Vintage Rugs vs. Antique Rugs vs. Modern Rugs
Sometimes the term "vintage" can be a broad descriptor for many items, but what really sets vintage rugs apart from others? There are also other terms when looking for quality rugs such as secondhand, antique, or vintage-inspired. Although the vintage label is thrown around quite often nowadays, the very essence of what exactly is "vintage" and what should be called antique often remains a mystery. To be designated vintage, rugs could typically be made after the year 1920, whereas antique carpets are considered to be made before that date. There is a general rule that antique rugs are those over 80 years, making age the major factor distinguishing them from vintage carpets. This division is somehow contradictory, because the differences between antique rugs and vintage rugs are rather fluent and could blur as we move forward in time. Of course vintage can mean different things in different countries and cultures as well. One day all vintage rugs will be considered antique. The history of weaving and handmade rug can be varied from country to country, and different cultures and tribes use certain valuable materials during different time periods, which makes it easier to identify what during which historical period the rug was created. Another way of categorizing vintage rugs, probably with better accuracy, is linking them to the birth of the historical period in art and design, Modernism.
