# What's the oldest man-made thing you own? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756 "2011-11-22T15:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/21 "2011-11-22T18:17:52Z")
Wow, I feel positively modern. I think that the oldest thing I have is my grandfather’s collection of Gourmet magazines, dating back to 1973. For not man made, we’re talking 300,000,000 years old, so it’s a wash. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/22 "2011-11-22T19:46:17Z")
I’ve got a massive old leather bound illustrated bible my Dad gave me, dating to 1885, but it’s in awful condition; he was going to throw it out, but I liked it. For old mechanical stuff, I also have an electric Singer sewing machine from 1940 (bought new on 21st December, 1940, according to the reciept. 🙂 ) I got the sewing machine off my Great Uncle- who was given it by a neighbour whose mother bought it. Before giving it me, he asked one of my Aunts to check it was working properly. She apparently said it was working fine- and maybe she’d update her older manual one to a similar one soon. Old Singer sewing machines- they just keep on going. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![keeganst94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@keeganst94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeganst94)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/23 "2011-11-23T03:03:31Z")
The oldest manmade thing I own is probably some arrowheads, but I can’t confirm when they were made. I also have a carved Howitzer shell from WWI. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/24 "2011-11-23T14:52:13Z")
Oldest man-made object is probably a small side table made approx. 1875. Otherwise, an Ives standard-gauge toy train set made around 1921. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/25 "2011-11-23T15:04:11Z")
We have a first edition of _Life on the Mississippi_ (1883), but it’s in crappy shape, so it’s not worth anything. Maybe some things older, but who knows. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/26 "2011-11-23T15:55:23Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > I’m wearing underwear from the Reagan administration. I have a pair of camp shoes from that era. Timberlands and they’re still my favorites. Also have a rock I kept as a souvenir from Menorca, Spain. It’s from the Dawn of Time. ETA: Woops :smack: my rock isn’t man made. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/27 "2011-11-23T15:59:50Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > We have a first edition of _Life on the Mississippi_ (1883), but it’s in crappy shape, so it’s not worth anything. Maybe some things older, but who knows. Oh wait - I have an edition of Shakespeare from 1784 (spelled Shakfpear and the first edition in a single volume since the Folios…) ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/28 "2011-11-23T20:52:56Z")
No arrowheads, but I still have a Minie ball that I picked up off the Gettysburg battlefield when I was 12. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/29 "2011-11-23T21:19:22Z")
A grandfather clock from the early 1800s, and a carved cane from the mid-1800s. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/30 "2011-11-23T22:42:05Z")
> [@Who\_me\_1](#): > > Probably my grandfather’s railroad pocketwatch from the 1930’s or 40’s. It still works although I can’t set the time on it, time setting must be done by a jeweler. I guess I could start winding it just before the time on the face and accept the time being off a little. Jeweler is not required. Hold it flat between your palms and rotate your hands to unscrew the crystal. At the edge where the crystal bezel threads on, you will find a lever. Catch that lever with a fingernail and swing that lever outward. Now the stem will set the time. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/31 "2011-11-23T23:07:57Z")
A muzzle loader from the early 1800’s passed down from family member to family member. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/32 "2011-11-25T04:33:13Z")
I have a little piece of the Great Pyramid of Giza, approx. 4400 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/33 "2011-11-25T04:49:50Z")
AFAIK I have absolutely nothing, not even family photos, from earlier than my childhood. I have a few books left over from that period, so probably the mid 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/34 "2011-11-25T04:52:20Z")
I think it’s my great-grandfather’s trunk, which he got when he was headed to University. Oak with brass and iron, late 19th century. My mother owns two encyclopedias, property of a different great-grandfather, which may be a bit older. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/35 "2011-11-25T04:56:34Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Wow, I feel positively modern. I think that the oldest thing I have is my grandfather’s collection of Gourmet magazines, dating back to 1973. You too? I was gonna brag on my mom’s big ol’ Wearever pot (the one used for stew). It’s gotta be at least 60 years old. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/36 "2011-11-25T05:45:11Z")
A 1920s Silver dollar. Also an enameled metal evening purse from the same era (though I don’t know the year on that one). ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/37 "2011-11-25T05:56:27Z")
A Russian Mosin-Nagant rifle, stamped 1943 (which still works perfectly.) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/38 "2011-11-25T07:10:11Z")
Several Roman coins, not worth much. And a 1799 silver dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/39 "2011-11-25T07:33:55Z")
I have a Roman coin. Early 3rd century, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756/40 "2011-11-25T07:38:21Z")
It used to be a 16th Century wakizashi. Nowadays, i guess it’s my Winchester Model 1892 (.32-20), made in 1897. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-oldest-man-made-thing-you-own/603756.md?page=3)