My great-great-great-great-grandfathers will dated 1852.
For me, excluding rocks, etc. it’s the house itself. I own nothing older than the house, built in 1914.
Now, there’s some stuff in the freezer that’s approaching fossildom, but that’s another story.
Um. My bed is pretty old. It was an antique when my mom had it when she was little (in the 50’s) and now it’s mine. And it still has the original mattress. No fancy pillowtop for me! Just busted out springs and hog hair.
I have a couple of things from my grandparents (a table, a chest, a mirror), and since they’ve been dead for almost 50 years, I’m willing to assume these are pretty old. The house itself dates back to 1927. I’ve got a school medal my mom won when she was a kid, and she was born in 1917, so I assume this is older than that (can’t find it right this second).
The things I’ve had the longest are two stuffed animals that are about 45 years old (the tiger that was my transitional object, missing at least half its stuffing and sewn back together many, many times, and a big stuffed dog named Soda Doda) and a plate my old boyfriend stole for me (long story), which dates back to 1976.
Coins… the oldest one 1887. Stamps and an ironing board that was my grandmother’s. She was born in 1894 so I’m pretty sure it’s pretty old.
Not sure how to say this without it sounding bad, but my Mom has lots of very old furniture, pictures, etc. that I’m, hmmmm, looking forward to inheriting.
I have my first 2 stuffed animals too. They are 45 yrs old.
a foot-pedal Singer sewing machine.
Approximately 114 years old!
Another owner of pre roman coins.
Other stuff: Dictionary from 1860s (I started a “Tell me what to look up in my 1860 something dictionary” thread), assorted coins going back to the eary 1800s, I live in a schoolhouse from the mid 1800s, so there is still a bunch of stuff from then here…
A silver trophy cup that hs been in the family since the 1700s.
A book, dated 1806.
Tris
Let’s see. Besides the few roman and newer coins…
Great great grand-uncle’s sea chest, his wife’s diary. He was the carpenter on a clipper ship, has his tools. Some of the tools in it predate him considerably.
He was from Conneticut, which has meaning, as many of these tools are early or proto-Craftsman tools. Er. Think 1700s-1850s.
Four or five volumes of the Atlantic Monthly, from just post-civil war era. Some very interesting articles, Fredrick Douglass, and an englishman’s views on reconstruction.
Photos, various ages, 1840s or so to modern.
Tools, varying from a 1700s pitchfork and scythe to some WPA shovels.
1900s Edison Phonograph, with about twenty wax cylinders.
Couple other things. Children’s books from the 1800s or so, early Mother Goose, early Hans Brinker.
Oh, yes, the maps, Hartford area, from late 1600s on, various, but those were purposefully collected, like the coins and some of the pottery, so I hardly think they count. If they do, the pottery ranges from 1300s on.
My grandfather has a gun. It no longer works, hasn’t for a hundred years.
Her name is Joan, and she fought for our freedom.
Posted by NoClueBoy: "I have some old ERB books that Captain John Carter of Virginia might find interesting, c. early 1900’s.
I have a couple of the early editions of the Tarzan books, but unfortunately, none of the Mars Series books from that era.
Got some National Geographics from way back, circa 1920’s.
I was going to say me but then I remembered Mr. Tupug has a beautiful petrified wood log that measures about 3’x1’.
I found the owner’s manual for my sewing machine. It’s a 1941 Singer.
I may have the *newest{*oldest things.
I have a Robb White book, “Silent Ship, Silent Sea” that I bought from the Scholastic Book service in grade school in the mid-60’s.
My second oldest thing is a beautiful ceramic bong I got in college in the late 70’s. I don’t even have any old family photos. My sister is the keeper of those.
Our house was built in 1840. At the moment, the oldest thing within it is a shelf that I would estimate to be c. 1820. I own a Singer sewing machine from 1887, in storage in Canada. We’ve got some books from the early part of this century floating around as well.
An Native American scraping tool made of rock. It’s among my most prized possesions.
Various antiques, including my wooden box collection which contains a couple of boxes that are over 100 years old.
A ton of old books, the oldest of which is dated around the turn of the century.
A National Geographic map from 1896.
Hey, NoClueBoy, I don’t know about Captain John Carter, but I would be interested in those ERB books!
Coles Creek incised potsherds, approximately 1000 years old.
Our menorah is from the 1880’s (if not before) and came over with some of my family from Poland.
I might have something older (actually, now that I think of it, I do) but this means much more to me.
I have a small dish that has been in my family for a long time. It was brought over by one of my ancestors from Germany in approx. 1820.