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Antique wooden furniture displayed in a showroom

What Makes an Object an Antique?

Antique History & StylesDate Published
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“Antique” is a market and cultural term, not a universal scientific category. In many contexts it suggests an object around a century old, but law, customs rules and specialist fields may define it differently.

Historical significance

Describe the object by date range, material, maker, origin and evidence before relying on the label. “Vintage,” “collectable” and “antiquity” have different uses.

A collector's lens

Age alone does not create quality or value. Condition, rarity, design, provenance, demand and legal status also matter.

Practical takeaway

Record materials, dimensions, marks, condition, restoration and provenance separately. Compare with securely catalogued examples before strengthening an attribution.

Sources and further study

  • [V&A furniture collection](https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/furniture)
  • [The Met: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History](https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/)
  • [CINOA Code of Ethics](https://www.cinoa.org/about/code-of-ethics/)

Dates and attributions should be tested against the individual object, documentary evidence and specialist scholarship.

See antiques in the workshop

Explore examinations and conservation-minded restoration on the [Antique Repair Shop YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@AntiqueRepairShop).