The Antique Store Blog

I want to continue the discussion,What is an Antique", centered around my previous posting in June which ended at the beginning of the 20th century, 'What is an Antique". The turn of the 20th century had many different movements, from the At Nouveau, Bauhaus, Edwardian and the Modern Movement, almost all of it derived from previous movements ,including the notion of anti anything previously . Most of the art and antiques from the past up to and including Mid-Century/Modern follow the sociai movements of the times, but that would take a few volumes and is not suitable for this genre.

I want to look at a few pieces off of my new website, especially under  the new category that we just developed called Mid-Century/Modern The first item is item 1191 A pair of Robsjohns-Gibbings style benches
Robsjohns-Gibbings was inspired from the Greek Classism and looking at his 1950's designed benches its very easy to see how stylistically they feel and look and could have easily been found in ancient times in Greece or buried under the ashes of Pompeii, yet they have there own modern twist to them, but made in Greece in the 1950's. The present benches have no label affixed to them so there is no way of knowing if they were indeed made in Greece. Antique benches, "NO", but the inspiration "YES"!
Now l want to look at at one more item , item number 1282 Large Spanish Wooden Wall Hanging. The star-bust wood and gilt hanging is definitely influenced from centuries much earlier yet this particular item made in the 1960's in Spain and signed by the artist is truely a piece that transitions all styles. Some top designers have taken memos on this item both to use in and antique setting, a mixed setting and a total now/modern setting.

"What is an Antique", the question transends time and today is probably a subjective question and a philosophical one, although I to tend to think of items at they very minimum being from the 19th century. I would rather have a find piece both in design and craftsmanships from the 20th and 21st century, than something poorly designed and poorly made from older centuries.

Please feel free to comment on this Blog or any other topics related to design and art.

Thanks,

Jeffrey Raphael