Looking at 'value' in collecting Vintage Items

There are several different popular ways to view the term antique. The first way is to see things as antique that were made before the industrial revolution started in 1820. This is called the elitist rule and is not very helpful for the average collector.  A good craft made by hand in 1850 may be of greater value to you then a poorly and hand mass produced product from 1818.

The value of such objects is subjective and objective. The subjective value is how much you value the piece and having it in your own home. That will vary. The objective value is what you could reasonably get for the piece from your local antique dealer.  That is not the retail price you may have brought the piece for. That could be higher or lower depending on what has happened in the antique market for that kind of piece since you have had it. Even the appraised value of the piece gives you only an inkling of what your piece is worth. What your neighborhood dealer will pay for a piece and what someone on the internet will pay on an auction site may be two very different things indeed.

The hundred year rule that the government uses to say something is antique is a good rule of thumb. It is too old to pay custom taxes on therefore, it is considered antique. Still age alone does not determine value. The overall condition of a piece and how easy it is to obtain have a lot to do with an antique being valuable.  There are many horseshoes that are over a hundred years old rusting in barns and nailed to our building walls. While they may be antiques, they have little or no value. Still to someone collecting antique horse shoes they may have a certain value. If a trend of collecting old horse shoe should ever catch on then antique horse shoes might obtain value.

Things made before 1920 are generally considered antique and can be found in most antique shops. Things made between 1920 and 1960 that are collectable are likely to be considered ‘vintage’ and be of great value if they are sought after by lots of collectors.  It pays to do your research when you collect and really adds to the fun of collecting. You get to know the story of the pieces you buy and are more likely to be a better judge of the true value of something.  Collecting may first be about your love of the object, but most of us wish to be wise consumers as well.