… and don’t say your own body. That’s cheating.
I’ve got two pretty old things.
One is my dad’s old stamp album … a Stanley Gibbons from the 1930’s full of stamps including some saved by my mum from when he wrote to her during WW2.
The other thing is Mr M’s … it’s an old sea chest from one of his ancestors. They were mariners. Not sure who it belonged to but it’s most likely late 19th century.The handles are made of anchor cable …
So what’s your oldest item?
I have some old jewellery owned by my great grandmother. Not sure it has any value, but I hang on to it for sentimental reasons.
I have a grandfather clock which belonged to my late husband’s family, I don’t know its exact age. It has a brass face with just one hand rather than the usual two and one weight hanging on what looks like very old rope inside its case. It has never worked since I’ve known it and I often think I ought to have it repaired - maybe one day I will do that.
Well after mum died I took away the two vases that either her sister owned, or the sister gave to her. Can’t remember which. They have Chinese style colouring and designs, but apparently are not worth anything.
Old photos and old jewellery.
Two very old Christmas tree decorations that were my grandfathers. He was born in the 1880’s.
My great grandmother’s engagement ring. The diamond is only a chip.
My Dad’s Met Police truncheon from back in the 1930s. The one with the steel ball on either end.
Possibly my birth certificate, it is the hand written one from when my old man registered my birth
So much old stuff at home but perhaps my grandmother’s hand-made blanket is amongst the oldest and also my husband’s grandparents’ antique china cabinet up in the loft.
It would also be my birth certificate
Having moved home countless times I’ve never held onto much for long but do still have my daughters hospital ID tag from when she was born and the first little tooth she lost
Ah yes, I have the old b/cert too, but still think the vases I have are the oldest.
my mums engagment ring
I’ve got a little box containing my Dad’s pocket watch, which I think was handed down from his dad. Although I never met my grandad I have a photo of him wearing the watch on his waistcoat.
I also have Mum and Dad’s driving licences and my Mum’s bus conductors badge with her number on. I haven’t been in the box for a while, so I’ll have a rummage around and see what else I can find.
There are both of their wedding rings as well…
Not sure, a case was handed to me on my sisters death, that will be 20 years ago in August, needless to say, the case has never been opened, a personal Pandoras Box.
I just asked my daughter ‘Whats the oldest thing you own’ and, quick as a flash, the cheeky madam said “You” …bang goes her Easter Egg !
2 brass candlesticks and a couple of ornamental dogs that belonged to my mother.
Wow … there’s some interesting stuff … jewellery and ornaments often tell their own stories and are very personal. Real treasure keepsakes.
And some real weird stuff.
@OldGreyFox … your box of goodies tells a lifestory all of it’s own. Come to think of it I have nothing of my parents.
@EZ_Rider … your Dad’s police truncheon! Very unusual.
@Chilliboot … they look suspiciously like old clay pipes?
@spitfire … how can you resist looking? Though granted, it could be a sad thing to do, dipping into the past.
Precisely what they are Morticia, some years back I had a permit from The Port of London Authority to search The Thames foreshore.They range from the late Tudor period through to the 19th century.
Of course as tobacco became more accessible it became more affordable, the pipe bowls became larger during the passage of time. It’s quite a weird feeling to pick them up and think about who might have smoked them, what did they look like, what happened to them. Makes history almost touchable if that makes sense?
This would have been an “Angler’s Pipe”.
You can see the jaws of a pike at the end of the stem where the bowl would have been.
A piece of London Delft, tan combed slipware and what was once a medieval possibly Roman roof tile. You can see where the rather hefty nail would have gone in at the top.
My son spotted it close to Blackfriars bridge when he was quite young, he called it his “heart stone” 
