Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: vintage technology

  1. #1
    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    24,367

    Default vintage technology

    Does anyone else have an interest in collecting/looking at old, obsolete technology from earlier eras? I must confess I have a mild interest in these things.

    At various rummage sales and giveaways over the years, I've acquired non-functional, partly functional, and fully functional items such as:

    1. An electric typewriter from the 1970s (functional, but ink ribbons are unavailable)

    2. An 8-track tape player from the 1970s (belonged to my parents back in the day; definitely no longer functional), along with some of the 8-track tapes they played on it from 1977-1980.

    3. A Commodore 64 computer from 1984 (not functional; just a shell)

    4. An Atari 2600 game console from 1982 (mine from childhood; surprisingly, the damn thing still works; I have COMBAT, PAC-MAN, DONKEY KONG, DEFENDER, MISSILE COMMAND, and STAR RAIDERS for this console)

    5. 1969 Bell Company rotary dial telephone (in the then-new color of olive green); nonfunctional

    6. GE electric blender from 1968; still functional, surprisingly.

    Anybody else got any vintage tech lying around?

  2. #2
    Senior Member remember_Cedric's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    right here, right now
    Posts
    3,541

    Default

    Yes, I answer to that call. My favourite collection of vintage technology will be watches. I think automatic/winding watches are the best. Its like wine, the older the more value it has. I have a Pagol winding watch (should be about 40 years old but its been with me for about 10 years.), its medium sized face. I bought it from a flee market. It works well and requires to oil every 2 weeks. In fact, I like the older technology/stuff. I like to google for pictures of old (American?) cars. Those they showed in the movie, Titanic.

    What about movies? I have Wizard of Oz I consider that as my favourite childhood movie, Gremlin (can't forget the 3 rules), Casablanca and a few old movies.

    My oldest game set will be the complete set of Sega 16bit drive. My favourite game was Golden Axe 2.

    My mom still has her Brother sewing machine. It's still working fine, and it is made from some hard stone or sorts, very solid machine body. She bought it during the 1970s, that's way before I was born.

    My father has this old typewritter, I can't remember the name. It is working but not very well. It will go haywire whenever I type on it too fast. I reckon its slightly older than me. Should be the late 70s.

    I have a Han sword which I bought it 2 years ago, very heavy and solid. Well, I have quite a collection of vintage stuff, some are collecting dust.

    I don't own a car (too costly own one in here), but I have always got my eyes on Volks Wagen Beetle, soft tops. Hail Hitler!
    Last edited by remember_Cedric; 01-11-08 at 01:33 AM.
    What can I say? I'm still standing! No weapon against me shall prosper! I am more than a conqueror!!!

    I don't care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can't control it, why look?

  3. #3
    Senior Member HuangYushi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Under a pile of work ....
    Posts
    1,633

    Default

    As a family, we've got:
    1. A rotary-dial phone from the 70s; not functional.
    2. A Singer sewing machine from the late 60s; fully functional and looks new!
    3. A cake-mixer, also from the late 60s; also fully functional. I just used it recently.
    4. A hair dryer, from the late 60s; also fully functional.
    The appliances from the late 60s were my parents' wedding presents.
    Jin Yong's Ode to Gallantry [侠客行].
    Quote Originally Posted by atlantean0208
    what about SPT, I need my SPT fix ASAP, pretty pleaseeeee...
    Soon ... SOON!

  4. #4
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    i have a very old camera from God knows when...the 50s maybe? it might still be functional....i'll go see if i can dig up some pictures. it'd be really great if i could use it.

    and i have a few fountain pens. I think they're cool, but as I rarely write letters, especially on nice stationary, i haven't had a chance to use them. I even bought an ink well!

    and i know this isn't technology, but i have a 20 dollar bill from 1922, and it's very cool looking. first off, it's not green, and it's larger than a regular USD bill.

    hmmm...what else do i collect? i have a vintage gucci bag, but i'm sure the guys here wouldn't be interested. plus, i'm beginning to suspect that it may be counterfeit.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  5. #5
    Senior Member john-e's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    516

    Default

    One of my hobbies is collecting old technology. I call it my low-tech museum. Everything is functional and still used occassionally:
    1. Olivetti mechanical typewriter
    2. Olympia electric typewriter
    3. early telephone/fax (the kind with the curly paper)
    4. candlestick rotary telephone
    5. Amstrad PC1640 that has a really weird mouse, probly one of the first ones.
    6. 3 Commodore 64's with monitor and impact printer
    7. Timex Sinclair PC with 2k memory (wow!)
    8. a Pong TV video console
    9. 3 original Nintendo's with many games
    10. various PC's (XT's, AT's, etc.), stereos (a very nice Electrohome Tangier console from the 60's that plays 78's), telephones
    I started collecting PC's when I found out an original Apple 1 is worth about $40k to a museum. Haven't found one of those yet. Then I got carried away and started collecting just about anything old. The neighbourhood kids bring me stuff they've found in the garbage and at yard sales and I pay them for it.
    john-e

    Sixty years ago I knew nothing; now I know nothing; education is a progressive discovery of your own ignorance. - Will Durant

  6. #6
    Senior Member remember_Cedric's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    right here, right now
    Posts
    3,541

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    i have a very old camera from God knows when...the 50s maybe? it might still be functional....i'll go see if i can dig up some pictures. it'd be really great if i could use it.

    and i have a few fountain pens. I think they're cool, but as I rarely write letters, especially on nice stationary, i haven't had a chance to use them. I even bought an ink well!

    and i know this isn't technology, but i have a 20 dollar bill from 1922, and it's very cool looking. first off, it's not green, and it's larger than a regular USD bill.

    hmmm...what else do i collect? i have a vintage gucci bag, but i'm sure the guys here wouldn't be interested. plus, i'm beginning to suspect that it may be counterfeit.
    LOL Pemberly! Hey Vintage cameras and fountain pens are real good collection. And, currency too. Doesn't matter if its counterfeit..?
    What can I say? I'm still standing! No weapon against me shall prosper! I am more than a conqueror!!!

    I don't care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can't control it, why look?

  7. #7
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by john-e View Post
    I started collecting PC's when I found out an original Apple 1 is worth about $40k to a museum. Haven't found one of those yet. Then I got carried away and started collecting just about anything old. The neighbourhood kids bring me stuff they've found in the garbage and at yard sales and I pay them for it.
    40k?! omg, i had an old, still functional, apple computer from the early 80s along with a collection of games like number munchers and where in the world is carmen san diego! and i gave it away to my cousins bc it was taking up room. -_- i hope they didnt' throw it away.

    off topic, but i played on that computer when i was in like 2nd grade. over a decade later, when we acquired this computer at a school raffle, my name was still in the hall of fame. sigh, the education system these days.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  8. #8
    Senior Member remember_Cedric's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    right here, right now
    Posts
    3,541

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    40k?! omg, i had an old, still functional, apple computer from the early 80s along with a collection of games like number munchers and where in the world is carmen san diego! and i gave it away to my cousins bc it was taking up room. -_- i hope they didnt' throw it away.

    off topic, but i played on that computer when i was in like 2nd grade. over a decade later, when we acquired this computer at a school raffle, my name was still in the hall of fame. sigh, the education system these days.
    Hey I know that game -where in the world is carmen san diego?! That lady agent in red! I reckon you are there about my age, or maybe younger. I suck at such games. I was better in computer games like Monster Bash, its a "wack monsters, rescue and run" game.
    What can I say? I'm still standing! No weapon against me shall prosper! I am more than a conqueror!!!

    I don't care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can't control it, why look?

  9. #9
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by remember_Cedric View Post
    Hey I know that game -where in the world is carmen san diego?! That lady agent in red! I reckon you are there about my age, or maybe younger. I suck at such games. I was better in computer games like Monster Bash, its a "wack monsters, rescue and run" game.
    depends...how old are you?

    and my fav was number munchers. sigh, i was such a little nerd.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  10. #10
    Senior Member remember_Cedric's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    right here, right now
    Posts
    3,541

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pemberly View Post
    depends...how old are you?

    and my fav was number munchers. sigh, i was such a little nerd.
    Well, I'm....181.

    Mirror this number and take away the first 4 digits.That's when I'm born.
    What can I say? I'm still standing! No weapon against me shall prosper! I am more than a conqueror!!!

    I don't care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can't control it, why look?

  11. #11
    Senior Member Azn Dude's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    1,609

    Default

    I collect old video game systems, old cameras, old music technology, and old computers.

    I have a bunch of old video game system from Atar 2600 to Neo Geo. Most of them work, but my side hobby is fixing them till they work. I just love to solder.

    I have old Nikon cameras and vintage cameras from the 40's and 50's. They work great and when you develop and enlarge the picture, it gives you that nostalgic grainy picture from the old days.

    I have old turntables to play my collection of 33's and 45's. They might not sound as clear as CD's but they give a unique sound. And nothing beats playing Kind of Blue on a turntable.
    After Hours - Velvet Underground

  12. #12
    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    24,367

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Azn Dude View Post
    I collect old video game systems, old cameras, old music technology, and old computers.

    I have a bunch of old video game system from Atar 2600 to Neo Geo. Most of them work, but my side hobby is fixing them till they work. I just love to solder.

    I have old Nikon cameras and vintage cameras from the 40's and 50's. They work great and when you develop and enlarge the picture, it gives you that nostalgic grainy picture from the old days.

    I have old turntables to play my collection of 33's and 45's. They might not sound as clear as CD's but they give a unique sound. And nothing beats playing Kind of Blue on a turntable.
    When I was a teenager, I loved to play my dad's copy of Elvis Presley's BLUE HAWAII on vinyl. It had a "presence" that today's digitally-sterilized CDs just can't emulate.

    On a related note, I've been trying for years to talk my best friend's dad into selling me a 4-track reel-to-reel tape recorder (from the pre-cassette era) that he's had since 1964 or so. No luck on that so far.

  13. #13
    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    24,367

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by HuangYushi View Post
    As a family, we've got:
    1. A rotary-dial phone from the 70s; not functional.
    2. A Singer sewing machine from the late 60s; fully functional and looks new!
    3. A cake-mixer, also from the late 60s; also fully functional. I just used it recently.
    4. A hair dryer, from the late 60s; also fully functional.
    The appliances from the late 60s were my parents' wedding presents.
    The thing about appliances manufactured from the 1950s - 1980s is that in most cases, they were built to last...for years, for decades, for a lifetime. My parents *still* have a refrigerator that they first bought in 1974, when I was just two years old. The funny thing is that this old refrigerator still works better and has fewer problems (i.e. none at all) than a newer fridge they bought in 1991 (which has required repair service at least three or four times since). My late grandmother also had a VCR that my parents bought for her in 1980 and that she used with no problems until she passed away in 2005.

    Today, forget it: stuff is built with obsolescence in mind. I'll probably be lucky if my new iPod Nano, now just a little over a month old, is still working in 2011.

  14. #14
    Senior Member sarakoth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Where DO I live?
    Posts
    1,549

    Default

    The oldest piece of consumer technology I have dates from 1999. It is a Dell PC with the Windows 98 OS. Although no where near as ancient as some of the stuff in this thread, it's fully functional and runs as good as ever.

  15. #15
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    as i mentioned before, here are the pics of my old camera...

    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj37/elizapemberly/IMG_0203.jpg')

    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj37/elizapemberly/IMG_0200.jpg')
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  16. #16
    Senior Member Azn Dude's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    New York City
    Posts
    1,609

    Default

    A Frank Six camera, their a Japanese line from the early 50's. Their special since they actually use medium format film instead of the common 35mm. But that one might be a dual format and can use both.

    Their not worth a lot, but it is amusing to see someone actually have one.
    I'll give you $3 for it.
    After Hours - Velvet Underground

  17. #17
    Senior Member remember_Cedric's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    right here, right now
    Posts
    3,541

    Default

    Wow Pemberly, that's a beautiful piece of antique for a camera. I have a Yashica old style of camera, which I think its as old as the piece shown in your picture. Unfortunately the lenses are slightly covered with mould. Apart from that, the functionality is satisfactory.
    Last edited by remember_Cedric; 01-15-08 at 06:41 AM.
    What can I say? I'm still standing! No weapon against me shall prosper! I am more than a conqueror!!!

    I don't care to sit by the window on an airplane. If I can't control it, why look?

  18. #18
    Senior Member pemberly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    pimptown, USA
    Posts
    4,308

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Azn Dude View Post
    A Frank Six camera, their a Japanese line from the early 50's. Their special since they actually use medium format film instead of the common 35mm. But that one might be a dual format and can use both.

    Their not worth a lot, but it is amusing to see someone actually have one.
    I'll give you $3 for it.
    -_- how about i give you 3 bucks to show me how to use it? haha, the film is probably worth more the camera, but i like nostalgic things.
    nytimes: Every hr you have 10 minutes where you’re not doing anything productive at work, & you can’t look at porn. So you make a comment & fulfill this desire to show yourself off as a smarty-pants.

  19. #19
    Registered User JamesG's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Lethbridge AB
    Posts
    2,466

    Default

    I've got an old Craig 8-track c/w original packing box and a few old tapes. I would imagine the rubber drive belt has turned to dust by now.

Similar Threads

  1. Information Technology in wuxia
    By PJ in forum Wuxia Fiction
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 07-20-08, 05:20 AM
  2. Advanced Technology
    By imthatlady in forum Tech Squad
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 10-11-07, 11:32 PM
  3. Technology Which Hasnt Changed Over the Years
    By MysteriouX in forum Tech Squad
    Replies: 43
    Last Post: 10-08-07, 09:14 AM
  4. Are you an early technology adopter?
    By Thor in forum Tech Squad
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 04-30-07, 10:01 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •