12 Things That Were Once Considered Prestigious, But Now Almost No One Needs
Melchior cutlery, a tea set, a wall carpet, a fur hat… Do you think all this is useless junk? No, it’s not! Or rather, it wasn’t always like that – half a century ago these things were considered real luxury.
See below for other items from the past that have lost their value over time.
Nowadays, even the latest iPhone model is hard to surprise anyone. But once upon a time, a simple landline phone was considered a prestigious and extremely necessary item. Just imagine, people had to call in advance and arrange a meeting at an appointed time. And if someone didn’t show up, they had to go to their home and shout under their windows, because there was no way to call on a mobile or write on Telegram.
A wall cabinet was an attribute of almost every family. This huge piece of furniture was placed even in small rooms, which made them even smaller. But so much stuff was placed here, that it seemed like an ideal space saver. And those who managed to get a Yugoslav or Romanian wall cabinet were considered really lucky and became the object of envy of all their friends.
Soviet crystal, as well as walls, used to be in literally every home, and even now crystal products are stored in many apartments. All these ashtrays, glasses, shot glasses and vases took up a lot of space and were practically not used, except on holidays.
Tea and coffee sets were traditionally given to newlyweds at their wedding. And not because there was no money to buy anything else - it was simply considered a great gift. Of course, like crystal tableware, after unpacking it took its rightful place in the cupboard and was taken out only on special occasions.
Nowadays people are chasing a natural snow-white smile, and even try to choose crowns that match. But, on the contrary, people adored gold teeth. Both old and young people had them installed when necessary - age did not matter. The main thing was that the mouth sparkled.
Many Soviet families had "cases" at home, in which they stored spoons, forks and knives made of cupronickel. Cutlery made of this material quickly darkened, so they had to be cleaned more often, or better yet, not used at all. They took them out mainly for guests, demonstrating their status and income level. In everyday life, they used stainless steel cutlery, since it is much more practical.
Only a few could afford a fur coat made of natural fur. But a fur hat and collar were more affordable, but also a status item.
Gold was especially valued in Soviet times, and not only in the form of teeth. Jewelry made of gold, even if it looked, to put it mildly, ugly, was considered very prestigious, and some wore it every day. And if it also had a stone in it…
Every “proper” Soviet apartment had to have a TV. Or better yet, two: one in the living room and one, smaller, in the kitchen. The ultimate dream, of course, was an imported Sony or Philips, but classic options like the Rubin-714 were quite satisfactory for residents of the Soviet Union. The main thing was that the TV was large (by the standards of those times) and in color.
In Soviet times, such chandeliers with pendants were considered an indicator of a family's high status. For the sake of being able to own this luxury, owners were not lazy about taking down the chandelier at least once every six months and wiping each "pendant" and then hanging it back up.
And, of course, where would we be without a wall carpet? Many of us literally grew up on their bizarre drawings, which replaced cartoons for children before bed. A carpet in those days was not only a luxury item, but also a necessity. Firstly, it helped improve the soundproofing of the room. Secondly, it “protected” from cold walls in winter.
And in every Soviet apartment you could definitely see bookshelves filled to the brim. Books were considered extremely valuable at that time - they were not easy to get, and they were often given as gifts.