Art and antiques shopping

There is no universal definition for which manufactured items are antiques. Some tax agencies define goods older than 100 years as antiques.

The definition has geographic variations, where the age limit might be shorter in places such as North America than in Europe. Handicraft products and limited product series might be defined as antiques, though they are younger than similar mass-produced goods.

In some jurisdictions, antique motorcars may legally qualify as historic vehicles after as little as twenty-five years and a few buildings may be eligible for a spot on a historic register after fifty years – but only if there are other substantial, documented reasons for their historic notability. This broader definition includes some ephemera and nostalgia pieces from the twentieth century, including the Great Depression and the post-war 1950s. An automobile from the Roaring Twenties, if it is still in operable, showroom condition today, is indeed an antique.