Is it their durability and longevity that makes old consumer items feel so special in a contemporary context? That they've lasted so long is surely part of their material appeal. But for me aesthetics is a larger part. Take the two toys you show. If I ignore the bear's strange muzzle attachment, both are entirely charming and innocent, representatives of a bygone era: hence imbued w/ nostalgia. That they are also personal items renders them emotionally fetching in a way cameras, watches and fountain pens are not. Yet even strictly mechanical and functional items had a design aesthetic that we can recognize as pleasing to the human sensibility and a hell of a lot more interesting than their contemporary editions.
Yes, you are right. Older items have an aesthetic appeal that most current items lack. But maybe both things are related; old toys were artisanal or handmade, made from more expensive materials, and therefore more unique. Current mass-produced plastic toys have little appeal other than ephemeral fashions, and are easily replaced, both materially and in the mind.
Is it their durability and longevity that makes old consumer items feel so special in a contemporary context? That they've lasted so long is surely part of their material appeal. But for me aesthetics is a larger part. Take the two toys you show. If I ignore the bear's strange muzzle attachment, both are entirely charming and innocent, representatives of a bygone era: hence imbued w/ nostalgia. That they are also personal items renders them emotionally fetching in a way cameras, watches and fountain pens are not. Yet even strictly mechanical and functional items had a design aesthetic that we can recognize as pleasing to the human sensibility and a hell of a lot more interesting than their contemporary editions.
Yes, you are right. Older items have an aesthetic appeal that most current items lack. But maybe both things are related; old toys were artisanal or handmade, made from more expensive materials, and therefore more unique. Current mass-produced plastic toys have little appeal other than ephemeral fashions, and are easily replaced, both materially and in the mind.