40 Vintage Gifts for People Who Are Sick of Crap

[Bruce Wayne]

Just plugging in and turning on a Catalin radio, sends the Catalin radio collectors into cardiac arrest.

Why is that?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I think it's because, generalizing here, the people who seriously collect catalins aren't interested in them as radios, but either as decor/kitsch/art deco objects to be placed on shelves and admired at cocktail parties, or as "investments" in the same sense that comic books and baseball cards are hoarded for their speculative financial value. In either case, actually using them as radios would be the last thing on the owner's mind.

 

[Fletch]

You'd think someone would try to repro Catalins if they're too valuable to use.

After all, we put a man on the moon...wait, that was awhile ago now, too, wasn't it. [huh]

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think it's because, generalizing here, the people who seriously collect catalins aren't interested in them as radios, but either as decor/kitsch/art deco objects to be placed on shelves and admired at cocktail parties, or as "investments" in the same sense that comic books and baseball cards are hoarded for their speculative financial value. In either case, actually using them as radios would be the last thing on the owner's mind.

THat actually makes sense. This coming from a comic collector. I do not collect comics for any monatery value, I just enjoy reading them & I cannot bring myself to just throw them away when I am done.

 

[Fletch]

Imagine the spot you'd be in if you actually enjoyed reading stuff from 1940 that no one can or will reprint because it's too rare and valuable.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

They almost never use Catalin radios because the cases are shrinking from age, plus the heat from the tubes will leave burn marks, and cause stress cracks in the case to become worse.

Unfortunately the Catalin radios were just not very well designed for long term survival, with that type of plastic.

You'd be better off with a Catalin Mah-Jong game.

 

[Michaelson]

Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than seeing a mint condition hand held AM only transister radio from the early 1960's. Took a single 9v battery, and if you were lucky, came with a leatherette case and ear plug. I can NOT tell you the countless hours in the early '60's listening to Cincinnati Reds ball games with my head under the covers at night. I've been amazed how many of those little radios I've found lately still in the box! Regards! Michaelson

 

[Harry Gooch]

Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than seeing a mint condition hand held AM only transister radio from the early 1960's. Took a single 9v battery, and if you were lucky, came with a leatherette case and ear plug. I can NOT tell you the countless hours in the early '60's listening to Cincinnati Reds ball games with my head under the covers at night. I've been amazed how many of those little radios I've found lately still in the box! Regards! Michaelson

Sounds like the radio I had in the 60s, listening to Jungle Jay Nelson. I believe he was one of the first DJs ever to make it into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Gooch

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than seeing a mint condition hand held AM only transister radio from the early 1960's. Took a single 9v battery, and if you were lucky, came with a leatherette case and ear plug. I can NOT tell you the countless hours in the early '60's listening to Cincinnati Reds ball games with my head under the covers at night. I've been amazed how many of those little radios I've found lately still in the box! Regards! Michaelson

Who let you out from you hole?!?!

IT is good to see your face around these parts, M

 

[shortbow]

That's a really great list. I own 15 of the items listed and have given other examples of most of them as gifts over the years and will do so again. Nice to see not everybody on the planet has been seduced by the latest "next best thing."

I especially like the sentiment eschewing plastic. It's the defining artifact of our "civilization", which says so much about our throw-away, obsolete before you get it material culture.

 

[Michaelson]

Who let you out from you hole?!?!

IT is good to see your face around these parts, M

Thank you! I peek in every now and again.

Regards! Michaelson

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Loved the article. I posted it on Facebook as a little hint-hint to my loved ones haha.