While on our antique buying trip in England (yes, RIGHT now), we thought it a propos to bring you up to speed on the antique lingo (so you are all ready to come in and buy some of the lovely new pieces we are picking out to have shipped over in a few short months)!
Understanding the language is important:
1. An antique is an item that is at least 100 years old.
2. A vintage piece is an item that is at least 50 years old.
3. A reproduction can be anything from a piece that is made to look like an antique to pieces of furniture made from actual aged or antique wood species. Reproduction pieces can often be just as expensive as the real deal, depending on the materials, craftsman, and manufacturing process.
4. A collectible is anything someone collects, and isn’t representative of any particular age. However, we find beautiful collectibles on our antiquing excursions throughout England – i.e. my personal fav, the oyster plate!
One of the most important things you can do when buying antiques is purchase from a knowledgeable and reputable seller. This is a biggie because you want your antique’s authenticity to be properly represented. At CHD, we have spent over a decade locating the most reputable, well-stocked antique dealers in Europe. And, we can safely say we trust our sources well enough to ship them all the way home for you!
And, yes – there is some skill behind knowing how to select antiques. Our CHD antiquing team has spent decades learning about furniture, wood species, the aging process, the rarity of pieces, etc., and we hone that skill year after year. We learn a lot on our travels looking at thousands of pieces and working with some of the world’s best vendors.
Now, back to the 32 degree temps and rain, and on to the next stop… after the pub, of course!
