Next Vintage & 20th Century Collectables

TThe history of Vintage & Antique doubtlessly started with the birth of the very first desirable object worth having and caring for. Its value grew with all other objects becoming useless or thrown away because of poor quality. As a result the global heap of waste grows every minute while vintage and antique objects get more scarce by the decades. For one can label anything as garbage and throw it away instantly, but it takes some knowledge and at least a few affirmative years to label an object as collectable and worth preserving.

I am George Manz and I started collecting Vintage & Antique when the free minded seventies evolved into the more economic driven eighties. I was studying Art School and had to turn every dime twice before spending it. Nothing romantic about it. I simply needed books, materials and tools to work. I gradually gathered everything, scavenging second hand shops and thrift stores.

With the re-using came the collecting. My pre-used leather schoolbag, for instance, was still just as good as when I bought it. Maybe slightly better because I nursed the inevitable wear and tear. It looked certainly more appealing because of the beautiful leather patine which occurred after years of use. I took good care of my leather bag and added some value too. Why not sell it to someone else in need of a good bag. I would at least get my money back or even make a small profit.

Preserve what’s good and minimise global overproduction

My first big vintage catch was in 1980. It was an industrial wall mounted task lamp by Jean Louis Domecq voor Jieldé, 1950. It was a piece of junk until I restored it, sanded and spray-painted it back in its original state.

I still own the lamp. It has prevented me from buying another lamp for all these years. And yes, it has reached a considerable value which richly transcends the original purchase amount.

Re-using stuff and collecting vintage and antique became a way of life. Today it still is very exciting and satisfying to acquire a unique item of good quality, preferably with some nice provenance, and in the process serve our planet too.

Knowing that our global digital network, like communicating vessels, will in time flatten all what has been distinctive until then. Without boundaries everybody can obtain the same information or exotic raw materials. It is my belief that the value of unicity and individual choices will keep increasing to the highest level.

The Lightproof Modern Antiques offers carefully curated Vintage & Contemporary Collectables. All personally acquired and cared for. Some may be quirky or non-traditional, but all generally known to be of (potential) high value with a good return on investment. The Lightproof objects are ready to shine in broad daylight and to be enjoyed for years to come.

Cheers.

George Manz