If you’re new to shopping for antiques and vintage you may be confused by some of the terms used. One of the most common confusion points is understanding the difference between what’s antique and what’s vintage.
In the strictest sense the difference between an antique and a vintage item is its age. Antiques are items that must be at least 100 years old. ?The 100-years-or-older rule applies to any of these items no matter what they are made of. So, even though it may seem less likely for a book or glassware to survive 100 years than a piece of furniture, therefore making the fragile stuff seem like it should become an antique earlier; but it doesn’t work that way.
Items over 300 years of age generally fall into one of two categories depending on whether they are man made creations or natural finds. If they are not man-made or if they are the remains or impressions of formerly living things then they are fossils! If the items are man-made they are called antiquities or artifacts. Typically, items older than 300 years are dug up either in the process of modern land development and construction or by archaeological work. Or, they are also unearthed in attics, basements and private collections too.
Vintage items are not as old as antiques. However, unlike the definition of an antique, labelling something vintage is far more subjective. The word vintage literally means “of an age.” With such an open meaning there are many interpretations. Most antique dealers consider an item to be vintage if it is at least 40 years old.
Even though many vintage items are nostalgic they are sought after for many reasons besides their age. This includes decorating and collecting. And, because so many of these objects are still useable they are often practical pieces with a unique flair.
To cover additional time periods, perhaps, many of those who buy and sell antique and vintage objects also use other words. Among them, the word “retro.”
This is an affectionate shortening of the French word “retrograde.” Like the word “retroactive,” the original meaning references the past — but is not from the past. Instead, retro goodies imitate the styles of the recent past. They are not copies or fakes, but items that give a nod to the past. Think of classics such as bowling shirts and letterman jackets.
However, over time, the definition of retro has also come to encompass things from the recent past – things not old enough to be authentically vintage, at least 20 years old, but not merely “just used things” either. They are just old enough to be nostalgic. Many of these things that can still be used – or, in the case of records, tapes, and CDs, played.Source:www.farmantiques.net