How would you define "Vintage" and is it the same as an Antique knife?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rob Gregg on April 14, 2011 at 13:41

LOL!   I'll take that as a NO!   Pondering on the question though, a line from an Indiana Jones movie comes to mind. Even a $2 watch hidden safely away for a thousand years can become a priceless artifact.  Hmmm...

Permalink Reply by Roger Cunningham on April 14, 2011 at 15:01

Is a thousand year old turd still a turd,although it it may not smell the same? 

Permalink Reply by Rob Gregg on April 14, 2011 at 16:31

I agree with you Roger, but ask any paleontoligist and he'll tell you that 1000 year old turd is a valuable fountain of information. Worth every stinkin' dime he paid for it or every hour he spent diggin' it up. :-) Ya know folks a hundred years ago could have never imagined what a Case Bros. knife would be worth now-a-days.

Permalink Reply by Roger Cunningham on April 15, 2011 at 7:38

That all is true.But a hundred years ago a Case Bros.knife was considered a high quality product.

Permalink Reply by Rob Gregg on April 15, 2011 at 9:02

Yep, I reckon a turd is like a fine wine. It needs to age just a bit before it has much value to anyone. But...that brings me back to the original question. Does what many see now as the turd of a Pakistan built Frost knife become a diamond in 200 years? The original idea of this thread I think, was to determine what we as collectors consider vintage/antique. I guess for me, by definition a vintage collectable of any kind, is one that shows the potential to increase in desireability and value over a somewhat un-predetermined amount of time. Some I think become almost overnight vintage collectibles simply due to suply and demand. While others, like the turd, take a bit longer. And then there are those that come out of the gate screamin', but fail miserably a short time later. (i.e. Cabbage Patch Dolls, Beeny Babies, ELMO?) However, any of these are subject to a resurgence in collectability at any given time. Websters definition covers a broad range for the word vintage. But, for our purpose it states, "the type or model of a particular year or period", "representitive of the best", "representitive of or dating from a time long past". I don't know, but that sounds to me like practicaly everything collectable fits in there somewhere.

Permalink Reply by William Bernstein on April 23, 2011 at 15:08

First of all, let me begin by defining an antique as an object of useful purpose with universal desire, such as a knife, for example, or an object of desire of no particular universal use, such an old painting, the Mona Lisa, for example, 100 years old or more, with the exception of objects of useful purpose which, though under 100 years old, were considered to be in the small number of the supreme examples in their category at the time of their manufacture or construction so as to be comparatively rare and highly desired then, of universal desire, one might say, but their design has been deemed obsolete since then and all within the same category manufactured or constructed ever since of a superior and universally, accepted design, causing these most shining objects of obsolescence to be re-classified as objects of universal desire but of no particular universal purpose.  Now, I cannot, for the life of me, happen to think of an example of the latter, at this moment, nor can I even state, with any certainty, whatsoever, if an object which falls into that category even exists or, for that matter, if one ever existed.  But the question put forth, to which I now reply, if I remember correctly, was, "How would you define ""Vintage" and how is that the same as an antique knife?" and not, "Do you ever, actually, know wtf you are talking about?", a question I would, normally, ignore, given a choice.  In retrospect, I realize that, so far, I haven't even begun to answer the original question, really, and I'm afraid that it's now time for my nap and so I will be unable to respond to the question in this single session and that, perhaps, dozens of similar sessions may be required.  My apologies.  (to be continued...)

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on April 23, 2011 at 17:55

Wikipedia says
Knife collecting is a hobby which includes seeking, locating, acquiring, organizing, cataloging, displaying, storing, and maintaining knives. Some collectors are generalists, accumulating an assortment of different knives.[1] Others focus on a specialized area of interest, perhaps bayonets, knives from a particular factory, Bowie knives, pocketknives, or handmade custom knives.[2]

The knives of collectors may be antiques or even marketed as collectible. Antiques are knives at least 100 years old; collectible knives are of a later vintage than antique, and may even be new. Collectors and dealers may use the word vintage to describe older collectibles. Some knives which were once everyday objects may now be collectible since almost all those once produced have been destroyed or discarded, like certain WW2 era knives made with zinc alloy handles which are rapidly degrading due to the material's shelf life. Some collectors collect only in childhood while others continue to do so throughout their lives and usually modify their collecting goals later in life.

They also say...Old age or, by extension, a description or nickname for someone or something that has endured and become comfortable or widely familiar.  So by their decsriptions, my knives and I are just OLD :(

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