antiques Artifacts created or produced in former periods. The term was traditionally applied primarily to works of fine or decorative art and furnishings, but is currently employed for any type of man-made object of a past era. antiques Artifacts created or produced in former periods. The term was traditionally applied primarily to works of fine or decorative art and furnishings, but is currently employed for any type of man-made object of a past era. EN English John Smith antiques antiques EN English John Smith auxiliary instruction note Information from, or reference to, a section of a classifier's manual or other documentation. An auxiliary instruction note provides advice for classifying in difficult areas, and describes policies and practices that may accompany a classification schedule. antiques