Basically, both terms refer to something old, bygone. Antique does not have other meaning than being really old. Vintage, one the other hand originates from the Anglo-French word meaning vine harvest. Later, this sense shifted to the age of a given wine. In the 1880’s, vintage referred to a general adjective, being an earlier time. Later, in the 1920’s, it was used for cars, and nowadays, it describes a particular design, referring to fashion, home or any other kind of decoration. One of the differences between the two terms is the perceived relevance of the item. It is said that an item or an object which is at least 100 years old, is considered to be antique, what is at least 100 years or older, it is treated as vintage. For example, a dressing gown from the turn of the century is considered antique, while designer gowns from the 1960’s are said to be vintage. Another distinction is that antique refers to plain and simple, while vintage means some furniture, for example, which is characterized by maturity, excellence and enduring appeal.
