[JBierly]

This was brought up in another thread. I am curious of whether anyone has strong feelings about when these terms should be used (any particular nuance) or are they somewhat interchangeable?

 

[EDC390]

Not an expert, but my understanding is that antique = old,
patina = the worn - in look from use, wear and age, and
Burnished = rubbed with steel. Usually seems to apply to toe and heel caps.

Any of them can be forced through a number of methods.
For example, a patina is often forced on carbon steel in order to protect against rust. Most often through a dip in something acidic such as vinegar, mustard or lemon juice.

On new leather, antique is usually painted on.

I've read that AE "burnishes" their various shades of brown by running the toes and heels on the black buffing wheel for a bit

My first thought when I saw upr_crusts gorgeous boots was that they were burnished.

 

[FLMike]

My first thought when I saw upr_crusts gorgeous boots was that they were burnished.

Same

 

[JBierly]

Same

Same here - that's what I would have termed them. But I still have some confusion since the term burnish implies more of polishing at the time of production. Clearly many shoes have this "burnished" finish but it really isn't a polishing - it's more of a darkening of the finish of the toes and perhaps heels of the shoes. So for me it seems like a misnomer. Another term used by some manufacturers is "vintage." Here's Santoni's blurb on how they develop a Patina finish for their shoes:

Patina
Master craftsmen employ original tint recipes to apply up to 15 different colours to the leather, in a process that may require many hours of labour. The first colour is applied by hand to the leather and left to be absorbed. That is followed by subsequent applications with a wool cloth, which are always performed slowly and in a vertical direction.
Later, craftsmen finish the portion between the upper and the sole with a brush.

At the end of the chromatic patina, the shoes undergo a meticulous polishing process, initially with a brush and then by hand using natural creams and waxes, applied with cashmere and silk cloths.

This slow, exacting process guarantees that every pair of shoes will have a unique, irreproducible patina.

I basically think the term's are pretty much interchangeable although I agree that I tend to use burnished for a shoe that shows a heavy darkening of the toe (basically 2 colors and not my favorite look) and reserve patina and antique for a more subtle transition of color although it appears I cannot find any definitive source to substantiate this impression.

 

[JBierly]

I've read that AE "burnishes" their various shades of brown by running the toes and heels on the black buffing wheel for a bit

Maybe this is the answer - that the extreme darkening of toes and heels is done with polishing the heels and toes with a darker polish to discolor those areas. Makes sense...

 

[Flanderian]

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

I think the differentiation may be crystal clear in the mind of the user, but I consider those terms more descriptive than defining, and largely interchangeable with the exception that patinated is also commonly applied to a process performed after manufacture, while the terms burnished and antiqued are usually applied to processes performed during manufacture, and are generally terms used as part of advertising.

 

[StephenRG]

To my mind, "burnishing" consists of intentionally extreme polishing - so that the friction generated has an effect on the leather itself.

"Patination" is the application of paints and dyes and polishes to give a multi-coloured or textured effect - burnishing might also be involved but more likely a burnishing effect is achieved via paints and dyes, not from extensive polishing.

"Antiquing" is a specific form of patination to give the shoe an agéd appearance.