General Antique Classifications
What turns an item into an antique?
An antique item is something that once was used and that has managed to remain fairly unbroken and unharmed for a long period; that is until it has reached your hands. Of course, the value of an antique will increase if the item is actually working or in pristine condition.
Naturally, when an item reaches the status of antiquity there is little probability that the item in question reaches such a status without any damage or change to its general appearance. For example, in the case of dinnerware, small cracks and the general discoloration or even a mild change in the general colour of the item is to be expected, white dinnerware reach a grey tone that will affect all the general aspect of the antique.
There are, undoubtedly special items that will remain in perfect “like-new” conditions and that will reach a higher economical value, but these are the lowest number of items possible; each one of the antique items that are available in perfect mint condition are also catalogued as collectibles. This means that they will loose the “antique” status to the item for a new status as “collectibles”.
Of course, not all of the old things that you or your family have stored in the attic, the closets or even the cellar are antiquities, some are just old things that will have or hold no value. To adequately know if a particular item has or not the value or should hold the status of antiquity you need to have it appraised by a specialist, any sentimental value that you might have for the piece will not affect the value of it. Nonetheless, if a piece has a particular or distinct story that might affect the overall value.