Curious about Antique vs. Vintage.

[Grandpa Ron]

Not that it is going to shake the world or bring international peace, but I was curious if there is a difference between "vintage" and "antique" in the camera collecting.

I have several Kodak Brownie models from when I was growing up in the 1950's and 60's which I simple call "old cameras". I reserve vintage and antique for pre-world war one or before.

However, I was wondering if there is a general agreement on age nomenclature amongst serious collectors? I hate to sound too dumb when discussing a subject of interest to me.

 

[john.margetts]

'Antique' is generally considered to be over 100 years old. Vintage is whatever you want it to be.

Sent from my 8070 using Tapatalk

 

[vintagesnaps]

That's pretty much it... I think vintage means older but I've seen things called vintage that just look old (especially if someone is trying to sell something).

I was thinking there was a term for something that's between 50-100 years old but I can't think offhand what it is. Maybe try looking at an antiques site rather than photography sites, like one of the antiques magazines.

 

[Derrel]

With a name like vintagesnaps…

 

[vintagesnaps]

LOL The other names I tried were taken... And I use that camera that's in my avatar (well, a similar one, I don't remember from the magazine ad I bought what model Polaroid it is!) I like to hang out with friends and peel apart film...
(Sarcasm intended, my friends don't want to hang out and do that. But I do.)

 

[webestang64]

Agreed.....anything 100 years or older (except automobiles) is an antique.

 

[dxqcanada]

Antique = Old stuff
Vintage = Old stuff that is worth more money

 

[IanG]

Antique = Old stuff
Vintage = Old stuff that is worth more money

Perhaps the other way around in some cases. Worth or values more about desirability among the collectors out there than the use of descriptive terms like Antique or Vintage.

With most of my older cameras I'd rather use the term Vintage, they are still (easily)usable despite being 100+ years old, I'd be more inclined to call original wet plate cameras antique. But then strangers assume when they see me using my Wista 45DX often think it's an antique camera, they are surprised when I say it's Japanese made in the mid 1980;s and cameras like it are still made

I think it more important to clarify the age/vintage to the nearest decade, closer where possible if serial numbers ages are known, as they are for some lenses and shutters.

But then what about say a lens from 1913, first made in 1892 still in production by the original company in 1926 and later still by other companies, same lens can be Antique or only Vintage with too strict a definition. I'm talking about the Adgor

Ian