Antiques 101: What is an Antique?

What is an Antique? Simply defined, an antique is anything old. It can include any tangible item, including books, cars, pitchers, paintings, autographs and more. By defining an antique in such a simple manner; however, we are left with a rather subjective interpretation, lacking clarity. After all, the question remains, "How old is old?"

To a three year old, old may be a 16 year old McDonald's cashier; to the 16 year old cashier, old may be the 24 year old business man who orders a Big Mac and fries every Thursday afternoon; to the businessman, old may be his 42 year old boss with whom he does not see eye to eye.

When referencing an antique, purists tend to agree that the term "antique" should be restricted to objects over 100 years old. Naturally there is some leeway. If a manufacturer's glass goblet was produced from 1909 through 1915, the goblet would be considered an antique, even though it may not have been made until 1915.

Although we would like to believe that all antiques are valuable, it is important to note that the term "antique" does not guarantee value or desirability, it simply means old. Items falling short of the 100 year rule can still be quite desirable and command a hefty price, but these items cannot and should not be referred to as antique.

For those items that don't quite make the cut off, the term "nearly antique" is a good word choice; and for those items about 50 years old, the term "vintage" is a good option. For items made during the 1950s and 1960s, the term "Mid Century" had become the latest buzz phrase, while items from the 1970s and 1980s are now referred to as "Retro."

In future blogs we will discuss in greater detail the various periods and various collectible wares belonging to each.

Thanks for reading!