Still the same - products that haven't changed in 50 years?

[Lumo]

I work in a lab that uses microscope slides. We have little trays that the slides sit in that are made from some kind of cardboard/wood material, they have a folding flap on each side which holds the slides and protects them, the fold is reinforced with fabric. Twelve trays sit in a black holding box which has a folding side and removable lid. These are continually reused, every few years the old slides are filled away and the now empty trays get used again. People sometimes write things on the flaps of the trays, such as "LDTg 1999" "S.R. 22/06/64" "CPu group 1 - 11/1982". I like finding these comments, trying to work out what they mean and also trying to find the oldest date amongst them. There are several from the 1960s that I have seen, but so far none older and most are from the 80s.

 

A few weeks ago we decided to try and get some more of these trays. We found a catalogue that described a product that was similar so we ordered a few boxes. They arrived today, they are exactly the same as the old ones. EXACTLY the same. Even the black box that holds the trays is identical, right down to the pattern on the paper covering the bottom and the lining inside. I found it almost hard to believe that something sold in 2011 would be identical to something that was used in 1964, that the manufacturing process wouldn't have changed a bit, that the pattern on some irrelevant underside of casing wouldn't have changed, that the way the folding parts are reinforced with fabric would still be the same. Apart from the new ones smelling new and looking crisp and fresh there is no way of telling them apart from ones that must be 40+ years old.

 

This made me wonder (and annoy everyone else in the lab by asking them, they didn't seem very surprised the new ones were just like the ancient ones), what other products have remained unchanged for so long? Fairly liquid was the only thing we could come up with (the plain/original kind). What else have we overlooked?

 

I'm now looking forward to writing "Duncan 2011" on some of the new ones and wondering if someone in 40 years time will come across it and think "wow, 2011, that's 20 years before I was born."

[Vladd]

Off the top of my head I would guess Kendal Mint cake, Marmite, and have After eights changed? I'm sure a lot of smaller more traditional brands haven't changed in years.

Edited February 18, 2011 by Vladd

[vodkafan]

The first thing I thought of was Pipecleaners. God knows why I don't even smoke.

[Kidsmum]

Birds Custard Powder, the tub I have now looks exactly the same as what I remember it being like as a child.

[wiccibat]

The first thing I thought of was Pipecleaners. God knows why I don't even smoke.

 

But did you use them at school for arts & crafts? I think the Blue Peter team has shares in them.

[Lumo]

Yes, I hadn't thought of those. Wrigley's chewing gum is another one, I saw some in a film from 1964 the other night and it looked just like the stuff now.

[wiccibat]

Surgical instruments, I saw a beautiful reproduction set in Cordoba. The originals designed around 1000+ years ago by Albucasis. I could identify a lot that I had seen in use or used myself.My link

[Lumo]

True, the ones in the link do look similar to modern ones (and it is very interesting to read the description), but I wouldn't go as far as to say they hadn't changed ;-)

[pickle]

What about tweezers I have seen and excavated Roman ones which still look exactly the same although sometimes the material they are made with has changed the form hasn't.