Asheford 2021 Survey of Trends

While this has been another unusual year for dealers, according to Asheford Institute of Antiques, there were still plenty of changing trends to be found in the antiques and collectibles field in the results of its 2021 survey, even as many of last year’s top-selling themes remained strong.

Stainless steel was finally toppled by brass, while an old indestructible kitchen favorite from the 1960s and 1970s got hot. Art Deco sellers continued to reap the profits from their trend-setting insights, while vintage dealers who added textiles to their inventory made out like bandits.

The survey was conducted from January 2021 to December 2021 by the research staff at Asheford. The survey consisted of a sampling of more than 2,231 current students and past graduates that are actively employed or working within the antiques, collectibles and vintage marketplaces within the United States and Canada (both urban and rural areas). All those who participated in the survey operate their own antiques and vintage, or estate sale/appraisal businesses (including online concerns), and are listed as, “proprietors” in the survey.

Results give a picture of what categories moved up or down on the school’s decorative arts charts in 2021. Our annual sampling and reporting process continues to evolve during the pandemic, as only dealers and sellers who remained open for at least eight months of the twelvemonth period were invited to participate.

The focus of the survey was directed towards interest in current market trends within the antiques, vintage and collectibles community, based on sales and requests for particular items/genre/periods from customers and clients. The survey was informal in nature, and therefore did not employ any standardized or measurable scientific practices or criteria in obtaining results.

Survey results were categorized by the age groups of the "proprietors," indicating item/genre/period specific preferences most popular to each of these groupings.

The item/genre/period listings, and their relative popularity with consumers, were represented by a potential numerical scale of 1 to 10 - with 1 being the most popular - and 10 being the least popular.

While the survey did not include specific geographic comparables, the terms North East (NE), South East (SE), North West (NW), and South West (SW), were used where applicable to indicate particularly strong interest in item/genre/ periods. Listings without these abbreviated notations indicate positive interest in “all” geographic locations.

Note: Asheford said the term “Victorian” included in the results is not inclusive of Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Mission style in this survey.

Here are the results of the 2021 poll/ survey, broken down into age groups of antiques and vintage business proprietors:

AGES 20 TO 40

1. Art Deco

No surprise here as dealers from this age group