100 Years Old vs. 40 Years Old, Let’s Talk About Value
I’m part of a lot of groups on Facebook, TikTok, and other social platforms. Most people who know me know what I do, I resell vintage, antique, and collectible items.
Because of that, the number one thing I hear is:
“What’s it worth?”
It doesn’t matter what it is.
Their grandma said it was worth a fortune.
Aunt Edna said someday it would pay for college.
Uncle Charlie said the other thing you love isn’t worth a dime.
Here’s the thing.
Nothing, and I mean not a single thing, is worth more than the top bidder is willing to pay.
It doesn’t matter what IT is.
A piece of pottery from Roseville, Ohio might be worth less than something made in “June’s Pottery Studio” in Nowhereville, USA.
Why?
Because the buyer determines the value.
The seller can decide the price.
But the buyer decides the value.
If the price is too high, the thing doesn’t sell.
And if it doesn’t sell… it’s not worth that price.
“But It’s 100 Years Old…”
Age alone does not create value.
I have seen 100-year-old pieces sit.
And sit.
And sit.
Why?
Several reasons:
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The right pair of eyeballs hasn’t seen it yet.
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It was mass produced.
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The design doesn’t match today’s aesthetic.
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The market is saturated.
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The generation that loved it is downsizing.
Vintage and antiques are moving targets.
What’s hot changes:
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Year to year
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Decade to decade
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Generation to generation
The “vintage world” is not static. It shifts constantly.
Let’s Talk About China (The Dishes Kind)
I’m a very late-stage Boomer (Gen Jones, please 😉).
Our generation was told:
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Register for china when you get married.
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You’ll inherit your parents’ set.
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Grandma’s china is precious.
But most of us didn’t want it.
One set of dishes is fine. (Okay, two for me --- I have holiday dishes.)
But our parents? They had GOOD CHINA.
And they really didn’t understand why we didn’t want it.
That right there is the cycle.
Entire industries were built around formal dining traditions that simply don’t exist the same way anymore.
So now what happens?
Beautiful sets of china (some truly stunning) struggle to find buyers. Not because they aren’t lovely. Not because they weren’t expensive.
But because the lifestyle changed.
Name Brands vs Studio Pieces
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Some brands become classics.
Think:
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Snoopy
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Mickey Mouse
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Fiestaware
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Certain Haviland China patterns
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McCoy Pottery
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Sarah Coventry Jewelry
These brands fluctuate in price, but the demand never fully dies. It slows. It surges. It cycles. But there’s still recognition.
Brand recognition creates built-in search traffic and emotional memory.
But then there are studio pieces, handmade, local, unsigned, that suddenly hit a modern aesthetic and take off.
Minimalist pottery.
Brutalist decor.
70s earth tones.
80s Memphis vibes.
Sometimes the no-name studio piece sells faster than the 120-year-old brand name.
Why?
Because today’s buyer likes how it looks in their house.
Not because Aunt Edna said it would pay for college.
Supply and Demand Still Wins
I’ve been doing this for nearly 30 years.
I’ve seen items I could command top dollar for in 2007 drop dramatically.
I’ve seen things I thought were nearly unsellable fly out the door.
It’s all Supply and Demand 101.
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People collect what speaks to them.
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Trends rise.
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Trends fade.
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Nostalgia cycles back.
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Tastes evolve.
Eventually people grow into their own style (we hope), and what they decorate with shifts again.
That’s not failure.
That’s life.
So… What’s It Worth?
If you’re asking me what something is worth, here’s my honest answer:
It’s worth what someone is willing to pay for it, today.
Not in 1985.
Not when it was new.
Not what someone “heard once.”
Today.
That’s the reality of vintage and antiques.
And honestly?
That’s part of what makes this world so fascinating.
Because it’s not just about age.
It’s about timing.
Taste.
Trend.
Emotion.
And the moment two people agree on value.
That’s where worth is created.
And tomorrow?
It might change again.