Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

[Arran]

I recently encountered an Indian or Bangladeshi kid riding a Mongoose Decade BMX from the 1980s in a park in east London. The bike looked like it had a long hard life and was definitely not a restored or preserved example owned by a collector or enthusiast like most are nowadays. He was accompanied by another kid - possibly his younger brother - riding a Raleigh Extreme from the early 1990s. Again, it looked like it had a long hard life and was missing its plastic wheel covers.

It made me wonder how many undiscovered classic items are still in everyday use today. Most south Asians have extended families and live in tight-knit communities, so items they own have the potential to end up being passed down through families and communities for decades without ever being sold on the open market.

[big kid]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

i reckon there's loads of stuff out there like that.

[Richard1978]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

It seems quite common for toys to be passed on by parents when their children grow up, or to be stored until they have grandchildren.

[battyrat]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

Most things in our house date over the last 70 years. Nothing useful really gets thrown out unless it goes Kaput these days. Even the chair I am sitting on here now probably dates from the 50's and has simply been recycled again and again to fit in. But what would be described as a classic item?

[Arran]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

The point I'm making is that certain items that have now become classic and collectable just keep being used everyday over the years by people in communities who are not interested in nostalgia or even aware how collectable they are. For all anybody knows the kids I saw in the park could have been the 20th owners of the bikes and they will circulate within their family and community until they finally clap out. They will never be sold on eBay or where a collector or enthusiast from outside of their community will be able to buy them.

[amethyst]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

Old Welsh Dressers

[Twocky61]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

We have a small freezer we bought in 1988 and it's still going strong

[zabadak]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

I was created in the early 60s - parts of me are still working...

[victorbrunswick]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

I have a set of pyrex mixing bowls from the '50s that belonged to my mom. I see those bowls at antique shops and flea markets but I still use mine regularly.

[Richard1978]

Re: Undiscovered classic items in use in families and communities

Some of my parents kitchenware might be collectable now, they still have a lot from the 1970s that is still in good condition.