These
past few weeks have been incredibly busy, back to back to back auctions make
for long weeks and little free time to update the blog. When we experienced
some “technical difficulties” with our server this week, I found this to be a
perfect time to tackle an issue that is always in the back of my mind.
This
issue is embodied in Ron Lawson’s blog post on Antique Auction Forum (which you can read here) This article was written almost a year ago to the day. At that
point, I had really just begun to get a handle on working in this industry and
didn’t really know enough to agree or disagree. One year later, I revisited
this article while looking through a folder marked “blog ideas”. After reading it again, I was offended. Perhaps,
it’s because I’m a 20 something, or because I care about preserving antiques
and their historical value, maybe I’m an anomaly… but I don’t think so.
The
type of antiques Lawson expects 20-40
somethings to collect, or have interest in include Baroque and Nouveau period
items, as well as, Tiffany and other high end antiques. Is this really
practical for someone in their 20s starting out? Is it practical for a young
family (also in that 20-40s range) to own Baroque period furniture? (Talk about
a baby-proofing nightmare). Not to mention that many of those period antiques
are out of our budget, while many turn of the century and mid-century modern
items are well within our grasp.
I
agree with Ron that the “Ikea mentality” is something that is pervasive in most
of the “20-40” something generation. However, I think he tends to gloss over
the fact that vintage has made a real comeback in the past 10-20 years. I think
far more people care about “vintage” than Lawson gives them credit for. Vintage
is IN. Have you planned a wedding lately, or looked at home décor? Things that
are labeled as “vintage”, “rustic”, “antique” are always highly sought.
I
would argue that the move to an “Ikea mentality” is not a lack of appreciation,
but a lack of opportunity and education about buying antiques. Not all antiques
worth collecting are Baroque or made by Belter. Although Lawson may not be an
elitist, as he claims, it is this elitist attitude that is dangerous to the
next generation of collectors and it’s one that our industry should fight
against. The “Ikea mentality” is a default because many 20 something are
unaware about the quality of items that can be found at a local auction or flea
market. They go to Ikea because it is inexpensive and convenient—not because
they are looking for an item they can replace in a year.
Lawson’s
argument is toxic to the future of the antique industry because it perpetuates
the stereotype that collecting antiques is only for the wealthy who can afford
to buy high end big name items, and that simply isn’t true. What we
should be looking to do is change that perception and then I think you will see
a greater volume of young people interested in collecting antiques, attending
auctions and taking an active role in the preservation of history.
