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When I’m digging through archives I’m generally breezing through the eras before the late 1900s. However, there is also some great stuff in the late 90s and I’ve been debating if it qualifies as vintage…which brings me to this post.
What is your definition of vintage? When does something pass from “Modern” to “Vintage”?
Is there a rule of thumb for the time that has to pass? Or is it just when a style is no longer being produced and got shelved? Let me know your thoughts!
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I don’t really think about it too much, I’d say other than being attracted to the typography and illustration style, it’s also about the subject matter.
Vintage to me has a certain ‘sweet’ nature and attitude, e.g. if it’s a Vintage advertisement it’s clearly a non-spammy message being conveyed and generally seems a trustworthy type of communication.
Maybe show us an example of late 1900s that may be vintage or not?
First, I think that most of us would typically use “vintage” where “antique” is not properly applied. I wouldn’t insist that people who allow the territories of “vintage” and of “antique” to over-lap are wrong; just that their usage is less typical. Lexicographers seem to agree that the minimum age for “antique” is 100 years.
At the other end, I’d say that there’s not much point in applying “vintage” to items unless they exemplify an æsthetic or mode of production that that was, at some point, largely abandoned, and unless the items in question date to a period before that abandonment. (I’m making an allowance here for a return to fashion.)
But the weakness of my definition is that if the lines were drawn very between æsthetics or modes of production, then everything were almost immediately “vintage”, whereas, they could also be drawn so fuzzily that nothing were.
Best, then, for me to be polite to people who don’t agree with me. ;-)
In my opinion, vintage (if I have to date it) would mean prior to 1960. I was born in 1970; I assume that has something to do with my outlook of what constitutes vintage. Likewise (possibly) of someone that was born in 1990. They may feel that items, ephemera, etc. from the 1980′s are vintage.
Usually “Vintage” means at least 50 years old. I’ve also heard that it can be anything that is old enough to “come back” in style.
I prefer typography and graphics from the Victorian era but there’s also a lot of cool stuff pre-1950. :)
In my head I’ve always said that anything older than mid-century was vintage, but everything after that was retro. I’m not sure they’re mutually exclusive, but it feels like a natural separation.
Vintage is 1930-1970. Before is antique. Says me.
In looking up the word Vintage at Dictionary.com you get this:
“Denoting something from the past of high quality, especially something representing the best of its kind: a vintage Sherlock Holmes adventure.”
So, if you are to use this pure definition, I’d say anything from a previous decade technically fits
These days there is not much difference between modern vintage and true vintage I think. Graphic designer and illustrators can quickly and quit easily shape and form their design to make something look vintage by the click of a button on a mouse or a keyboard. The interesting thing is therefore the detail and how you can exploit it.
When I look for inspiration I care not if it is from a correct time period or a new artistic way of aproaching it. As long as the visual style or details can inspire me in my own projects.
So as long as the visual appearance is on the spot. I will not hesitate to inspired by it.
I have laughed many times over some clothing item from 2 seasons ago advertised as “vintage”. I would say anything 40′s through 70′s is vintage, before that could be antique, and anything obviously revived could be retro. But does it really matter?
I would love to see ’90s stuff here – honestly, I say it’s up to you, it’s your blog, you can decide what’s “vintage.” Or if it bugs you, call it “recent vintage!”
I personally don’t consider the 80s or 90s “vintage” but I do believe it is a subjective question. I consider anything from the decades before I was born to be “vintage” and those things from the decade I was born and newer to be “nostalgia”.
I’ve only been reading your blog for a few weeks, but I love the early 1900s through 1940s (original, I know) and would rather see that era featured than the 90s.
Either way, I’m sure I’ll keep reading :)
Anything that’s old enough to inspire nostalgic feelings. But I would say that a lot people would describe Vintage as anything designed before the 1970′s. Thanks for all the excellent posts on your blog!