It's funny, I just happened to spot this topic after looking for an old, basic, analog phone on eBay.
After looking at the listings, I realised something.
Vintage is just a word used to artificially inflate the price on something that is simply old.
I paid about $7 for the phone I ended up getting, but in the meantime I spotted several "vintage" phones (nothing special) going for $25+.
So really, I like to use the axe analogy. Now, I don't actually have my great-grandfather's axe, but the thing goes like this: This is my great-grandfather's axe. The handle is new, and the oil used to keep the blade from rusting was bought 2 weeks ago, and my father replaced the blade when he was my age, but it's still my great-grandfather's axe.
I guess what it boils down to is just a matter of perception. I quite often go to someone's house, and where they see "antiques" and "priceless vintage items," I see "old broken things."
Honestly though, I love the idea of seeing history through old things. You know, a sense of nostalgia when you go to a museum or something, and you see someone's 200-year-old cannon or doll or something. But some things were just simply made to be used, and things that get used need repairs and upgrades at times