Has The Golden-Age Of Antique Sales Finally Returned?

Dealers Predict 1980s Style Sales Resurgence

Are 1980's Sales Numbers On The Horizon?

New York - While we've all heard the popular refrain before about how great antique sales were during the heady 1980's, it would seem that today's current market may now be on a trajectory to repeat that performance. After years of market fluctuations, antique dealers are experiencing what many describe as a renaissance reminiscent of the industry's 1980s peak, albeit with some distinctly modern characteristics. A number of seasoned veterans and decorative arts analysts say they've witnessed a market shift in the past couple of years that points to a convergence of factors for creating what some are calling "the perfect set-up" for the sale of antique and vintage goods. 

"I don't know if we're there quite yet," says, Tom Patterson, an east coast antique dealer who's been in the business for almost fifty years, "but we're getting pretty close." Patterson, whose family run concern has been in continuous operation since 1965, says that while sales of dark furniture are just starting to come back, sales of Art Deco, early Americana, and even some late Victoriana have all jumped dramatically over the past few years. "It's a younger buyer whose looking for more than just a deal on used furniture," says Patterson, "and it's not just Mid-century stuff either, we're starting to sell to a whole new batch of next-gen Yuppies who are much more concerned with quality and distinctiveness than ever before." While sales have risen sharply, Patterson cautions that it may still take another year or so for the trend to fully set in and reach numbers comparable to the 1980s, but believes that recent sales show the pendulum is finally swinging back towards a more traditional type of decor with today's buyers.

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Robert Sheffield, owner of Sheffield Antiques in Charleston and a dealer since 1975, also sees striking parallels: "In the eighties, we had the baby boomers establishing their wealth and seeking quality pieces. Today, we're seeing millennials and Gen X buyers with similar enthusiasm but with different motivations." Sheffield says that his volume of sales over the last two years is beginning to match what he experienced in the mid-1980s. "Granted, it's a broader spectrum of clients we're selling to," he says, "but sales are sales."

However, it's not just the standard recycling of a trend from the past that has caught the attention of dealers and analysts recently. The digital transformation has also dramatically expanded the reach of the decorative arts market to an entirely new audience. Mary Elizabeth Watson, President of the National Antique Dealer Association (NADA), notes that online platforms have revolutionized the industry: "In the eighties, we were limited to local markets and major shows. Now, a dealer in Maine can sell to a collector in California within minutes. Our member surveys show average dealer revenues are up thirty-eight percent since 2022." Dealer, Victoria Martinez also echos this sentiment, "Instagram has become our most powerful tool," she says, "our Boston-based vintage furniture business has grown three-hundred percent since 2023. "We're seeing pieces sell within hours of posting, something unimaginable in previous decades."

First-Time Buyers Moving Markets

Christopher Chang, chief market analyst at an antiques & collectibles trading Index, points to changing consumer priorities: "The 1980s boom was driven by investment potential and status," he says, "today's market is fueled by sustainability concerns, authenticity seeking, and rejection of mass-market goods." Chang says that his aggregated data shows first-time buyers of antiques, vintage, and collectible items in the twenty-five to forty-year age range have doubled since 2021. "That's some strong growth," says Chang, who also noted that his current modelling projections show these numbers continuing to rise into the foreseeable future.

However, it's not just online or decorative related sales that are moving the industry forward. The changing nature of work has also impacted the antique and vintage marketplace. "Home offices have become a major driver," explains Paul Durham, from Vintage Office Furniture. "We're seeing unprecedented demand for antique desks, bookcases, and library furniture. Pieces that might have sat unsold for months four or five years ago now have waiting lists." Durham says that the hybrid work model has seen sales jump in almost every category. "People just don't want regular office furnishings from a big-box store in their home," he says, "they want something unique and original and they're turning to antique and vintage pieces to fill that need." 

Laura Chen, founder of Vintage Market Analytics, highlights how today's market differs from the eighties: "While the 1980s focused heavily on formal furniture and traditional antiques, today's market embraces a broader definition of collectibles. Mid-century modern, vintage, industrial pieces, and even retro items from the last couple of decades of the twentieth century are now considered collectible," says Chen, "It's a much larger market base to purchase from than ever before."

Of course economic uncertainties can always play a role in market stability, says Patricia Morrison, senior market analyst at Heritage Auctions. However, Morrison also notes that in times of market volatility, tangible assets can also become more attractive. "We're seeing particularly strong interest in Art Deco and Arts & Crafts pieces, with some categories showing price increases in excess of fifty percent over the last three years." Morrison attributes the rise in values to a 'buy & hold' mentality, "People are seeing antiques as an investment again."

Despite the threat of potential market fluctuations and changing tastes, many industry experts are now predicting that prices will likely remain on an upward trajectory as the appeal of antiques and vintage inspired decor continues to grow in popularity. Limited supply, coupled with the sustainability factor, and heightened demand for quality, means that this current antique and decorative arts boom may have the staying power to not only equal 1980s sales figures, but could potentially surpass them in a new golden age of its own.

- A.I.A. Staff Writers

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NOTE: For readers seeking more information about the Asheford Institute Of Antiques distance-learning program on professional-level appraising, the study of antiques, collectibles, vintage and mid-century modern items, please click here to visit the school's Home Page. 

Should you have additional questions about the Asheford program, you can also write to the school at: [email protected] or call the Registrar's Office toll-free at: 1-877-444-4508.

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