For it was impossible to assess the pedigree of the Tulp members from the physiognomy of their bulbs, some managed to sell the Tulps for a much higher price by convincing the buyer that they belonged to rare cultivars such as the Viceroy (the cultivar of Semper Augustus), along with the illustrations of their direct ancestors. Some sold Tulp bulbs that they stole, others used wine to affect the complexion of the Tulp, giving rise to Tulp bulbs as intoxicated as those who dealt them in the taverns. Some even sold bulbs that they did not yet own, by reselling the right to purchase them in the following year from other dealers. Others genuinely mistook the bulbs, while unseen mutations did appear now and then amongst the most common Tulps, all adding to the excitement of the Tulp fever.
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania#/media/File:Tulipomania.jpg
