Flower Jug

The amateur attempt while centering this needlepoint piece in the frame is actually what drew my gaze at first. It's a good example, in my opinion, of one of those times when something looks or ~feels~ better a little off. A rolled jean where it could have been a cuff, scuffed Chuck Taylors, some pocket change laying around on a countertop. It's a 'lived in' vibe. Experienced. 

I was recently walking with two friends of mine I've known for nearly 25 years now. One of them has been living in Sweden for a good majority of that time and I got to meet his two Swedish children. They had seen a sign while visiting Canada that said "VINTAGE" and had asked their father what that meant, it became a group question while we were walking and of course while I had nothing of use to say at the moment, It got me thinking on the train ride home.

What IS "vintage"? 

Well, because it was faster than grabbing the dictionary on our shelf, I googled it. 

The word "Vintage" means "of age". I believe you'd probably find it most correctly used, or "formally" used when discussing the age of Wine, but the term casts a pretty wide shadow and really does get used in many different ways. Which is possibly what these kids were struggling with. It's not a finite thing, it's malleable and tends to meander where it wants over time, similar to a river. 

In relation to second hand items (clothes, furniture) and in general, the majority of what I have collected and sell on this website, "Vintage" is considered an item of at least 40 years of age (an Antique is 100). Which is where things get blurry even to a primary English speaker. 

Am I comfortable referring to, oh I don't know, let's say a VHS copy of Gremlins, which came out in 1984, as "Vintage"? 

"Retro" makes a lot of sense. Would the majority of VHS tapes just be considered 'Vintage' regardless of the year because it's a dead format? 

I am nearing, or potentially if you are reading this a few years in the future, already "Vintage". I doubt i'll live to see "Antique". 

How will my perceptions of this term change with age? Can "Vintage" recognize "Vintage" the same way Real recognizes Real?

Surely because I have sat down and started writing about this subject, this is going to stick with me whenever I see the term.  I may one day find myself hovering over a Hanson Tee shirt, buzzing Neon "VINTAGE" sign above me, doing the math in my head.

1997? I saw Hanson in 1997. It was technically the first concert I ever went to but it was a shortened set. They were just breaking and YTV filmed some variety show at Canada's Wonderland with them performing. I believe they did three songs and ran. Is that Hanson Tee vintage? I guess you'll have to ask me how I feel about it in the year 2037. You can try this email but I'm betting there will be some faster way of reaching out by then.

Back to Flower Jug. Is this vintage?

I feel like the needlepoint piece itself is likely over 40 years old. The framing I have my doubts about as it has been spray-painted gold at some point. Unfortunately there is no indicator or inscription on the back to date this piece. 

What happens when we're not sure of the age of something? If this was framed in 1989, is it no longer "Vintage"? Does it matter? "Vintage" is one of the terms I've purposefully NOT leaned into on this website. I don't know if it's a hunch that maybe it's bad / muddy SEO (granted, I've used it enough in this post) or I just feel it's too catch all. 

Is this piece vintage? It's definitely one of a kind, it's definitely hand made and its certainly been preloved or at the very least and not to dress up the term unnecessarily, somebody has owned this piece before. This was closer to the description I was reaching for.

It's not just that it's of an AGE, but that it's seen time come and go. It's lasted long summers and cold, endless winters. It's potentially outlasted somebody. Do you ever think of where this stuff ends up when you go? It's got life all over it.