I was listening to the streamed BBC Radio 4 show The Rise and Fall of the Antique about the status of antiques in the UK today. The commentator and guests touched upon the etymology of the words "antique" and "vintage." It seems as a result of American import duty legislation in the second decade of the 20th century, the term "antique" in the UK evolved to mean anything that was 100 years or older. After the Great War ended, rich Americans were buying! Alas, "vintage" was tossed into the mix to describe other old stuff that couldn't fit the desirable 100-year definition.
Now, with fountain pens, it seems "vintage" has devolved into a meaning that if a pen model isn't available new from a retailer, it's vintage! Oh well. Caveat emptor.
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