Comment on Discussion Thread 🐥 Monday 5 May 2025
StudChud@aussie.zone 3 days ago
Some dude on the other place mentioned, on a thread about uniquely Australian things, that Musk Sticks were made from Musk Deer glands.
Maybe we were able to import the musk essence via the British Empire in the early 1900s, when musk sticks are first mentioned. But I doubt we were importing full on musk deer glands.
I’ve tried to do some research, but the first mention of musk sticks in Australia was 1927, and referenced that musk sticks had been around for 25 years at that point. Could we have imported musk essence circa 1902? Or would it be more reasonable to assume we used the Australian muskwood, or synthetic musk?
Open to other references/sources here!
Synthetic musk was invented in 1888 and while initially toxic probably got refined. Musk sticks were apparently around as early as the 1900s.
I’m trying to find a good source on whether musk deer ever got introduced to Australia but am getting the run around and the answer may be no
Yeah I was thinking we would have used synthetic musk rather than importing musk essence. I don’t believe we ever introduced musk deer to Australia (their tusks are so cute!!), so it must have been either imported essence, muskwood, or synthetic (imported or made here). I just haven’t found a lot of resources on its history in Australia, plenty about the trade of musk deer glands and how rush people liked the perfumes and sweets made with such ingredients lol
Thornburywitch@aussie.zone 3 days ago
Musk deer glands would have been MEGA expensive even then - I very much doubt that the real thing was used in confectionery. Fancy mega expensive perfume etc. yes, but sweeties???
Although, there is a mosque in central Asia somewhere where they mixed real musk deer glands with the mortar. This was back in the 16th century or so, and on hot days you can still smell the musk in the mortar apparently. Conspicuous consumption has been around forever.