The oldest "New" old stock you've ever seen?

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Inspired by a thread I just saw here,..(thanks Mr. Chevalier).
As a lover of vintage things, indeed,...anything vintage, I am fascinated at the prospect of discovering old items that have never been worn or used.
I think the oldest thing like this I myself have ever found and/or possessed for a while was a world war 2 officer's shirt, about 60 years old. It was packed away in a trunk at war's end and forgotten until just recently.
I wonder just how long anything could survive if stored and forgotten.
What is the oldest item of "new" or unused clothing you have ever, seen, owned, or found?

 

[Johnnynotoes]

Hello Major...I haven't racked my memory yet but speaking of shirts this comes to mind. My Dad, back during the fifties was a cadet instructor. During my early teens in the seventies I discovered his Canadian [British?] issued long sleeved officers shirts. He had a few of them and they were in grand shape. I had been running about in the bush for several years by that time, hacking down trees, building little camps, snaring rabbits, trouting and so on.

These shirts albeit far too large for me, fit the image of what I figured a woodsman should be wearing. Cool epaulets and split pockets! Green of course...perfect! I wore out those shirts over the next few years. By the time I grew into them they were pretty well trashed. Spruce tar, soot, guts, baked bean juice and the expected rips/tears/burns.

If only I had come across them saaay...tomorrow! All the gear back then [cadets, fer the use of] was World War Two surplus. They were fine looking items and I wish I had them now. I also wore his dress battle jacket in the bush once. Once! I caught hell for that one. 14 year old 2nd lieutenant fishing for brook trout and smoking pilfered pipe tobacco rolled in notepaper....heh. Since Dads passing I've donated the rest of his gear to our High School Drama club. Felt proper to do that. They'll have to supply their own shirts...! Sorry for veering off a little here... I actually do have some items in my possession that are more relevant than this post...an interesting thread this should be. Thanks!

 

[Subvet642]

Monogram for Rexall fountain pen

I have a Monogram fountain pen that was made for Rexall Drug stores by the Moore fountain pen company of Boston in 1918. It's a locking lever filler in black chased hard rubber, clipless cap (never had one) with a #2 Warrented nib, medium and flexxy. It is absolutely pristene (OK, I filled it once)!

 

[pdxvintagette]

The oldest NOS I've ever OWNED was an early 30's silk "onsie" night garment/lingerie piece. It sold for $1.09 originally, all silk.

The oldest I have ever seen, was at a shoe repair shop. The owner apprenticed in 1933. When he was still young, the original owner bought out the stock of another shop that had closed up twenty years earlier. He has five pairs of deadstock Victorian ladies boots on display. They look amazing. And still smell like leather. Really unbelievable.

 

[Widebrim]

I have a Monogram fountain pen that was made for Rexall Drug stores by the Moore fountain pen company of Boston in 1918. It's a locking lever filler in black chased hard rubber, clipless cap (never had one) with a #2 Warrented nib, medium and flexxy. It is absolutely pristene (OK, I filled it once)!

I am sooo jealous of you...Great find!:eusa_clap Although this isn't a clothing example either, I was able to purchase a NOS Fount-O-Ink inkwell (c. 1955) from a stationary store in Glendale around 1978, for about $2...Recently, I was able to pick up three, late '30s neckties which still have the original cardboard mountings and price tags (25c).

 

[cecil]

The oldest NOS I've ever OWNED was an early 30's silk "onsie" night garment/lingerie piece. It sold for $1.09 originally, all silk.

*droooool*

I hope you still own it!

 

[Shangas]

As far as CLOTHES go...niyet!

But as far as other NOS items go, I did manage to nab myself an unopened box of dip-pen nibs.

 

[LordBest]

When I was staying in Hobart, Tasmania I visited a vintage store that had dozens of deadstock packets of 1940s ladies silk stockings, all sizes. Not much use to me unfortunately, but they certainly looked brand new.

 

[Widebrim]

As far as CLOTHES go...niyet!

But as far as other NOS items go, I did manage to nab myself an unopened box of dip-pen nibs.

I"ve done that, too. Always a joy to find NOS pen items!

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

It seems the oldest surviving items are never much more than 100 years old or so. [huh] Makes me wonder if anything older might have survived somewhere on the earth. I think the colder and dryer the climate is, in which an item is stored, the greater the chances of it's survival. Where I live, the humidity level is too great for anything to last much longer than I think, 70 or 80 years.

 

[Charlie Noodles]

It seems the oldest surviving items are never much more than 100 years old or so.

People wouldn't have had much cause to make clothes they couldn't be sure of selling in the pre-industrial world, I guess. And much of it would have been bespoke or made at home, garunteed to be worn and worn often.

 

[mattfink]

The oldest I've seen was 1920's henley style undershirts at a store in NYC. I own a deadstock late 1940's rayon Hawaiian shirt with Shriner print.

 

[Subvet642]

I am sooo jealous of you...Great find!:eusa_clap Although this isn't a clothing example either, I was able to purchase a NOS Fount-O-Ink inkwell (c. 1955) from a stationary store in Glendale around 1978, for about $2...Recently, I was able to pick up three, late '30s neckties which still have the original cardboard mountings and price tags (25c).

Also very sweet! :eusa_clap I wish I could find vintage ties that weren't too short for me. [huh]

 

[Jay]

I think my oldest deadstock item is a pair of workpants from presumably 1933, with the NRA label still in the waistband.

 

[Widebrim]

Also very sweet! :eusa_clap I wish I could find vintage ties that weren't too short for me. [huh]

You find them every once in a while, particularly from the 50s; I've got a couple that are too long for me (and I'm 6'). Regarding the length of vintage ties, though, don't forget that many were made to be worn quite above the waist, especially those made before WWII.

 

[Widebrim]

The oldest I've seen was 1920's henley style undershirts at a store in NYC. I own a deadstock late 1940's rayon Hawaiian shirt with Shriner print.

Were the undershirts actually for sale at the store, or just on display? I would presume the latter...even in NYC...lol

 

[Subvet642]

You find them every once in a while, particularly from the 50s; I've got a couple that are too long for me (and I'm 6'). Regarding the length of vintage ties, though, don't forget that many were made to be worn quite above the waist, especially those made before WWII.

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep looking.