It is a snap shot of time and author (/creator/designer/user where appropriate). Authenticity is irreplicable, more over, any attempts to recreate what was once authentic would fail, merely becoming mimics of something else.
The laundry room in my house is a perfect example of something I see as authentic. It’s quite likely the house’s only room that remains identical to when it was first built: a composition of ugly wall paper, wood panelling, green machines, and vinyl linoleum.
It would also be impossible to recreate now while maintaining authenticity. For starters: the stylistic choices in the room just are not choices that would be made today.
So what is authenticity? A decision you’ll probably regret a decade or three down the line.
