When is vintage ...vintage?

[Acer89]

Recently, I've been enjoying some really good shaves from my very small collection of vintage razors.

Is there a definitive age of how old a razor needs to be before earning a vintage status?

 

[Wayne]

If it's one of Darkbulbs it's a fortnight

 

[Quique]

Good question James

My Guillette Contour is with me since 1986, so it's 30 years old, to me it's a nice vintage razor

 

[sɐǝɹpu∀]

Pretty much anything you can't buy new anymore.
Your definition may vary.

 

[Nishy]

This is a good question, IMO anything that is 100 years of age or older. Random number really.

 

[p.b]

What it's older than you

 

[Darkbulb]

Recently, I've been enjoying some really good shaves from my very small collection of vintage razors.

Is there a definitive age of how old a razor needs to be before earning a vintage status?

I believe that the term was originally used to associate and distinguish one grape harvest from another and - the wine that came from them.
Then, it became a common "companion word" to the year/decade of a product such as "This car is of a 1960's vintage".

Lately it seems to be increasingly common to view "vintage" as an item that is 50+ years old (or semi-antique ("antique" being an item that is 100+ years old)).

 

[Redd]

I'd say for me 25+ for something to be vintage, 100+ is antique. Just asked a mucker this question, he reckons 25+ Classic, 50+ Vintage, 100+ Antique.

 

[Acer89]

I'd say for me 25+ for something to be vintage, 100+ is antique. Just asked a mucker this question, he reckons 25+ Classic, 50+ Vintage, 100+ Antique.

Thank you, Your reply makes sense. +25yrs = Classic, +50 yrs = Vintage and +100 yrs = antique.

 

[Chico Winterton]

There is no clear defininition really. With cars, veteran was pre WW1 whereas Vintage is pre 1930. That doesn't cover from 1930 to now, many will come under "classic" but trying to define that is akin to sellotaping blancmanche to the ceiling.
Veteran could be used pre WW1 but the rest are just lost . Perhaps someone really ought to sit down and come up with a status with razors?

 

[UKRob]

There is no clear defininition really. With cars, veteran was pre WW1 whereas Vintage is pre 1930. That doesn't cover from 1930 to now, many will come under "classic" but trying to define that is akin to sellotaping blancmanche to the ceiling.
Veteran could be used pre WW1 but the rest are just lost . Perhaps someone really ought to sit down and come up with a status with razors?

I agree - calling a car that is just over 25 years a classic doesn't ring true. The original question is what constitutes 'vintage' and the description seems to change depending on the object. I certainly don't agree that anything no longer in production fits the bill, a vintage razor to me is one that doesn't take DE blades - but that's just a personal view because some DE razors are now over 100 years old - and that surely makes them vintage in car terms. Some of my straight razors are vintage, but in my eyes they are the ones made in the 19th century, anything after that seems to be much too modern, even though you will see current Japanese razors appearing on this site which are praised to the heavens just because they have not been used. Does that make them vintage?

All in all, not an easy question to answer.

 

[Dr Watson]

When is vintage ...Vintage? When its worth something, otherwise its just old.

 

[pjgh]

I would say ... when it's no longer produced.

That said, you can have vintage of products which continue to be produced, just older versions, formulas or even typefaces. I'm thinking Old Spice, Tabac and so on.

Enjoying a renewed or even continued wind of appreciation is part of making something vintage, as opposed to defunct, discarded or just plain old. It's of a former time and something to be enjoyed because it is no longer possible to buy like that today as new.