How old is Vintage?

[eyebull]

...or antique for that matter?

Just received now the oldest gun in my collection from a member here; at approximately 100 yrs old it can comfortably claim to be both Vintage and Antique. But where do you think the cutoff point is?
The BSA 240 hasn't been sold for 20 years - does this count as vintage?
The HW45 (like myself) is pushing 40, so is this a vintage gun even though it's still in production?

Wheres the line for you?

[Mach 1.5]

Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old. That means, as of the date of posting, an antique item was made on or before Jan of 1922. Mach 1.5

[Bullnose]

It’s old, tatty and not very accurate when you are shooting it, it’s vintage when you want to sell it.

[Nikkormat]

Pre-WW1 - veteran
Inter-war - vintage
Post-war to about 1990 - classic

I'd describe the BSA 240 Magnum as "modern collectible".

Matt

[eyebull]

Pre-WW1 - veteran
Inter-war - vintage
Post-war to about 1990 - classic

I'd describe the BSA 240 Magnum as "modern collectible".

Matt

Ah but this doesn't really take into account the passage of time does it?
Surely at some point the 240 will cease to be modern, pass through vintage and eventually into antique?

[Nikkormat]

Ah but this doesn't really take into account the passage of time does it?
Surely at some point the 240 will cease to be modern, pass through vintage and eventually into antique?

But almost nothing made since the mid-1990s is in the least bit worthwhile, so it will always be "modern junk"

Yes, you are right. Needs some thought (especially as I've just bought a new HW35E, and am really quite impressed with it).

[edbear2]

Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old. That means, as of the date of posting, an antique item was made on or before Jan of 1922. Mach 1.5

You have obviously never been to any "antiques" centres around here .....Chinese replica motoring signs etc. everywhere!

Vintage is generally 25 years or so in the modern way of describing stuff, some say 40, it's all hazy with loads of argument and I would venture totally a pointless disussion, you could call say a 1948 Airsporter "classic" or "vintage" depending on the buyer, most 18-30 year olds would consider it Vintage, heck they would consider anything 20 years old Vintage

From some random Antique dealer website about old stuff;

" Antiques are 100 years or older. Vintage, on the other hand, doesn’t have to be terribly old to be considered “vintage”.. early 2000’s could be vintage. However, would anyone want to buy something as vintage that new? That I couldn’t tell you. The majority of truly vintage items are 80’s and earlier. Some things from the 90’s are starting to get labeled vintage."

ATB, ED

[eyebull]

Vintage is generally 25 years or so in the modern way of describing stuff, some say 40, it's all hazy with loads of argument and I would venture totally a pointless disussion, you could call say a 1948 Airsporter "classic" or "vintage" depending on the buyer, most 18-30 year olds would consider it Vintage, heck they would consider anything 20 years old Vintage

Do you think in some quarters there might be some reluctance to class something as 'vintage' that some remember from adulthood?
It might be a tacit admission of holding 'vintage' status oneself

[Jerry Cornelius]

Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old. That means, as of the date of posting, an antique item was made on or before Jan of 1922. Mach 1.5

Not directly relevant to the question but there are the The Antique Firearms Regulations 2021, which say antique is anything before 1/9/39. The VCR takes the same date. If only for consistency I’d suggest that’s as good a definition of antique as any, for airguns anyway