Words like “superfoods, chic, all-natural, and anti-aging” are some of the stylish words to speak today. We live in a catchphrase society. Placing a trendy term in front of a product can immediately grab your attention, define a brand, and make a sale. While buzzwords can be great for marketers, they can sometimes be misleading and disappointing for consumers.
As with every industry, catchphrases are plentiful in the interior design world like the words “antique” and “vintage.” You’ll find these two words everywhere in the world of interiors. Frequently these terms are misused or used interchangeably, and it may lead you to make an ill-informed decision or purchase.
Antique is defined as an object of more than 100 years old valued for its aesthetic or historical significance. It is also equally agreed that an antique item must retain its original character with only the minimal restoration when absolutely necessary. An antique is also sometimes used to describe pieces that have seen over two generations (about 80 years). An antique is considered as a collectible item due its age, rarity, condition, beauty, personal emotional connection, and other unique features.
Antiques are not just old. They tell a story, they have a personality, and they have a place in the world. Antiques can be bought at antique shops, auction houses, estate sales, online auctions, and other venues. The term antique is used to refer to a wok of art, furniture, jewelry, or decorative objects. Furniture is a very popular area in antiques. When shopping online, be very wary of items that claim to be “antique” when they are merely reproduction pieces. While reproductions can be beautiful and the right fit for you, they should not be marked at such an elevated price point.
Collectors do know that something
made in the Edwardian period (roughly 1901 to 1910) or older is antique now.
Learning the characteristics of objects made during different periods such as Arts
and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Art
Deco will help you to simplify the line
between antique and vintage.
It's also good to learn about
reproductions and revivals of old styles especially Victorian and Art Deco.
There are some antique experts that look upon antiques more in terms of
historical significance or design, and they may stretch the rule a bit to
include some newer items and exclude others based on their personal preference.
Vintage is defined as any item
constructed in a fashion that was popular in another era. The term “vintage”
was originally derived from the dating of a bottle of wine, marking the date
the grapes were grown. This gave some added information about the value of the
wine—if the vintage year was a good grape season, it indicated high quality and
the wine was priced higher. Vintage usually refers to items that are less than
100 years old. There are two contrasting views about the minimum age limit.
Some
are of the view that an item has to be at least 50 years old to be called
vintage, and some use the term vintage for items that are older than 20 years.
Items which are over 50 years are sometimes called true vintage and those that
are over 20 years are called new vintage. Your mother’s wedding dress from the
1980s can be classified as new vintage whereas your grandmother’s wedding dress
from 40s can be classified as true vintage.
Vintage
is often used to describe an item when that item exhibits the best of a certain
quality (or qualities) associated with or belonging to that specific era. An
item should be representational and recognizable to a certain degree as
belonging to the era in which it was made to be called vintage. The term
vintage is also used with the relevant year. For example, vintage 1963
model Mercedes Benz, or vintage 1970s bracelet.
“Vintage never fits the way you think it will.” (Hannah Bronfman)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Difference between Antique and Vintage” by Hasa
·
“The Difference between Antique and Vintage” By Pamela
Wiggins
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