Why should I buy an antique?
This may be the first time that you have considered buying something that isn't brand new, and you may be wondering, "is this a good idea?".
Let me assure you that it most definitely is and below are just a few reasons why. After all, antiques are...
Unique
First and foremost, what sets antique and vintage items apart from their modern day equivalents is their rarity, and the older the object, the greater the chance that you are one of a very small group of people who owns anything like it.
There are, of course, occasions in life when an item's distinctiveness isn't a priority, (when buying a toaster for example).
At other times, however, (say when looking for that perfect gift), finding something that has survived centuries of global wars, revolutions and the odd pandemic to make it safely into your ownership, makes for a much more special and memorable purchase.
Well Made
This will come as no shock to anyone, but the minute that humans built factories and started mass producing anything and everything, the quality of individual items fell drastically.
For example, sleek, flat packed furniture has its appeal but it doesn't compare to custom made, carved oak tables that would take guild trained craftsmen years to complete.
The flip side of this, of course, is that the prices are also not comparable. That is if you're comparing buying something in a department store versus commissioning a classically trained artisan today.
If, however, you are buying an object that was crafted 200 years ago, you know not only that real skill and time was put into its creation, but that it has made it through the last two centuries and will last at least as long. And then you'll wonder why you've been paying so much for mass produced items.
Good For The Planet
In the UK, consumers throw away an estimated 1.6m tonnes of bulky waste and furniture each year. That is an extraordinary amount.
One reason is that people buy cheap, low quality items that either break or are too much effort to sell/give away when no longer needed.
When buying an antique or vintage item, you are not only giving new life to a small slice of history, but you are helping keep this planet around for a little longer (and all for the price of a small teapot!).
From our side, we use recycled boxes and are on our way to being 100% green but being a relatively new business, we are still figuring out how to make sure that your purchase arrives safe and sound while keeping costs down for you. So please bear with us and we will keep this page updated!
Valuable
Now I don't mean valuable in all the wonderful ways that I've already described above, I mean that in the crudest terms; materials such as silver and gold have a value set by the market.
I may have seen "Wolf of Wall Street" only once but I do know that in times of economic uncertainty the price of precious metals goes up, and if nothing else, in the event that the global currency markets collapse, you will be able to use your lovely silver and gold antiques as bartering chips.