What Is the Difference Between Vintage and Antique? When people hear the term vintage, antique, or even retro, their first thought is usually “old.” And while that assumption isn’t necessarily wrong, there are some key differences between each. The biggest: age. So exactly when does something become vintage? And how many years is antique? Learn […]
When people hear the term vintage, antique, or even retro, their first thought is usually “old.” And while that assumption isn’t necessarily wrong, there are some key differences between each. The biggest: age.
So exactly when does something become vintage? And how many years is antique? Learn all about these differences below!
When something is labeled as “vintage” it simply means that the item is “old.” But what exactly does that mean? Can something only 1-2 years old be considered vintage? Technically, yes. But most consider vintage items to be at least 20 years old.
Another aspect of vintage items is that they have a clear sense of nostalgia attached to them. Because of this, most vintage items were very popular or quintessential for their time period. A good example of these differences would be how the ’90s to early 2000s vintage items are mostly electronic items like toys and gaming devices due to the boom in technology and popularization of the internet. Whereas ‘70s vintage items are centered more around fashion and music as the era introduced bold prints and the emergence of new genres.
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The best way to determine if something is vintage is by researching the brand and item name or label. There isn’t a certain period of time that dictates something as true vintage, but 20 years ago is usually a good start.
The item or style of the piece itself isn’t necessarily a good indication of whether it’s vintage because as old trends reemerge, newly created items might have a “vintage” look or style to them. This is where “retro” items come into play.
Unlike vintage pieces which are a little looser with age requirements, the age of antique pieces does matter. For an item to be considered antique, it must be at least 100 years old. Determining the difference between vintage and antique can be a little trickier, but there are a few things that are more distinct with antique items, including:
Vintage and retro are often used synonymously. And while one is dependent on the other, there is a key difference in what makes something retro vs. vintage. That difference is replication. In other words, retro items are an homage to true vintage pieces. We see this a lot in fashion and home design as old trends reemerge. Bold colors, platform heels, crown molding – these are all older styles we’ve seen return, sometimes with a different look, but often with the same reference back to these vintage styles.
Some people choose retro over vintage pieces either because it’s expensive to source true vintage pieces, or simply because they prefer a vintage look with a modern twist.
To quickly recap:
Vintage and antique items can be a lot harder to source and maintain due to their discontinuation and sometimes more delicate design. However, there are still a lot of benefits in choosing to give vintage and antique items another chance, including:
Regardless of personal preference, vintage and antique items can be just as useful or valuable as newer items, especially when restored! At Prism Specialties, we can restore all types of older, valuable items to like-new conditions. Whether it’s an old gaming system, a vintage heirloom piece of jewelry, a handmade piece of clothing, or an original copy of a book, we can restore it!
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Breathe life back into old antiques, vintage pieces, or even modern retro items with restoration services from Prism Specialties! Our team of experts uses proprietary technologies to restore specialty art, textiles, electronics, and documents. Call (888) 826-9429 or submit a claim online to get started.
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