Late Antique, Medieval and Early Modern Studies

A true antique (Latin: antiquus; "old", "ancient") is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance and at least 100 years old, although today the term is often used loosely to describe any objects that are old. An antique is usually an item that is collected or desirable because of its age, beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features. It is an object that represents a previous era or time period in human history. Vintage and collectible are also used to describe items that are old, but do not meet the 100-year test.