Why does nobody want to buy antiques?

[Anonymous]

Many people do not really have taste. They don't think about what they like and don't like, they just want what they think other people will admire. On Houzz half the posts are "decorate my living room" "pick my backsplash" and when people ask what the OP likes they have no answer. So the easiest thing is to get something cheap and trendy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m with you, op!

I’m the gal who has multiple sets of China (my own, as well as sets that belonged to my mother and grandmother). I can’t imagine hosting a holiday without family China. I hate serving platters and vases that belonged to my great grandmother!

I have artwork and family pics going back generations. The frames are likely more valuable than what’s inside.

I love antique furniture. The tables and dressers are solid and they bring a warmth to a home that more modern furniture can’t.

And I love China cabinets, sideboards with hutches, etc. I’m actually trying to figure out where to put two China cabinets I’m inheriting from my mother and MIL.

Somewhat relatedly: I’m baffled as to why armoires fell out of favor. Remember when everyone hid their tv in grand armoires? And now they’re proudly displayed on walls. So weird. I have a gorgeous armoire that I will keep forever and hand down to one of my kids. It’s probably the most solid piece of furniture I have.

Pro tip: you can pick up antique china plates and use them for dessert plates at parties. They don’t need to match. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a party guest compliment my assorted dishes. People routinely comment it reminds them of dishes their mother or grandmother had.

I like all the same things you like, and I have access to nice family antiques, but I think we just live very different lives. Dessert plates at parties? I don't have time to host a lot of parties, and why would I keep a second set of dishes for them instead of using everyday ware?
I get it, I grew up in a house that hosted large family parties, but my generation is smaller and geographically scattered. It's hard to make any of the old stuff fit my life.

Understood.

But I think it’s nice to pull out the special dishes for special occasions—even if you are only hosting your immediate family or a small group.

For example, we always use fancy dishes when eating birthday cake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m with you, op!

I’m the gal who has multiple sets of China (my own, as well as sets that belonged to my mother and grandmother). I can’t imagine hosting a holiday without family China. I hate serving platters and vases that belonged to my great grandmother!

I have artwork and family pics going back generations. The frames are likely more valuable than what’s inside.

I love antique furniture. The tables and dressers are solid and they bring a warmth to a home that more modern furniture can’t.

And I love China cabinets, sideboards with hutches, etc. I’m actually trying to figure out where to put two China cabinets I’m inheriting from my mother and MIL.

Somewhat relatedly: I’m baffled as to why armoires fell out of favor. Remember when everyone hid their tv in grand armoires? And now they’re proudly displayed on walls. So weird. I have a gorgeous armoire that I will keep forever and hand down to one of my kids. It’s probably the most solid piece of furniture I have.

Pro tip: you can pick up antique china plates and use them for dessert plates at parties. They don’t need to match. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a party guest compliment my assorted dishes. People routinely comment it reminds them of dishes their mother or grandmother had.

I like all the same things you like, and I have access to nice family antiques, but I think we just live very different lives. Dessert plates at parties? I don't have time to host a lot of parties, and why would I keep a second set of dishes for them instead of using everyday ware?
I get it, I grew up in a house that hosted large family parties, but my generation is smaller and geographically scattered. It's hard to make any of the old stuff fit my life.

I like this stuff too, but I live in a 1500 sq foot house. The TV is mounted on the wall because an armoire would take up half the 10×11' room it's in. And I am really sad that I don't use the non-microwaveable, non-dishwashable family China regularly, but I have small children and only space to store "everyday" dishes, so the China is in a box in the attic. There definitely isn't space for separate dessert plates!

I hear ya.

FTR, I live in a small home as well. I find that armoires, China closets, sideboards, dressers, etc. add lots of storage space. Ditto for coffee tables and side tables that are chests.

Full disclosure: I have a set of China in my basement.

[Anonymous]

I like them and want to buy but can’t afford it as prices for antiques are insane these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from another thread.

I cognitively understand that antiques are worth less these days. I just don’t get why. I love antiques. They’re often sturdy, always better for the planet, and made without hazardous chemicals. They’re safer in a house fire, due to slower burn time and not letting off noxious gas. If damaged, they can be refinished. Sure, I don’t care for ceramic figurines, commemorative plates, or other tchotchkes, but surely there’s a place for nice case goods.

It depends on an antique of course, but I wouldn’t put such a blanket statement that antique items are free of hazardous materials. Even if not exposed at production, no guarantees that the previous owners did not apply paints / varnishes / pesticides to item.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from another thread.

I cognitively understand that antiques are worth less these days. I just don’t get why. I love antiques. They’re often sturdy, always better for the planet, and made without hazardous chemicals. They’re safer in a house fire, due to slower burn time and not letting off noxious gas. If damaged, they can be refinished. Sure, I don’t care for ceramic figurines, commemorative plates, or other tchotchkes, but surely there’s a place for nice case goods.

It depends on an antique of course, but I wouldn’t put such a blanket statement that antique items are free of hazardous materials. Even if not exposed at production, no guarantees that the previous owners did not apply paints / varnishes / pesticides to item.

Are you kidding me? They routinely used lead as a pigment. Uranium was a popular glaze in the early part of the 20th century. After WWII there was a major push for fire safety and part of it was banning things that gave off toxic smoke when they burned.

[Anonymous]

I LOVE antiques but can’t afford to pay tens of thousands a pop on multiple pieces of furniture. Affordable antiques are in poor condition or are inferior in design. Also what people said about needing the time to hunt is true - each person’s perfect mix of different time periods and geographies would be so specific to their taste and would be difficult to collect. Most (but not all!) vintage repro stuff is a miss for me and actually kind of off-putting, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. Then there are other handling/caretaking issues - I bought a table from EBTH and the local delivery offered through the website ruined the finish of it in the most stupid way. You need to hunt around for housekeepers who get it. It’s a lot! But it would be wonderful if I could have that kind of lovely house some day

[Anonymous]

Those of you who love antiques but hate looking should consider just paying the premium for 1stdibs or Chairish sometimes. I don’t need my antiques to be a “deal.” Crate and Barrel buys cheap stuff from China and sells it to us for a huge markup but somehow people are so much more offended if a dealer buys a dresser cheap and sells it for the same markup. With 1st dibs and Chairish, you can search by dimension etc and they handle shipping and returns. I always search for similar items elsewhere so I get a sense of the auction value. I also like live auctioneers.com.

I’m absolutely not going to drive around visiting antique store willy nilly with my little measuring tape, but I love browsing online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin off from another thread.

I cognitively understand that antiques are worth less these days. I just don’t get why. I love antiques. They’re often sturdy, always better for the planet, and made without hazardous chemicals. They’re safer in a house fire, due to slower burn time and not letting off noxious gas. If damaged, they can be refinished. Sure, I don’t care for ceramic figurines, commemorative plates, or other tchotchkes, but surely there’s a place for nice case goods.

It depends on an antique of course, but I wouldn’t put such a blanket statement that antique items are free of hazardous materials. Even if not exposed at production, no guarantees that the previous owners did not apply paints / varnishes / pesticides to item.

Yeah I'd be very wary of lead, cadmium, arsenic, etc.

I'd never make an habit of eating off a vintage or antique dish that hadn't been tested for lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Consider that a true antique is at least 100 years old, so furniture from 1924. That era was wood/all brown and trend is away from brown furniture so most pieces get repainted or donated or trashed.

The scale seems off - positively tiny in today’s new homes with open plans. I know from experience in that I was fortunate to furnish nearly my entire first home with so much from my late grandparents everything from nightstands to dressers to desks and a cedar chest. Twenty years later, only a few pieces remain. Some I’ve passed along to family members, some have broken and I’ve recently donated even more - I just want something newer and fresher and these pieces seem just…tired.

Same reason I’m about to donate my very plain wedding china - it’s just lost its appeal and my lifestyle and tastes have changed.

I have a relatively small home. When I am buying case goods (or sofas for that matter) they need to be exactly the right dimensions to take advantage of my floor plan and provide as much good storage as possible. It is very unlikely that an antique item will be just the right size.

On the other hand, antique decorative items are lovely. I am staring at an antique French copper vase I bought at an estate sale. It is gorgeous and I am confident it will still be on display in someone's home in 200 years even as it was used to carry water 150 / 200 years ago.

[Anonymous]

All modern is out/in the way out. The new trend is a combination of old/new.

[Anonymous]

I have tons of antiques and love them. I agree with a PP that the dressers can be a problem — would love someone that could make them slide better.

I’ve got:
Matching upholstered chairs from 1880 (I had reupholstered a few years ago in a bright pattern)
Small loveseat from 1870/ upholstered in bright fabric in our front hall for putting on shoes and such
Rocking chair from around the 1880s or so — that I don’t use too much but it’s really pretty (gorgeous wood with a curved line to it)
End table from maybe the 1860s that I use as a bedside table
End table from 1880s in carved mahogany with a marble top that is kist decorative but so pretty.

And some I guess is still just vintage:
Big mirrored vanity from 1930/ in my bedroom
1930/ big oak table we use as our kitchen table
1940s or 1950/ cherry mid century look table in dining room
Our coffee table is also mid century cherry

Most of it is just so much more solid than anything you’d buy today. And I feel good about not creating more burden on the environment.

I don’t have a China cabinet but am actually thinking about getting one or something similar because I have so much stuff falling out of my kitchen cabinets —- I think if I offloaded the stuff I use only seasonally I could get so much more organized.

[Anonymous]

I think they’re creepy looking/give a haunted house vibe. Just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

A lot of what is for sale in antique stores or "vintage"/"collectibles" stores is old furniture, sometimes in a revival style, that was never high quality in the first place and a lot of it is fussy and pretentious or just dull. One example is a matching bedroom suite--headboard, low dresser, mirror, side tables in something like oak. I've seen these and wonder who liked them in the first place? Or something like a Victoran roll-top desk--popular in the 70s with ferns and bent wood rockers but who would want that now? It doesn't work with a laptop. I think if the items were made by designers or well-designed, they will find buyers. Like Le Corbusier chairs and other modern items.

My mom had some beautiful antiques. They were 18th century and made of beautiful wood and looked rustic in a way. However, except for a super sturdy table, they were on the delicate side and east to break.

Whenever I go to Italy I always like how they will have modern or contemporary furniture in a very old building. I think it looks great. I get the appeal of Ikea: it's pretty decent design without being super expensive. I helped my DC buy some furniture from Ikea recently for a first apartment. It's nice looking, up-to-date and smaller. It reminded me of places I've seen in Europe. I remember going to terrible new furniture stores when I was starting out and it was ugly as well as expensive, a lot of stuff like an oak bedroom set.

[Anonymous]

Antiques cover the entire range from high quality Chippendale from the 18th century and out of the great houses of England to mass market 1924 American furniture (using 100 years old as the defining feature for what makes something an antique).

Each area of the antiques market has its own value and desirability so you can't paint everything with the same brush.

Overall, the very tippity top of the market, the 1% of antiques, sells for very high prices and has its buyers. But it is also weirdly distorted by the peculiarity of that world. A rich collector would buy a $25,000 table from a known dealer but will not buy the same table from you for $10,000. It's just the way it works.

Underneath that very top of the market, antique prices have definitely collapsed. Your nicely upper middle class Georgian antiques that were being sold for $5,000 a chest in 1995 might sell for $1,000 today, on a good day. There's no shortage of pleasant and nicely made 18th and early 19th century antique side tables and chests and desks and chairs going for a few hundred up to a thousand. There's a bigger market for 18th century American antiques but even that market isn't wildly expensive. The local auction houses are flooded with them.

There is truth in that people really don't want antiques any more.