Which is an antique. Antiques: concept, laws, sale, history. How to learn to distinguish fakes from the original

People's interest in antiques can be caused by two reasons. The first is a love of history, antiquity and, as a result, old things that bear the imprint of past centuries. Not only are antiques beautiful and original in themselves, many of them also have great artistic and cultural value. This is where the second reason comes in: many of these items increase in value over time, meaning that purchasing them is a good way to invest money.

As a rule, a person has both of these motives when he decides to start buying antiques. But for this you need to have not only interest, but also certain knowledge. A good place to start would be to find out what is an antique and what types of it exist?

According to the definition, antiques- these are old and rare works of art or valuable things that are the object of trade and collecting. Experts consider the following to be the main characteristics of an antique item:

- old age;
- rarity or uniqueness;
- non-serialization;
- connection with a historical era or historical events;
- impossibility of reproduction;
- artistic value.

However, in order for a thing to be considered antique, it does not have to have all these characteristics. Their mutual intersection and combination is important. Although the most valuable antiques have all of the above in stock. Central a sign, of course, is a category of old age, and it must always be present. After all, a thing becomes antique primarily thanks to time and history. The artistic value of the item is also very important: This is precisely the characteristic that, as experts say, allows a thing to “go on a journey through time.” And to get into rarity category, required in the subject there must be a twist, artistic individuality or some historical feature.

Thus, we have decided on the semantic component of this term, but there is a component no less important - legal. How is the above-mentioned trade and gathering carried out in our country, what laws regulate these processes? First of all By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 30, 1994 No. 1108“On the sale of antiques and the creation of a specially authorized state control body for the preservation of cultural property.” This Decree contains one important clarification: “ Antiques are understood as cultural values, created more than 50 years ago" . This document lists all the main categories of antiques:

A) historical values, including those related to historical events in the life of peoples, the development of society and the state, the history of science, art and technology, as well as those related to the life and work of outstanding personalities, state, political and public figures;
b) objects and their fragments obtained as a result archaeological excavations;
c) artistic values, including:
· paintings and drawings entirely handmade on any basis and from any materials;
· original artistic compositions and installations from any materials;
· artistically designed religious items, including icons and church utensils;
· engravings, prints, lithographs and their original printing forms;
· works of decorative and applied art, including products of traditional folk crafts and other artistic products made of glass, ceramics, wood, metal, bone, fabric and other materials;
d) components and fragments of architectural, historical, artistic monuments and monuments of monumental art;
d) rare manuscripts and documentary monuments, including incunabula and other publications of special historical, artistic, scientific and cultural interest;
e) archives, including phono and photo archives and other archival materials;
g) unique and rare musical instruments;
h) ancient coins, orders, medals, seals and other collectibles classified as cultural valuables - antiques."

So, the main categories of items that may be antiques are listed in this decree. But, in addition, it must be remembered that Article 1 of this Decree establishes that “since January 1, 1995, on the territory of the Russian Federation, the free sale of antiques is carried out by enterprises registered on the territory of the Russian Federation on the basis of a special permit (license) issued by the Federal Service of Russia for the Preservation of Cultural Property on the proposal of the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The procedure for the sale of antiques established by paragraph 1 of this Decree does not apply to authors of cultural property.". Thus, only their author (which in reality is very rare!) or an organization that has the appropriate license can trade antique items.

How is it determined authenticity and value antique item? Based on the opinions of an expert or group of experts. For example, in 2004 in Russia, a number of experts, appraisers, insurance companies and banks united and created a modern Art Consulting laboratory, equipped with the latest technology, capable of giving an opinion on the time, place of creation and authorship of a work of art. Based on the laboratory data, a reasoned assessment of the item sent for examination is made. There are also expert councils at museums, art galleries, etc., as well as renowned experts in certain fields whose opinions are highly valued. But in any case, the problem of counterfeiting in this area remains very relevant.

So, in this article we have described in general terms what antiques are, what are their main features and types. Our next article on this topic will be devoted to the global and Russian antique markets. We will touch upon the general situation on them, and also dwell in more detail on the characteristics of the main players in this market in our country.

Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia

The Russian antiques market resembles the feudal ladder described in history books. It is supported by 5 thousand private dealers who sell and buy objects of Russian art at different intervals. The ranks of dealers consist of art historians, museum workers, or simply people with artistic, historical education and capital from $500 to $500 thousand.

One step higher are the owners of antique shops, galleries and salons, who also buy and sell antiques. The objective reality is that now, for example, in Moscow, with its 12-13 million residents and guests, there are only about 180-200 registered antique market organizations - this includes both large salons and galleries, and small shops. In St. Petersburg - 80, in total in Russia - about 400 (For comparison, in London with its 14 million - about 2 thousand antique shops, 40 auction houses). It’s easy to guess that the vast majority of players are not engaged in collecting.

Auction houses play a key role in this process, because the entire pricing policy in the market is determined by the results of auctions. The antiques market is similar to the stock market, and auction trading is similar to the stock market. All market participants are watching them.

Some experts believe that investing in art and antiques should be compared to investing in stocks.

Differences by country

For an item to be considered antique, it must be a certain number of years old. IN

Antiques is an art historical term used to describe various categories of antiques of significant value. Antiques in general are old and/or rare works of art or other valuable items that are collectible and tradeable.

Antique objects most often include furniture, books, paintings, household items, etc. Both private collectors and the state are fond of antiques, for which antique objects with their inherent historical attributes are often of special historical and legal interest. In addition, in Russia and in the world there is a developed network of antique stores, both physical and electronic, selling rare old books, paintings and other things.

In defining antiques, it is also necessary to take into account categories associated with rarity, uniqueness, and impossibility of reproduction. Antique uniqueness is created by physical time and historical time (thanks to historical events, people, craftsmen, schools). Rarity is also associated with artistic value.

A work of art is something that is always unique and inimitable; artistic value is an objective characteristic that allows a thing to “go on a journey through time.” Thus, antiques should be understood as rare things that are so due to the time (physical or historical) that has passed since their production, or artistic value, and which are the object of collecting and trading.

However, in order for a thing to be considered antique, it does not have to have all these characteristics. Their mutual intersection and combination is important. Although the most valuable antiques have all of the above in stock. The central feature, of course, is the category of old age, and it must always be present.

After all, a thing becomes antique primarily thanks to time and history. The artistic value of an object is also very important: this is precisely the characteristic that, as experts say, allows an object to “go on a journey through time.” And in order to fall into the category of rarities, the item must have a zest, artistic individuality or some kind of historical feature.

from the Internet

antique picture frame

The concept of antiques

The term “” refers to the classification of valuable historical and artistic objects. Antiques are called antiques that are of material and cultural value. This definition covers antiques and/or works of art exhibited on the antiques market and of interest to collectors.

This description most often includes furnishings, paintings, books, and kitchen utensils. Not only individual collectors, but also entire countries that take care of their history and intend to preserve it for posterity strive to possess antique objects. The state protects cultural and legal monuments; for example, in state museums you can find legislative documents of bygone times. You can also find antiques in numerous antique shops. Even wider selection (including antique frames, paintings, books) are provided by online stores.

Signs of an antique

Speaking about antiques, one cannot ignore the rarity of each item that has survived to this day. Each of them is one of a kind, because technologies inevitably change and are lost. The value of an antique is determined by its age and belonging to a certain historical era, outstanding personalities or significant artistic movements. Rarity matters antiques, which depends on its artistic value.

Ideally, an antique is a work of art that is made in a single copy and has artistic value, that is, it corresponds to the concept of beauty and carries some significant idea or aspiration. True works of art outlive their creators. Hence, antiques- these are unique objects, whose rarity is determined either by their origin or artistic value, which are the object of monetary and market relations and are intended for collecting.

The essence of antiques

The above does not mean that an item is considered an antique only if it fully complies with the above characteristics. Some combinations are possible. Antiquities that exactly meet these parameters are still valued the most. The main one is the impressive age of the thing, without this you can’t go anywhere. The fact is that a thing is “transferred to the rank” of antiques after a certain time, a historical period. Artistic value is also of considerable importance, which ensures the longevity of a work of art that transcends eras and generations. To be considered significant, a thing must be different in some way, for example, it may bear the stamp of history or the brilliant personality of the master who created it.

Many people associate the words “antique” and “antique” with something old and original. Elegant pieces of furniture on which noble people sat, luxurious sets from the era of emperors or shabby old spoons may come to mind.

Under antiques(lat. antiquus"old") refers to such old things that are of interest to collectors and representatives of the trade.

Different countries have their own age criteria for classifying an item as an antique. In many cases, this includes products manufactured 50-60 years ago, but in some countries this level is much higher. In the practice of antique Russian stores, things older than 50 years are classified as antiques, and the current legislation in Russia prohibits the export from the country of cultural property produced more than a hundred years ago (“Law on the Export and Import of Cultural Property” N 4804-I, Article 9).

There are many subtleties that you need to know when buying or selling antiques. For example, what is the difference between antiques and rarity and vintage? What is the antique market? Is it worth investing in buying antiques or selling an unnecessary great-grandmother's item? We will consider these and similar questions below.

The difference between antiques and rarity and vintage

Often the words " rare" And " vintage" are used as synonyms for the words " antique“, however, these are different concepts.

If products older than 50-100 years are classified as antiques, they are usually between 15 and 50 years old. In addition, those things that were once popular and today have again found their fans are considered vintage.

A rarity is a rare item that often exists in a single copy or is produced in small quantities. For example, the most expensive watch for its year of manufacture, 201 Carat, for which the company received $25 million, was created in one copy, but in terms of age it is not considered an antique. At the same time, antiques are not always rare. So, it was produced on an industrial scale, so it is valued much less than rare ones.

Thus, an antique can be called a rarity only if it exists in a single or small number of copies. It is not surprising that such things are valued in the millions on the antiques market.

Signs of an antique

Experts identify several criteria by which a particular item can be considered an antique. The more of the following characteristics match, the more expensive the product may cost on the antiques market.

Age. When evaluating an old thing, its age comes first. As mentioned above, for many markets it should be at least 50-60 years.

Uniqueness. The more a product is unlike anything else, the more people want to buy it. It was this uniqueness that distinguished the products of porcelain, silversmiths and other craftsmen in different eras. This is especially connected with scandalous works such as the sculptures “Bronze Age” and “The Kiss”, “Chilled” and “Diana the Huntress”.

Lack of seriality. The fewer copies there are of a given item, the more it is valued by society. It is not for nothing that the models of some especially popular authors were protected by law from the release of their copies.

Connection to an important historical event. Very popular in past centuries and today are such things that were released in honor of some significant event for the country or the world. For this reason, items reflecting won wars, the ascension of emperors, anniversaries, revolutions and more were and remain popular today.

Inability to copy. The more difficult it is to forge an original, the more valuable it is, however, masters of forgeries sometimes create real masterpieces. Thus, a watch that was qualitatively counterfeited a hundred years ago can be valued no less than the original.

Cultural value. Old things are often valued because they are a symbol of their era and can tell a lot about it. Thus, antique paintings can be used to study the life of different times, and ancient maps eloquently tell about the expansion or disappearance of entire cities.

High cost of materials. The presence of gold or diamonds in an item is also a reason why an item may become desirable in someone's collection, especially if expensive materials are combined with the venerable age of the item or its originality.

History of the antique market

Origin

People have had a passion for collecting exclusive things since ancient times. Thus, in the Roman Empire, military trophies and various works of art were in use, and in the Middle Ages, noble persons considered themselves patrons of the arts, called upon to collect culturally significant values. Wealthy people willingly bought valuable Chinese porcelain, paintings by famous artists, and objects from past centuries. Since antiques were expensive, scammers appeared even then, offering customers a variety of fakes.

Since the seventeenth century, a tradition has emerged in a number of countries to equip special cabinets for rare things, called Wunderkammern (from German das Wunder - miracle). They collected everything that was rare at that time. These were original items made of white or blue porcelain, various jewelry, interesting watches, geographical maps, weapons, furniture of bizarre shapes and much more. All things were arranged according to a certain system, combining them into different groups. Having seen enough of such miracles in England and Holland, Russian Emperor Peter I built his own museum of rare things in Russia - the Kunstkamera.

Rapid development

In subsequent centuries, collecting antiques began to gain rapid momentum, and for a number of collectors it turned into their life’s work. In different countries, many unions and associations arose that traded antiques. In addition to the dealers and collectors themselves, they included experts, restorers, insurers and some other representatives of related professions. In 1935, art dealers from Europe, America, South Africa and other countries united into the CINOA organization, which today sells only the highest class antiques with impeccable provenance.

Antique world and Russian market today

Currently, the global turnover of the antique market is in the range of 25-70 billion dollars per year. According to statistics from ICAAD (International Conference of Antique and Art Dealers), the profitability of this market is higher than the profitability of the stock market. If the average return on the stock market is 11.5%, then for antiques this value is 12.5%. At the same time, every year antiques become more expensive by about 15-20% versus a 5-7% increase in bank interest rates, which makes them so attractive for investment.

According to experts, the annual turnover of the Russian antique market is about one and a half billion dollars. At the same time, objects of Russian art are constantly growing in price - every year by about 20-30% and by more significant figures. The return on investment on the Russian market is similar to the return on the global antique market.

What is popular in the antiques market?

Painting. To this day, the painting is an item without which it is difficult to imagine the homes of rich people. Among paintings, paintings in the Russian avant-garde style are especially popular today, attracting with their versatility, unlike anything else, and the ability to surprise. This style allows artists to experiment with new concepts, and viewers to see the world from the most unexpected points of view. The advantage of buying paintings in the avant-garde style is the stable increase in price.

Antique furniture. Furniture items are especially valuable because they can be used to decorate your home or office. Experts recommend selecting small and useful household items such as antique tables and chairs that have not been restored and have their own history of ownership. Such antiques are considered a profitable investment for about ten years.

Icons. Even non-believers often treat icons with reverence and turn to the saints in difficult moments in life. An icon is not only an excellent investment and interior decoration, but can also become a cultural treasure of a family. It is best to invest in unrestored icons from old school masters that depict popular subjects. If the icon has a so-called lectern size (32x26 cm), as well as a precious frame, then it will be more in demand on the antique market.

Watch. Of the antique watches, the most affordable are those that were produced in the 19th and 20th centuries, since earlier examples rarely appear on the antique market and are very expensive. A significant advantage of antique wrist or pocket watches is the ability to be used as a stylish accessory. The profitability of such antiques is at the level of 8-15% per annum.

There are other antiques that are in demand in the market. These are ancient books, geographical maps, various jewelry products and products of some other directions. Each niche has its own characteristics that need to be taken into account when purchasing antiques.

How to learn to distinguish fakes from the original?

The question of the ability to distinguish a fake from an original is by no means idle. The Russian and world antique markets are literally overflowing with fakes, and each niche has its own percentage of fakes. If in the segment of antique paintings the Russian market consists of approximately 80% copies, then in the niche of old books, on the contrary, there are almost no copies. There are also a lot of fake watches, porcelain, bronze, and dishes on the market, so there is still a risk of buying pennies for a lot of money.

It may seem that it is enough to carefully examine the mark on the product and see its similarity with similar copies of the master or factory, and you can already learn to distinguish a fake from an original antique item. But this is not true at all. Real antique dealers spend years studying the best collections of museums and private collectors, visiting exhibitions, and painstakingly studying styles and techniques characteristic of different eras.

An authority in the world of antique dealers, Judith Miller, noted that to determine the value and market value of an antique item, one must include all the senses a person has. He must not only use logic, which will help him compare certain techniques and materials characteristic of a certain period, but also be able to hear the sound of the material, feel the quality of the object by touching it.

Only regular visits to auctions, museums, exhibitions, reading specialized literature and your own observation will teach you to sense the style of a master or a whole galaxy of masters. This skill is important not only in order not to run into a fake, but also for a deep perception of antiques, penetration into all the secrets of its history.