What is an Antique? To put it as simply as possible, an antique is something made in a previous era. And, yes, that could mean something made yesterday.
Martyn Cook Antiques - Showcase Stand Melbourne Antiques Fair 2011
According to antique dealers, their associations and the tax man however, it is not really that simple at all. For nearly half a century, following World War II, many believed an antique had to be 100 years old to be of any value. The 100 rule idea came about because in the early 1950’s the newly formed international Customs Co-operation Council at Brussels defined an antique as 100 years of age to exempt old furniture and objects over that age from tax when they were being exported and imported. The Description and Coding System they established was widely adopted across the western world, including America and Australia. Gradually as it became standard practice to exempt furniture and objects over 100 years old from tax, a general perception emerged that for anything (even architecture) to be considered of any merit or value it had to be more than a 100 years old.
In England however it remained very different. Up until the beginning of the last decade of the twentieth century, the term antique meant those goods made prior to 1830. This is because 1830, the death of George IV was the date in England that producing a piece of furniture, or a lovely object by hand, was considered to have ended at London.
Simply superb eighteenth century Meissen Porcelain teapot from Saxony
Hand manufacturing meant quality materials, wonderful workmanship, unique and custom made features, with special attention to detailing and techniques like marquetry, parquetry, inlay and stringing. Then the industrial age took over producing furniture and objects by machine so that a greater number of people in the rapidly expanding middle classes across the western world could enjoy the same designs, which were now made affordable.
However the major English antiques and art trade association exhibitions and fairs upheld the date 1830 as defining an antique rigidly for over a 100 years. Many dealers, collectors and connoisseurs fought valiantly to keep the date and reason in play for as long as feasibly possible.
Lyre back chair by master craftsman Thomas Chippendale - a quality piece of fine furniture, of fine proportion, beautifully rendered and amazingly, designed to sit on
However, in the last 20 years of the 20th century it all broke down, as examples of fine furniture, paintings, sculpture and beautiful objects made prior to 1830 began the move into museums or major collections supported by sponsors. Trade associations also were placed in a position where they needed to also recognize dealers who were trading in fine art deco furniture of the 20′s and 30′s, which was certainly not 100 years old, but certainly of brilliant design and craftsmanship. A great example of the reason why is highlighted by wonderful furniture produced by eighteenth century master English craftsman and cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale.
His designs accommodated the frivolous Rococo and its love of asymmetry, the delightfully whimsical Chinoiserie – the European evocation of the Chinese taste and, the Neo Classical style whose symmetrical perfection was very pleasing. You name it, he could design it and make it.
Today the designs of Thomas Chippendale have been copied and adapted for over 200 years. Lots of manufacturers and cabinetmakers have purchased the Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director he published in 1754 , which has had, since his death many editions.
Literally hundreds of thousands of pieces of furniture have been made using his patterns and today they still grace homes around the world, especially in America. In places like Washington, Boston and New York for a hundred years after his death they absolutely loved his designs and adapted them for local use.
By the late nineteenth century the Chinese were also manufacturing pieces designed by Chippendale, as well as the two other English drawing masters who had followed his lead and published Directors.
They were Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite. They then shipped them to England, to America and to Australia as part of the China Trade. Now here’s the thing. All these pieces, according to the tax man and the 100 year rule, are now antique too! But are they as valuable as the pieces made by Chippendale in his workshop or others in workshops during his lifetime?
I have a thing for early eighteenth century porcelain, like this delightful modernist teapot with a silver spout protector
Well no is the answer. With original documentation attached many of his pieces today are worth into the millions of dollars in economic terms. The rest are graded down from that, according to quality, age, timber used, condition etc, all those things that add up to make an antique valuable. They can also only be said to be made ‘in the style of Thomas Chippendale’.
A collection of antiques in a stone cottage designed for living
So what happened next. Well again its really simple. In England, where the whole concept of antiques had been invented, in the last 10 years of the 20th and first 10 years of this century they fell back on the ’100 year rule’, because most of the baby boomer and x generation customers coming along already believed an antique was 100 years old. It is only recently that the lines have become blurred again as much memory is lost during major generational change.
So how do you, or would you classify an antique in 2012? Well the British Antiques Dealers Association, according to their website, still requires its members to adhere to the 100 year rule. They call it the ‘centenary date’. However if you are checking the websites of other major International Antiques Associations you will probably search hard and not find a date mentioned. You can take what you will from that. Hypothetically at least, let’s forget the tax man. Perhaps he needs to update his own system based on best advice.
Is it time a new word for goods being recycled from another era was invented? What about ‘classic’. That means of renowned excellence in any era and culture. Well I am one who doesn’t believe it would work in the long term. This is because a lot of people seem to perceive classic as being boring. Its original ideals are based on the perceived perfection achieved by the ancient Greeks in art and architecture. And after a time for many, living up to perfection can seem very wearying.
But wait, perhaps it’s already happened. In London some of its best known dealers stepped outside of their association fair and exhibited their best antiques alongside modern iconic fashion items the growing number of celebrities love. The exhibition was Masterpiece, London and it is now an annual event.
All the goods on display are certainly fabulous and many are design icons. They were available to be collected by anyone at all really, as long as they had the ready necessary. These days that’s a great many more people than ever before. And, it was so successful it is now an annual event.
Collecting is, and has become an amazing phenomenon. Yet it is still often misrepresented by out of date journalists as being the hobby of only a select few or the rich and famous. Now that is rubbish. Collecting is a pleasure indulged in by a vast number of people from different backgrounds and all walks of life. It just takes place on many different scales of economy.
Beautiful Bugatti, the boys at Top Gear would love this!
The good thing for collectors is that today there is an ever expanding number of categories to collect in. It can be a beautiful Bugatti – love to see the Top Gear boys do a London to Brighton race (like in the old Dirk Bogarde movie Genevieve) in some old beauties such as this one
It can also be a simple fashion item: recently a Ferragamo handbag made out of timber and beautifully finished like a piece of fine furniture, which I purchased when traveling in the early 80′s was whisked away by a family member who has caught the collecting disease.
From this, and from watching the many thousands of people who appear on the Australian ABC Collectors or the BBC’ and America’s various shows for collectors, I have deduced the most important aspect of collecting is, for the majority of people, an emotional connection.
This is almost impossible for anyone to define, let alone explain or understand.
Melbourne Antiques Show 2011 - Martyn Cook Antiques Stand
We are all fascinated, it seems, by the stories attached to the incredible world of antiques and art, which reflect the growth of humankind both socially and culturally.
So, what’s next? Collecting things from the past and keeping them, like us moving forward, makes good sense and good business in a world that needs to recycle goods to aid its sustainability.
An Antique, a Classic, a Masterpiece or a Collectible, whatever you want to call it, something worth restoring, conserving, preserving and collecting should have an aesthetic that pleases the eye, engages the spirit and connects with the soul. It also needs to be made from quality materials and finely and lovingly finished. On top of all the rest if it challenges the mind, like a great work of sculptural art, then for me that is the icing on the cake.
An antique is definitely more than a load of old tat.
Carolyn McDowall, The Culture Concept Circle 2010 – 2012
PS. Want to know more?
I have attached a PDF: INTRODUCTION TO ANTIQUES for you to download. Cheers!
Related posts:
Discussion
No comments for “What is an Antique?”
POST A COMMENT ON FACEBOOK