How old does a machine have to be in order to be considered "vintage"?
And "antique"?

Jan in VA

I think 100 yr or more for antique.

Yep, I think that's the legal definition - as the way US Customs defines artifacts coming in or out of the US.

Vintage - well, it's really supposed to refer to wine - Vintage 1998.
But it's been kind of overused and not applied to all kinds of things.
The general uses that I've heard most are:
a: Collectibles - something that is over 50 years old (not yet old enough to be an antique. But hoping ;-) ).
or
b: something that's old enough that it's back in style again, like fashion - Vintage 1970's clothes. (Blech.)
Although, the 70's aren't that far from being 50 years ago.
That's so ....wow. Huh.

I've been guilty of "A" when selling certain things on eBay.
Or something that's not being made/produced any more

I'm glad you asked this question. I have been keeping an eye on eBay for the past several months to see if I can pick up a "vintage" machine or two.

I was amazed to find a "sphinx" Singer that seemed to be in extraordinary shape: such good shape, in fact, that I read the description very carefully and studied the photo.

I finally decided that this was a "made in China knock off." The description was carefully worded to be consistent with a modern reproduction, but never came right out and said so. The serial number wasn't a Singer number, either. Yet bidding on the item was fast and furious, and the price quickly went into triple digits.

I just wonder how many of the people bidding on that machine thought they were getting a "vintage," original Singer that was well-preserved?

Has anyone else noticed this practice? Almost a kind of
"bait-and-switch" approach!

Jory

Hm-m-m. When I hear "vintage" 1970's clothes," I assume that these items actually date back to the 70's: they are genuine 1970's clothes (as opposed to clothes made in 2011 to look like 1970's clothes).

It goes back to my response to Jan's question: if a person is selling a current reproduction of a Singer sewing machine from the past, would they be justified in saying it was "vintage?"

Jory

And I meant that they were authentic 1970's clothes.
Not modern reproductions.
Or Target's new line embracing the 1970's.
My point was that it's not vintage under the over 50 year usage.

When used correctly in relation to wine, there is ALWAYS a year associated with it.
You never say this is vintage wine.
That means nothing. But it could be under 50 years old - you're really referring to year of the vine.

But the word is so overused - incorrectly - there is no way that genie's going back in the bottle. ;-)

Someplace in the vintage machine thread, it indicated vintage as pre 1975, but that doesn't fit the 50 year criteria. I guess I see all older, all metal machine as vintage. Of course, they aren't 100% metal. Bobbin tires are rubber, etc.

Repros aren't vintage, but reproductions of vintage.

Exactly.
So machines have one set of rules.
Fashion another.
Fabric counts it a different way.
Cars are another category that might include a 74 Corvette as vintage. Maybe a 1970's Pinto is vintage.

Basically, the word now means nothing.

Caveat emptor

Vintage is more than 50 years old and antique is more than 100 years. That's official. :-)

I agree!