Any antique buffs here? If so, what happened?

[Orchidflower]

I love antiques. I've loved almost most antiques since I was a little bitty kid, but am finding out that the younger generation just does not like older antiques (i.e., Victorian or older) in their homes. What happened? Is this just a phase? I'm hoping...
I've tried to find out why on the net, but am coming up empty handed. Nobody seems to have a definitive reason other than they just aren't popular with the younger generations today.
Interesting enough it seems that here in the Midwest, anyway, anything from the '50's is popular because the younger folks remember their grandparents having '50's things in their homes. Of course, since I remember that era myself, I wouldn't have it in my home. We're talking paint-by-number pictures (remember those?) and chrome kitchen tables and chairs here, folks. Different generations I guess.
So, I was wondering if there were any antique buffs here from other regions of the country and if you can enlighten us on your region antique-wise?

[Moemg]

I like antiques especially sentimental pieces . I do not have a lot of antique furniture . I have accent pieces and lots of antique dishes and glassware that I love . My sister and most of my friends have the same . My favorite are green depression glass champagne & wine glasses that I bring out every Christmas .

[FIREd]

I like antiques, and particularly the well made, simple pieces. I find it comforting to be surrounded by things with a lived-in feel. I know few people my age who share that opinion. We have lots of antiques: furniture, china, silverware, glassware, textiles, frames, prints, lighting fixtures, books, etc... Lots of our stuff is "second hand".

[thefed]

i'm a bit 'younger' born in the early 80's, and hate antique stuff in my house. not sure why, but i really like moden/contemporary pieces much better. antiques look cheap and old to me...and i dont like that

[W2R]

I love antiques, too. If the younger generation doesn't like antiques, then that will mean more antiques, at lower prices, for the rest of us to enjoy.

Let them shop at Ikea if they want to, while I happily browse antique stores. Life is more interesting when people have different tastes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orchidflower So, I was wondering if there were any antique buffs here from other regions of the country and if you can enlighten us on your region antique-wise?

New Orleans is a paradise for antique browsing, from the very simplest to the frightfully expensive. I love to just browse and look at the latter and appreciate the beauty of expensive pieces, even though I prefer reasonably priced antiques for my own home. It's more of a challenge to search, and search, and finally find something beautiful but inexpensive, so I like doing that for my own home. (Buying expensive antiques takes all the challenge out of it so that's no fun for me). After Katrina, apparently a number of wealthy families left the area and sold their antiques. There were some fabulous pieces available for a while, and the antiquing is still pretty good here.

[bbbamI]

I like antiques because I am one.

My antiques consist of a china hutch, dining room table and chairs, a small table, a few dishes and assorted trinkets.

However, all of my antiques were given to me so they have special meaning. More than likely I would not buy an antique because it wouldn't give me that warm feeling.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

We like old wooden furniture. No high-falutin' stuff, just Shaker tables and such. The old stuff has the largest boards. Sometimes a table was made out of one piece. We use our 'antiques'.

[Westernskies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI However, all of my antiques were given to me so they have special meaning. More than likely I would not buy an antique because it wouldn't give me that warm feeling.

Same here- we have a few pieces that have been handed down and have sentimental value, but prowling around antique stores and/or flea markets to buy "stuff" has no appeal.. but then, neither does going to IKEA....
DW's parents have told us they are going to leave us their large collection of antique clocks, but we're kind of wondering what we are going to do with them.. finding a place for two or three won't be a problem, but neither of us has a clue what we are going to do with 30+.... eBay?

[SecondCor521]

I have two -- an old oak desk handed down to me from my father from his father, which obviously holds great sentimental value, and an Ansonia schoolhouse clock given to me by my college friends as a wedding gift, which also holds great sentimental value (I think of my college friends when I look at it, not my ex-wife :-).

2Cor521

[WhoDaresWins]

Count me in as an antique buff, Orchid, although these days I do more browsing than buying. I inherited some much loved pieces from my parents(who bought them cheap just after WWII)...a pine corner cupboard, a walnut hutch, some cherry dressers, a drop leaf table, some glassware and china, a couple of oriental rugs. It does seem to me that most younger people want modern, I know my son does. I have a mix of things in my home...I like to think eclectic but maybe it is just junky. I prefer modern art and have a lot of photography on the walls and my upholstered furniture is all contemporary as is my lighting. When I buy now it is almost exclusively old kitchen utensils and linens and American pottery from the last 100 years...if I can pick it up for a few dollars. These things are pretty easy to find in this part of the country.

[Ronstar]

I like antiques - mainly antique maps. Also searching for an antique radio in a wood case.

[Amethyst]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefed i'm a bit 'younger' born in the early 80's, and hate antique stuff in my house. not sure why, but i really like moden/contemporary pieces much better. antiques look cheap and old to me...and i dont like that

I can see how this would be, if the the only antiques you've seen are, you know, dead people's cheesy furniture, heavy clunky chests of drawers where the drawers won't come out, etc. Not everything old is classy, not by a long shot. And the old farmhouse stuff that is so popular in New England leaves me cold. Who wants an old worn-out horse collar in their living room?

I like anything that is tasteful, well made, and original (i.e. you don't see identical things everywhere). Often, unfortunately, that means looking to the past. I love anything Art Nouveau, not that I can afford to buy it. (Don't love the fake modern reproductions, though).

Amethyst

[RonBoyd]

Definition: a work of art, piece of furniture, or decorative object made at an earlier period, and according to many customs laws, at least 100 years ago.

The above definition is not universally accepted but should be. (Let me Google that for you: antique +definition - Google Search)

Anyway, we have a number of furniture pieces from the early 20th century -- just barely qualifying. I once developed a fetish for Golden Oak furniture from the 1920's and have several of those left. I have a "Morris" chair that is still the most comfortable of all. Still, today, I gravitate toward "Mission" style furniture. I have one small bench that is much older; my guess is the late 17th/early 18th century.

All of our Art (that which hangs on walls) are reproductions. Oh! I do have a couple of "ancient" pieces, including a stone hammer made by some Native American back before time began.

In any event, while I am no longer active in Antiques, I still cannot get comfortable with "modern" furniture. I simply enjoy the "feel" of old things. (Hmmmm. Animate as well as inanimate.)

[JOHNNIE36]

I like some old things like certain glassware. I hate antique furniture but DW loves it. She has the guest bedroom done in the Victorian flair. She loves quilting and embroidering; hence, some old sewing machines like Singer Featherweights. She has four and two were never sewn on. The glassware looks good in display cases.

There are alot of antique buffs around here and the rage is still on down here in Florida, maybe because most of the the population is old.

[happy2bretired]

My late husband and I began buying antiques in the early 90s. At that time "country" decorating appeared to be the trend in home decor in my area. (surprise). I had an old farm table for our dining area, a pine sideboard and other pieces that we bought at auctions. I also had some pieces that belonged to my grandmother and her mother (tilt top table that traveled on a covered wagon, old Victrola, old dishes). To top all that off, I had little trinkets and knick knacks that decorated my rooms collecting dust.

When we moved into our new house, all that stuff came with us....plus my husband's many collectables (books, military, worlds fair, political, etc. etc. and etc.)

I just got so tired of seeing all that old stuff! It was despressing. I wanted new, clean, and decluttered rooms that were easier to take care of. So, I sold most of it and feel so much better. I still have a small pine table that was my grandmothers. I have quite a few small things that were my mother's and grandmothers tucked away but nothing really large.

[Orchidflower]

But what has happened to the younger generation that they hate antiques? Yeah, I get that there is always a large segment of the population that loves the newest, brightest, shiniest...but now we have an entire population of youth that won't have an antique in their home they dislike them so. Wha' happened

[Orchidflower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst I can see how this would be, if the the only antiques you've seen are, you know, dead people's cheesy furniture, heavy clunky chests of drawers where the drawers won't come out, etc. Not everything old is classy, not by a long shot. And the old farmhouse stuff that is so popular in New England leaves me cold. Who wants an old worn-out horse collar in their living room? I like anything that is tasteful, well made, and original (i.e. you don't see identical things everywhere). Often, unfortunately, that means looking to the past. I love anything Art Nouveau, not that I can afford to buy it. (Don't love the fake modern reproductions, though). Amethyst

I can do you one better than the "old, worn-out horse collar" in their living room. A friend's son "inherited" an entire board about 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide with...get this...different types of horseshoes nailed to it.
And Grandpa thought this was just a "wonderful" idea to hand down to the grandson upon his death. The mother was thrilled? Uhhhh, not so much.
You cannot imagine how ugly it was, and I could only chuckle when she showed it to me mystified about what the heck to do with it. It was gawdawfully ugly.

[Keim]

Lots of antiques at my house. Inherited most:
Bed set from the 50s
Bed set from the 30s
Bed set from the 1880s
Kitchen table from the 40s.
Hand crank telephone from 1910 (still works)
two barrister book cases from the 20s and 30s
Old tools (If they still work, why not keep'em?)
Cars are considered antique at 40, right? If so then my 76 Monte is well on its way.
Fossils from about a million years ago (No, not referring to my inlaws)

[RonBoyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keim Hand crank telephone from 1910 (still works)

Meaning you can hear that wonderful voice asking "Number, please."? I miss that.

[Keim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonBoyd Meaning you can hear that wonderful voice asking "Number, please."? I miss that.

I wish! I made a few simple changes in the wiring so it could work at modern line voltage.