Some people throw things away because they are old. Others spend thousands of dollars to acquire old things. Knowing what makes something an antique is useful information: you won't get rid of valuable items by accident or get tricked into paying too much for something that purports to be an antique

The word antique is not only a judgment of age, but also historical importance. For example if a 100 year old table comes from a common family's household, it would probably not be worth very much money. However if the same table came from a noble or royal household, it could be worth a lot of money and be considered antique. Aesthetics are also taken into account when judging antiqueness.

It also depends on what country you are in. An American antique and a European antique could be considered very different. Because of Americans much shorter history an item would take less time to become an antique whereas in Europe it would take longer. Popular antiques in America for example are items from Civil War whereas in Europe Greek or Roman antiqueswould be considered very desirable.

The materials used on a specific item are also a huge factor in considering whether something is antique. If a piece of furniture is made of mahogany, the mahogany furniture is likely to be more antique if the item is made out of aluminum for example. This is because, if properly treated, the mahogany furniture will last a lot longer than the aluminum alternative and therefore is more desirable. To a service-oriented brand integrity,As the professional manufacturer of complete sets of mining machinery ,like raymond mill, Henan Hongxing is always doing the best in products and service.

There are several definitions of antique, and they are all different to certain people. A family heirloom for example would be a much more valuable antique to that family and less valuable to another. But a general rule of thumb is that an antique must have historical value whether it is a part of a royal household or has survived a common family's house fire from generations ago.

As far as time goes, as a rule of thumb, if an item is over 100 years old, you could well have an antique or some sort. However, old items under 100 years old are considered collectibles. Again though, there are certain exceptions such as certain items from World War II which could easily be considered antique.

At the time, the word had different meanings for different people. In European collecting circles, the word could describe an antiquity from ancient Rome or Greece. In the United States, with its much shorter view of history, the word 'antique' could describe an object made as recently as the Civil War. Businessmen looking to skirt duties tried to use an even vaguer definition, using the word to describe any beautiful and valued item that was less-than-new.

The definition has stuck and is now one that collectors and dealers use to separate an antique from a collectible.