What is "Antique"?

Different people understand the term "antique" in different ways. Merriam-Webster Online gives as a first definition: "a relic or object of ancient times." The second definition is the one more applicable to our subject: "a work of art, piece of furniture, or decorative object made at an earlier period and according to various customs laws at least 100 years ago."

Clearly, just being old does not qualify an item to be called an antique. Also to be considered are the item's condition, rarity, and functionality. There are far more old-time items out there that don't work and have no clear function anyway: these are called "junk"!

Many people are attracted to old things because they give us a look into history. Furniture and jewelry are particularly interesting for this reason. Antique household appliances in good working condition are also prized by collectors.

Most household appliances dating from earlier than the late 19th century were hand-operated. Such hand-operated kitchen items as butter churns, butter prints, and coffee grinders are desirable to some antique collectors, if the items are in working condition. Working tools have their following as well among collectors.

Some collectors are interested in a particular historical period, and seek out furniture and other items from that era. For example, handmade chairs, tables, and other furnishings from the American Colonial period are treasured by some people. These antique collectors are willing to pay steep prices for authentic items.

But beware -- some antique collectibles have little monetary value. People who expect old items to be valuable in terms of money just because of their antiquity are bound to encounter disappointment. Age and functionality are two important considerations in putting a dollar value on an older item. A third element is the material of which the item is made.

Take, for example, antique jewelry. Before the late 1800s, most jewelry (except for that worn by royalty and the very rich) was made of "base metal". Gemstones were likely to be glass rather than real gems. The value of a two-hundred-year-old brooch that appears to be gold, with a topaz stone inset, may turn out to be quite low. The "topaz" is probably glass, and the "gold" may be just a wash over brass. While it looks lovely, and may have a family history that gives it sentimental value, its monetary value is disappointing.

Antique cars are another story altogether. Merriam-Webster Online has something to say about them. Definition 2B of "antique" is: "a manufactured product (as an automobile) from an earlier period." In most of the United States, a motor vehicle must be at least 32 years old for its owner to obtain antique license plates for it. If the car has been restored with original parts to near new condition, it can have an extremely high price tag. A car that is "younger" than 32 is usually called "classic" rather than "antique." The value of such cars is still based on condition and functionality.