Buzz
Each time you tune in to Antiques Roadshow, you might find yourself asking: How exactly do we determine if something qualifies as an antique?
The general guideline followed by most antique dealers is that any item that's at least 100 years old qualifies as an antique. Items that are old but not yet that aged are labeled as vintage. Back in 1930, the U.S. government enacted a tax law that defined an antique as anything made before 1830, marking the time when the Era of Mass Production began. The law described antiques as "works of art (except rugs and carpets made after the year 1700), collections illustrating the progress of the arts, works in bronze, marble, terra cotta, parian, pottery or porcelain, artistic antiquities, and items with ornamental or educational value produced before 1830." Since antique items are exempt from taxes, the 100-year standard was introduced in 1966 to prevent people from falsely claiming newer items as antiques.
In 1996, the tax law was amended to state that an item is no longer considered an antique if its essential character is altered or if over 50 percent of it has been repaired or restored. However, cars and other items subject to frequent wear and tear can still be classified as antiques once they reach over 25 years of age.
Not all dealers adhere to the 100-year rule. Some classify antiques as anything between 80 and 100 years old, while others stick with the 1830 benchmark. There are also those who, for simplicity's sake, avoid the term antique altogether and label everything as either vintage or collectible.
