Seven reasons to choose antiques
When I had my antique store I would talk to people about how buying antiques is about falling in love. Antiques can jump out at you, maybe because they resonate with you. You feel drawn in. In a sense antiques can choose you. However, there are many good reasons why we should seek out antiques as our first option. How many of us head straight to the nearest flat pack store? Well, here are some reasons to seek out antiques as your first port of call.
Antiques have real stories
All antique/vintage items have a story to tell. Sometimes an antique has provenance. This term comes from the French word provenir meaning to come from. It is a record of ownership or origin and journey of an antique item. In my online store at the moment there is a minature manicure set. I purchased it from a client. It belonged to her mother who bought it in the 1920s. It went everywhere with her and was swithched from handbag to handbag.
Often antiques have a back story. Information can be found that gives context to the item. For example I have a large cup and saucer in my online store. It was made by Sevres. The sevres mark underneath can take you on an historical learning journey, placing the cup at a place and time in history. This cup and saucer was most likely used by the aristocracy for drinking hot chocolate.
Antiques bear the marks of time.
Antiques have had a life before encountering us. They come with the marks of time. Some are still pristine but most tell the story of a burn mark on a farmhouse table from the 1700s, or a chip in a wonderful old Delft vase, or a dent in an amazing large copper jam pan from France. The marks of an antique’s journey through time are precious. They are not flaws. They are organically integrated into the item itself to complete it. The Japanese have a term for this called Wabi Sabi. It is a world view centered around the fact that nothing is truely perfect of permanent. It is sometimes described as the appreciation of beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete in nature.
Antiques bring a unique quality
Rather than following the crowd when it comes to decor, why not create your own statement. The history of antiques crosses many styles. If you like simplicity in design, chances are you will love the art deco era (1920s and 30s) with its streamlined look and its simple clean geometric forms. Or for those who prefer a more natural look the art nouveau era (1880s to 1900) gave us sinuous line, organic shapes and natural elements. The rich colours, bold patterns and ornate furnishings of the Victorian era (1830s to 1900) may appeal to others. Or if you are like me, your taste might cross over many different eras in history. The point is, make it your own.
Antiques have been made from quality materials.
Many of the materials used to make antiques would not be used today. This is because they are no longer available or because they would cost far, far too much to produce. I have a large copper jam pan on my website at the moment. It weighs over 6 kilos and the copper is very thick. Not only would it be very difficult to source a new jam pan like this today, the price you would have to pay for it would be outrageous due to the cost of copper in today’s world. I also have the most wonderful set of drawers on the website. These drawers have been made from kingwood, a classic furniture wood, almost exclusively used for inlays on very fine furniture. It was the most expensive wood used in furniture making in the 17th century. Kingwood comes from a small restricted area in Brazil. Although not endangered, it is quite difficult to access. Only small pieces are available for use in craft. Oh, and then there is marble, quality marble, on furniture, on the base of figurines or used to carve out amazing objects. The materials used to make antiques have already survived the test of time and they will go on to do so. Compare this to plastic, particle board and other artificial composite materials used today. Will they survive the test of time? In my experience the answer to this question is a resounding ‘no’.
Antiques have been made by skilled artisans.
Before the industrial revolution artisans with specialised skills produced most of Europe’s manufactured goods. They worked to the tradional standards of their craft. The goods these artisans produced were worked partly or entirely by hand. Coppersmiths, woodworkers, blacksmiths, masons, weavers, watchmakers and tailors, to name a few, honed their skills over many years to produce outstanding items. Goods were made to last and were repaired when needed rather than discarded. I never cease to be amazed at the artisanship of many things that I come across. I have a little tiered table where the the top has been inlaid with tiny pieces of pointed triagular shaped wood all fitting perfectly to match up in the centre. On many occasions I have been left in awe at the talent involved in the creation of an interlaced seam on a hand beaten copper pot. I have actually had a repaired copper pot with a copper patch inserted into it! All of these wonderful creations have been made with care and gratification in an artisan’s workshop or studio. Today our goods are mass produced by noisy machines that churn out inferior, identical items, in massive passionless factories.
Antiques can help us build the future.
Through small simple steps, our decision to choose antiques and vintage can contribute to the protection of our fragile planet. By changing our mindset, we can reduce, reuse recyle and repurpose. We cannot entirely do away with the mass production of inferior products that end up in hard rubbish, but we certainly can pause to rethink things. Do I need to purchase one of these mass produced products or is there another choice out there? A better choice out there. Do I need that trendy plastic fruit bowl, or can I use an old set of scales or a vintage bowl to put my fruit on instead? Do I really want that new table I have had my eye on or should I spend time wandering through second hand and antique shops first? You might be pleasantly surprised.
Antiques do not come in flat packs.
Flat packs have made me cry. Years ago, I bought a bookcase at a big super store. When the salesperson brought it out I was immediately filled with anxiety. I thought I was buying a bookcase. It was in a flat pack! Needless to say, I took it home convinced that I, a confident competent woman could assemble a flat pack. Not so! After many attemps and lots of lost hours, I took it to the shed in pieces. That flatpaked book case was never assembled. It sat there for years. I offered it to other people. Finally it ended up on the hard rubbish heap.