What Is An Antique?
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By Linda C. Brennan
American Society of Appraisers
and vendor at Village Antiques in Quincy next to the Volunteer Fire Department
According to Webster’s New Unabridged Dictionary there is several interpretations:
1. Old; venerable; of olden times.
2. Old, as respect to present age or modern time; antiquated, as an antique chair.
3. Ancient; belonging to antiquity, esp. the flourishing ages of Greece and Rome, as an antique statue.
4. Belonging to the style or fashion of antiquity or a time long goneby; hence archaic,
old fashioned, or made to seem so.
5. Among the oldest of its class, etc., as of textiles, furniture, or the like, early as anAntique highboy.
In general anything very old. A relic or object of ancient art, collectively. The antiques, the remains or style of ancient art, as busts, statues, paintings, porcelain and pottery.
Today, we think of an Antique as being at least 100 yrs. old, but so often newer collectors think 50 years is ample. It is amazing how popular the 1950s and 60s items are with some people.
When thinking of buying Antiques or adding to a collection take several important factors into
consideration in this order.
1, Rarity
2. Condition
3. Age
4. Origin
5. Is it real or is it a fake?
6. Value (Estimated cost)
I can only tell people when considering buying an Antique Item, if it makes you happy and you would
enjoy it in your life… do it. The same goes for Art Work, if a piece pleases you, the picture, sculpture, etc. might give you many years of comfort.
