by Matthew Scheidelman, The Antiques Appraiser
Dear Mister Scheidelman… I am confused by the terms “antique,” “collectible,” and “vintage” as used by dealers to describe their items. They seem to be used interchangeably and differently from person to person. I have seen things in antique shops that are less than 50 years old! How does this work? D.V., Inlet
Dear D.V.,
These terms can be confusing and misleading to everyone because they can mean different things to different people. Age and times past are subjective.
For example, to a 15-year-old, WWII and the Civil War can be lumped into the same historical category.
But to someone who remembers WWII, it does not seem so long ago.
I still cringe when I hear a young kid refer to music of the 1980’s as “oldies,” or a movie that I saw upon its original release or a car I drove in high school called a “classic.”
At a recent house sale I heard a child ask his mother what those “funny black things” were. They were LP record albums!
The term “antique” is typically used to describe an item 100 or more years old, usually things like furniture, glassware, dishes, toys etc.
The federal government classifies antiques as at least 100 years old.
“Vintage” means of a certain time period or having the characteristics of that era. Continue reading
