a. and sb. [ad. L. antīquāri-us of antiquity, f. antīqu-us: see ANTIQUE and -ARY.]
A. adj. Of antiquity; ancient; antique. rare.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., II. iii. 262. Here’s Nestor Instructed by the Antiquary times.
1877. Mrs. Oliphant, Carità, III. xli. 190. To break off all this delightful ease of intercourse by some kind of antiquary courtship.
B. sb. [the adj. used ellipt., sc. ‘man,’ ‘thing.’]
I. Of persons.
† 1. A man of great age, an ancient. Obs. rare.
a. 1581. Campion, Hist. Irel., vii. (1633), 24. Had it beene my chaunce … to meete and conferre with this noble Antiquarie [a man aged two thousand and forty one yeares].
1635. J. Taylor (Water P.), Old Parr.
| He’s (in these times fill’d with Iniquity) | |
| No Antiquary, but Antiquity; | |
| For his Longevity’s of such extent, | |
| That he’s a living mortal Monument. |
† 2. An official custodian or recorder of antiquities. (Bestowed as a title by Henry VIII. upon Leland.) Obs.
1563. Grafton, Chron., I. VII. 85 (R.). The booke of the excellent antiquary Iohn Leyland, intituled the Assertion of Arthur.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), II. 493. Annius Fæcialis (another antiquarie or heralt at armes of Rome).
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., The University of Oxford have still their Antiquary, under the denomination of custos archivorum.
1763. J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., § 8. 161. The approved Songs of the ancient Bards were preserved in the Custody of the King’s Antiquary.
3. A student (usually a professed student), or collector, of antiquities. (Formerly used, in a wide sense, of a student of early history; now tending to be restricted to one who investigates the relics and monuments of the more recent past.)
1586. Thynne, in Animadv., Introd 8. It hath beene some question amongst the best antiquaries of our age, that [etc.].
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., Epit. (1612), 351. Our learned and studious Antiquarie Master Camden.
1762. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), I. 134. We antiquaries, who hold every thing worth preserving, merely because it has been preserved.
1830. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump. (1870), 28. Antiquary—too often a collector of valuables that are worth nothing, and a re-collector of all that Time has been glad to forget.
1851. D. Wilson, Preh. Ann. (1863), I. iii. 86. Such evidences of primitive ages as have rewarded the researches of Northern antiquaries.
1881. (title of Magazine) The Antiquary.
II. Of things.
† 4. = ANTIC sb. 1. Obs. rare.
a. 1603. in Nichols, Progr. Q. Eliz., I. 378. Three belles … chased in the bottoms with antiquaries and fishes.
† 5. = ANTIQUITY, Obs. rare.
1592. Greene, Groatsw. Wit, 1. A Citie … the name is not mentioned in the Antiquary.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. 1653, 235. Of the antiquary, the first inventers, and worthinesse of the excellent Art of Alchymy.
