When I first started visiting antique shops in the early 1990s they were filled with 100 year old furniture and pricey collectibles. For the most part they were frequented by the affluent and, to be quite frank, I felt a little out of place.
By the end of the 90s the quaint antique shops that once dotted the map began to disappear as antique malls sprang up across the country. These mega-stores still offered some high, fine quality European and American antiques, but they also carried period furniture like 1960s mahogany bedroom furniture, 1940s walnut dining room sets and 1920s Arts and Crafts pieces suited to the home office. Antique shopping was no longer limited to collectors as the buying public began to see older items as an option for furnishing their homes. Free coffee, classic rock playing over the house PA system, and a relaxed atmosphere were the order of the day as antique dealers attempted to broaden their buyer base with a less intimidating approach to selling their wares.
As we crossed over into the new Millennium it became evident that antique mall shoppers were gradually becoming younger. In fact, where the age of the average shopper in 1990 was in the 35-50 year range, the new demographics show that today’s shoppers falls into the 25-40 age bracket. They are savvy shoppers who know exactly what they are looking for, and it is no longer French antiques — it is American made items from 1950 forward. These young professionals are looking for what is currently trending and in many cases that is MCM, vintage or retro.
For those of us still stuck in “antique or not antique mode,” these new terms may be a touch confusing, so here is a brief tutorial.
Vintage — This term is used to describe collectibles that are 20 years old and furniture that has been around for at least is 30 years. It is also used to help the buyer realize the difference in an item that was originally produced in a specific era as opposed to a more recent reproduction. Take for example Coca-Cola collectibles. There are tens of thousands of pieces of Coke memorabilia floating around and many of them have been manufactured very recently. When a dealer marks a piece “Vintage Coke” it is their way of letting you know that the item is an older piece. Narrowing that down by marking it “Vintage 1950′s Coke” gives even more assurance that you are not buying an item made in China last week.
Retro — This term came into common use in the 1960s and is not meant to denote a set time frame of production but to refer to modes, motifs and material from an earlier time. There is a distinct difference between something that is retro and something that is outdated. According to Webster, retro is “an item a style or fashion from the past. Something fashionably nostalgic or from the recent past.” It is often used in merchandising to denote value to an item and to differentiate it from something that is simply used.
MCM — These initials are the accepted abbreviation for Mid-Century Modern, a time of design from 1945-1975. The trend to this type of furniture and appointments started in 2005 and the interest in it holds strong in 2018. Furniture will be heavily influenced by Scandinavian design with the emphasis on clean and simple lines. Aqua and tangerine are popular colors but stark black and white are also represented in pieces from this genre.
Whenever in doubt about a term used in mall or at an outdoor market, ask a dealer to clarify the way they have their items marked. The more you ask….the more you will know. Until next time . . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com