations from 1565 to 1805",
  "title": "Wheat and a mechanic's weekly wage",
  "type": "combo"
}
```

Data and credits

Complete report and provenance · Rich Markdown source · CSV observations.