Ask Lemmy

have fossil

A Japanese tea ceremony chest, which is mid-Meji period ~1890s and a book on hypnotism from 1906.

An old brass model train from the 60s. We don't have an exact date, but that what I've been told.

Someone converted it to DCC at some point, but otherwise original.

My wife collects mechanical wristwatches. But since we aren't millionaires, she buys them in bulk lots online. Most times she'll get an interesting or semi-valuable watch or two. Usually broken or damaged in some way, but often within her ability to repair.

So. One day her watch haul included a double hunter pocketwatch whose maker's mark we weren't familiar with - "JW Benson". And inside the case was the text "Watchmaker by warrants to the Queen and the Prince of Wales."

Between those two, we managed to deduce that it had been manufactured sometime around 1880 (+/- a couple years. The company was bombed in WWII and a lot of records burned. IIRC, we had narrowed it to like a five year span, but the exact dates couldn't be determined beyond that)

Anyway. That watch - which still runs - is probably the oldest thing.

My house. Built in the 1840s.

My grandfather's axe. He got it as a gift from his father, 90 years ago, but it was already in use then.
And no, he didn't replace the head twice and the handle 5 times.

My house was built in '53

Great-grandfathers watch. It doesn't run anymore but I still love to keep it.

Like the think that I have owned the longest? Or the thing that was made the longest ago?

If it's the thing that I've owned the longest, my cartridge of Mega Man X, which I have owned since about 1995 or 1996.

If it's the thing that was made the longest ago, my wife's sewing kit that she inherited from her aunt, which was probably made in the 1970s.

Car from 2008.

Some volcanic rocks from mt St Helens

My house. Just the house.

Some old things I own:

1. A top I used to wear in school which I haven't thrown away because it still fits me and is in good condition. I have even worn it in recent times. It's close to 30 years old.
2. Last year I finally purchased a new laptop to replace my old one that I had been using since 2009.
3. I own a piece of clothing belonging to my grandma that she used to wear to parties. I wore it for a function in October. I don't know exactly how old it is, probably purchased in 1960s or 1970s.

An Egyptian scarab.

I have a top loader NES and two games I bought for it.

1960s Wurlitzer electronic piano.

Some sea snail fossils probably

Probably some of my japanese wood working tools. It's hard to tell for sure though.

I buy all of my tools from an online discount store and they never have any known origin. It's difficult to date because Japanese tools are extremely traditional and a modern one can be indistinguishable from an ancient one.

That being said some of my tools show signs of extremely strenuous use and are definitely on the older side. Additionally they are made of wrought iron, it comes from raw pig iron and has to be hand forged and shaped. Most Japanese tools now use modern soft iron with exceptions being very high end tools and very experienced blacksmiths (making tools out of wrought iron is much more difficult).

After comparing images of Japanese tools from various time periods I estimate one of my plane blades could be from the 1800s. Mostly wishful thinking but definitely in the realm of possibility. Unfortunately the blacksmith that forged it was not famous enough to have any recorded information, documentation or mentions but it is still an exquisitely crafted blade, even if it's seen a lot of love.

I have a couple of Griswold cast iron skillets - an “8” and a “10”. I just looked up their particular vintage and they are both from 1930-1939, so 83 to 93 years old. Im confident that those are the oldest things I have that I use regularly and they are probably the oldest things I own.

Ive got a Magnavox Odyssey

A camcorder from 2002. Imagine 00's skateboarding clips!

My parents ashes in my basement. My dad was born in ‘32

My piano technique book from 1960 I purchased from a second hand store. I bought it and have been teaching myself piano.

Gilette Fat Boy razor.

A Dunn & Co. boater hat from ~1890 with a blue and white striped band.

A 1960 Deutz D15 tractor from my grandfather.

A Sheaffer Balance fountain pen that I bought and restored, I believe it's from somewhere around 1934. A few fountain pens that are certainly old but of unknown date as well.

Runner up would be my house built in the early 50's.

F-70 "patent applied for" 3/8 Snap-On ratcheting wrench from 1933, still works. I know I have older tools but I haven't or couldn't date them.

I do have older coins, but the wrench is cooler.