To wonder when does old shit become vintage?

[TheoriginalLEM]

Just that really - the local charity shop has a "vintage event" which as far as i can see, means upping the price on anything that my aged mother would wear and calling it "vintage". The same goes for "retro". My DD lives in Margate (for her many sins) and its retro this and vintage that, even Dreamland is being called a "vintage" theme park, well ok, there's the scenic railway but as far as i can see from peeking through a whole in the fence the rest of the stuff looks pretty modern high tech stuff of travelling fairs (not traditional at all!) - i remember Dreamland how it used to be and it is NOTHING like that! But they will call it "vintage/retro" and justify the millions of £££s spent.

I must be getting really curmudgeonly in my old age but it proper boils my piss.

Now don't get me wrong, i like old stuff but i don't want to pay through the nose for it because someone has called it vintage - oh and a bit of bunting does not vintage make!

Sorry, last post veered off topic somewhat.

Anyway, this vintage/shabby thing is just another variant on the old theme of 'creative usually poor people, do something interesting with very little, and unimaginative people with money buy into the look/area'.

Sad, but inevitable.

I have a 1973 formica and chrome kitchen table. It is in near perfect condition. It is 4 seater but extends to 6 by pulling out 2 flaps. The chairs are stackable but also fit neatly underneath. It is grey and white -so matches the kitchen. The children can paint on it and it washes off, the seats aren't fantastically comfortable (guess I could get pads) but are fine for a meal and can be wiped down with a damp cloth (messy DCs) and have no nooks/crannies to collect crap. It fits into the 'table' space in the kitchen perfectly. I absolutely love it.
(I have polished the chrome and put car wax on the top every few months to protect the formica )
I got it from freecycle about 10 yrs ago. (I had been looking at new but hadn't found anything that was as ideal). A year or so later it cost me about £50 to get the blacksmith to re-weld two of the chairs after DP had an accident (they were stacked at the time)...I was told I was mad - I should just buy a new table rather than hang on to something so dated and unfashionable...
A year or so ago my sister was in a trendy area of London and saw 'my' vintage table in the window ...for £500 ish
...and you can buy them on ebay for £150

When I hit 50. I dream.