What's the oldest man-made thing you own?

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.

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. :slight_smile: )

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. :smiley:

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.

Oldest man-made object is probably a small side table made approx. 1875.

Otherwise, an Ives standard-gauge toy train set made around 1921.

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.

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.

Oh wait - I have an edition of Shakespeare from 1784 (spelled Shakfpear and the first edition in a single volume since the Folios…)

No arrowheads, but I still have a Minie ball that I picked up off the Gettysburg battlefield when I was 12.

A grandfather clock from the early 1800s, and a carved cane from the mid-1800s.

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.

A muzzle loader from the early 1800’s passed down from family member to family member.

I have a little piece of the Great Pyramid of Giza, approx. 4400 years old.

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.

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.

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.

A 1920s Silver dollar. Also an enameled metal evening purse from the same era (though I don’t know the year on that one).

A Russian Mosin-Nagant rifle, stamped 1943 (which still works perfectly.)

Several Roman coins, not worth much.

And a 1799 silver dollar.

I have a Roman coin. Early 3rd century, I think.

It used to be a 16th Century wakizashi.

Nowadays, i guess it’s my Winchester Model 1892 (.32-20), made in 1897.