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The difference between antique, vintage, and collectible item.



Last updated: January 2, 2018 by admin

Read our more comprehensive guide to what makes something antique, collectible or vintage here.

There has been a debate over what an antique is for years. Some say an Antique is:
An object of considerable age valued for its aesthetic or historical significance. In the antiques trade, the term refers to objects more than 100 years old.
Some dealers are attempting to lower the standard of an antique. They believe that items over 50 years old should be considered an antique. Those who are reputable antique dealers say the 50 years definition lowers the standard to a point that dealers can sell collectibles under the name of antiques.
This leads us to the word Collectible. A collectible is a term that describes valuable objects less than a hundred years old, often distinguished from antiques, which as a rule are more than a hundred years old.
Then we have the word vintage which originally applied to the age of a bottle of wine. This term was hijacked and is now used to describe item that has cycled back into fashion or less then 25 years old. This term is generally applied to the time period 1960-1979. The time period 1950-1959 is generally referred to as retro both these terms can be applied to items less then 100 years in age.
However, it should be known that the label “antique”, “vintage” or “collectible” has no real effect on the value of an item. The value of an item is determined more by whether there is a demand for it. There are very rare antiques which are sold for much less than a newer collectible, but this is because there is no demand for the rare antique and a high demand for the newer collectible.
When it comes to purchasing items on the antique or collectible market, the buyer should do a lot of research before handing over any money. Flea markets with antique stands, antique shops, and antique malls are plentiful, so dealers have a lot of competition in stocking their shops. This can lead them to price their items much higher than their true value, which is a bad investment for you. Why buy an antique or a collectible for more than its value?

So, when you compare antiques to collectibles, antiques stand the test of time. Their value remains stable. Collectibles, however, are priced more on a whim and their long term value is highly speculative. Implement caution when investing in collectibles as opposed to antiques.



Related posts:

  1. 7 Antique Questions You Need to Know the Answer to
  2. What Makes Something Antique, Collectible or Vintage?
  3. 10 Antique and Collectible Christmas Presents for Anyone
  4. Best Auction Houses In the US to Sell Your Antique or Collectible Clock

Filed Under: Antiques, Collectibles, Vintage Tagged With: Antique, by Korin Iverson, Collectibles

Comments

  1. Allen Taylor says:

    Nice writing. You are on my RSS reader now so I can read more from you down the road.

    Allen Taylor

    Reply
  2. Matt says:

    Top article! I had no idea of the difference of terminology. Your writing makes me think a lot more about the ‘antique’ or ‘collectible’ market and the how I’ve been swindled a time or two just by the misinterpretation.

    I agree with Allen, your writing is solid and I’ve also signed you into my rss feed.

    Reply
    • Jacqueline Harrison says:

      I didn’t either I have a table about 70 years old very good condition

      Reply
  3. Kylie says:

    Really Nice post.

    Reply
  4. Corinne says:

    Really enjoyed your writing style and putting the term vintage, antique, and collectible in their true form. Thanks

    Reply
  5. William Ray says:

    What if I have a iteam that is only 3 or 4 years old, but there are only 2,000 of them made in the whole world and production of making anymore is over. Those who collect this cant find that one because only 2,000 were made in 2013. P.S. I have two of them.

    Reply
    • Gauri says:

      That’ll be considered vintage still!

      Reply
  6. Antique Diva says:

    Love this article! I always follow Antique HQ for all my questions. Thank you guys for being awesome!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Quick Facts about Wedgewood China | Antique HQ says:
    April 24, 2009 at 9:39 pm

    […] production an antique. For an item to be an antique it has to be at least 100 years old. Read the differences between antique, vintage, and collectible item for more information. The Wedgwood Company keeps thorough records of all the designs they produce. […]

    Reply

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