One of the questions that we are often asked is ‘why should I buy antique, or vintage, what are the pros and cons of buying an antique or vintage piece? Why would I not just go online and purchase a new item, with all that goes with it, still in its box, shiny and new, full instructions and maybe even a guarantee. It’s a good question, and in fact it’s a question that we like to be asked, because the truth of the mater is that it is very important to understand just what you are buying when you make this decision. Clearly, we are biased, and I do believe that its not just a simple mater of making a choice, it is also a matter of personal tastes, likes and dislikes, there are those, like us, who love the pieces, not just for what they are and their originality and beauty, but for their history and their age and character. Then there are of course those who could never comprehend the idea of buying ‘second hand’ when you could have new, it’s all good, just different and as the French say, vive-la-difference. A pro for me is the quality, if, just as an example, you were to take a typical French antique or vintage light, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Empire or even a gothic piece, very often it will be a one-off, hand-made piece, even if you could find another one, which the older it is the harder its likely to be, then the chances are it will still be subtly different in its final construction and form, finished by hand, maybe by a different artisan and often changed or modified over the years. The weight, compared to a new piece always amazes me, they just ooze quality, it is often just not practical in this disposable age to manufacture pieces of the same quality, and using the same materials. Solid cast metal, will be replaced by lighter, cheaper sheet and tubular metal, glass by plastics etc. Another pro, is the ‘find another one’ aspect, just knowing its age, sometimes even its history and just being able to look at it and imagine that it was made all those years ago and that you are the one that owns it now, that you have given it a new life. The cons? Well, there are those too, but I guess for me the obvious cons would be the very reasons that I have listed above as pros, of course if it is an antique piece, a one off, then any problems or damage, maybe due to cleaning, decorating, moving house or just simple accidents are of course far more problematic, no spare parts, no manufacturer to call etc. The condition of course is another factor, it’s not going to be pristine and new, age and use of course are always going to take their toll, very often, with pieces that have been kept as authentic as possible there will be minor age-related flaws, tarnishing and maybe even some damage or repairs. Finally, you have to accept that with all antique and vintage pieces there is often, due to their hand-crafted nature, variation in size, colour and form which again in today’s modern mass-produced world we are not used to seeing. Its an important decision to choose vintage or antique, and maybe it is not the easy option, but for us it is the only way…Vive-la-difference.