Vintage, design, art – a “What is what”

December 1, 2025

Vintage describes the age of an object.
However, not every old object is automatically vintage. Two criteria are crucial: exclusivity rather than mass-produced goods , and high quality – meaning careful, meticulous, and durable craftsmanship. Chronologically, the term primarily encompasses pieces from the first half of the 20th century, such as those from the Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, Le Corbusier, or Art Deco periods. Vintage objects, therefore, evoke the past.

Design means creation – regardless of age

With a designer piece, age is irrelevant. The focus is solely on the design concept . An object can therefore be vintage without being a designer piece – and vice versa.

An example:
An Arne Jacobsen chair is a design object. When it ages, it also becomes vintage. A new model remains purely a designer piece, but not vintage.

Design as an art form: Applied art

While art and design are not identical, every designer piece is an expression of creativity, aesthetics, and cultural understanding – and therefore also belongs to the broader context of art. In a certain sense, design can even be considered its own art form : a functional and artistic art form , like the products in my collections.

https://artesoires.com/collections

While art doesn't have to serve any purpose, design is often bound to function, safety, standards, or environmental concerns . Designers therefore operate within a tension between creativity and practical requirements.

At the same time, there are many designers who were or are both – designers and artists. Examples include the Swiss Max Bill or – as seen below – the Danish artist and designer Bjorn Wiinblad . Even posters that are considered works of art today technically belong to the field of graphic design.
The boundaries are fluid – both in terms of the creators and the objects themselves.

Brussels Design Market – a treasure trove of design classics

At the annual Brussels Design Market in November, I discovered numerous iconic pieces – some design, some vintage, some art. Particularly well-represented were objects from the categories of furniture, lighting, porcelain, vases, teapots, thermoses, candlesticks, posters, and prints. See also:

https://artesoires.com/collections/leinwanddrucke-mit-kunstlermotiven

I wish you a wonderful Advent season!