FAQs

It is an accepted rule that an item becomes an antique after 100 years. The term ‘vintage’ is a little more relaxed in its meaning, and is nowadays understood to be an item of between ‘sometime’ and 99 years old. That ‘sometime varies depending on who you ask. Certain popular selling platforms have decided that an item can be described as vintage once it reaches the grand old age of 20, ask an experienced antique dealer and that figure could be 40 or 50. The term ‘vintage’ should not be confused with ‘retro’. Retro refers to an item that is newly made, but is in a style that harks back to the period that usually falls between the 1950s and the 1980s or 90s.

The value of an antique is subjective, but what contributes to its actual value would include its rarity, condition, provenance, and amongst other things, its desirability, which is down to fashion and current trends. Apart from the intrinsic value of an item, ie what it is made of, or the material it contains, its value is what someone is prepared to pay for it, even down to on a given day, or how or where it is being sold.

What constitutes popular types of antiques or antique periods is subject to ever changing trends and fashions. What is considered an investment in one decade can’t be given away 20 years later. Today it’s Art Deco and Mid Century Modern, pub memorabilia, enamel signs and vinyl. Tomorrow we could be scouring the antique shops for victorian drop leaf tables and horse brasses. Whatever you’re interested in, try to buy the best you can afford, the best design, material and maker. Quality first. Fashion is fickle, quality endures. Most importantly, buy something you can enjoy. What you buy needn’t appreciate, as long as you can appreciate what you buy

We hope we are not different to other antique dealer websites, at least not the best ones. As we embark on our journey here in early 2023 we are new to the market, and learning every day. We will make mistakes and we will make improvements. We are here for the long haul. We want to develop, to improve and grow. In order to do that we need to do our best by both dealers and customers alike, by conducting our business, dilligently, fairly and honestly. Our aim is to be up there with the best.