Is it ethical to canabalize antiques to make steampunk items?

[RJBowman]

Is it ethical to cannibalize antiques to make steampunk items?

I ask because I see this being done by people on Facebook steampunk forums. One guy has destroyed multiple antique sewing machines to make little motorcycles and cars, and today another guy showed photos of a portable typewriter he gutted and turned into a calculator.

I cringe every time I see this stuff.

[Cora Courcelle]

This is a complicated one.
Destroy an antique that someone might love in its original state?  That's a no for me; but repurpose something that will otherwise just be thrown away?  More of a grey area I feel, although if it's only being done to get YouTube/Facebook content I'd probably come down on the side of 'no'.

[morozow]

If we are not talking about the destruction of historical heritage and unique things ....

Then everything is determined by a sense of proportion and taste.

[James Harrison]

Does something have intrinsic value just because it is old?  If we said 'yes' we'd be knee deep in ephemera and bric-a-brac of the ages.  So on that score I have to say we shouldn't be trying to save everything. 

On the other hand though, if something has survived for decades, it could be argued that to break it up just for the sake of it is unethical.  But then where do draw the line- at what point do you say that you're less the 'owner' of an antique (and it's yours to do with as you wish) and more the 'custodian' of it (and you're just looking after it a while in trust for the next generation)?  I think to make that decision you need to be considering more of a matrix of criteria, rather than just age. 

State of preservation, rarity, group or connection value with other artefacts, I'd give weighting to those concepts just as much as monetary value or age. 

[J. Wilhelm]

I'm not an advocate for using parts of historical artefacts to make something new. However, there's the concept of restoration. Is an electric conversion of a Ford Model T considered restoration or desecration?  It's probably dependent on the condition of the Model T.  If it's ready to be taken apart for decoration items by the local auctioneer or pawn broker, then I'd rather give it to the guy who will turn it into a street legal electric car, because it's a more noble destiny.

[RJBowman]

I'm not an advocate for using parts of historical artefacts to make something new. However, there's the concept of restoration. Is an electric conversion of a Ford Model T considered restoration or desecration?  It's probably dependent on the condition of the Model T.  If it's ready to be taken apart for decoration items by the local auctioneer or pawn broker, then I'd rather give it to the guy who will turn it into a street legal electric car, because it's a more noble destiny.

The Model T is a funny example. It's the car every hot rod builder wants, but there aren't any left, so now you can buy new Model-T frames and fiberglass replica bodies.

[Synistor 303]

Oh $%&* don't get me started on the questionable 'up-scaling' I have seen on Pinterest where you take a beautiful piece of finely crafted timber furniture and then you paint it gold (or something), rip off the original handles/drawer pulls and replace them with some tat from the hardware shop and hey presto! you have just made an 'ugly' bit of furniture into something totally awesome! *where is the vomit emoji?*

[J. Wilhelm]

I'm not an advocate for using parts of historical artefacts to make something new. However, there's the concept of restoration. Is an electric conversion of a Ford Model T considered restoration or desecration?  It's probably dependent on the condition of the Model T.  If it's ready to be taken apart for decoration items by the local auctioneer or pawn broker, then I'd rather give it to the guy who will turn it into a street legal electric car, because it's a more noble destiny.

The Model T is a funny example. It's the car every hot rod builder wants, but there aren't any left, so now you can buy new Model-T frames and fiberglass replica bodies.

I've seen those, actually, and I've seen electric conversion of others like 1950s VW beetles.

[J. Wilhelm]

Oh $%&* don't get me started on the questionable 'up-scaling' I have seen on Pinterest where you take a beautiful piece of finely crafted timber furniture and then you paint it gold (or something), rip off the original handles/drawer pulls and replace them with some tat from the hardware shop and hey presto! you have just made an 'ugly' bit of furniture into something totally awesome! *where is the vomit emoji?*

And you're not mentioning (for those old enough to remember), the mid 80s trend of whitewashing furniture in pastel colors.... Americans had this weird thing about some fictitious pastel colored Art Deco past which was apparently inspired by 1930s buildings in Florida (eg Miami Vice TV show).

[morozow]

Oh $%&* don't get me started on the questionable 'up-scaling' I have seen on Pinterest where you take a beautiful piece of finely crafted timber furniture and then you paint it gold (or something), rip off the original handles/drawer pulls and replace them with some tat from the hardware shop and hey presto! you have just made an 'ugly' bit of furniture into something totally awesome! *where is the vomit emoji?*

And you're not mentioning (for those old enough to remember), the mid 80s trend of whitewashing furniture in pastel colors.... Americans had this weird thing about some fictitious pastel colored Art Deco past which was apparently inspired by 1930s buildings in Florida (eg Miami Vice TV show).

This infection has reached us. And it would be fine, these were simple, industrial items for which hiding under layers of oil paint is even some kind of charm and tradition.

But they take furniture from an earlier era, with a completely different style.

[Sorontar]

If it no longer has a use or purpose and is not functional, you may be able to recycle and repurpose it, even as a piece of art. The problem is that this is a often a personal choice. What is a beautiful old kitchen sieve for one person may be the start of new headwear for another.

Sorontar

[Synistor 303]

Yes, I am quite happy for old non-working/aesthetically unappealing  items to be recreated into something clever and new - I have drawers and draws of brass and other metal bits kept for this very purpose - but I get a bit tetchy when I see perfectly formed antique furniture 'upcycled'... I have restored several beautiful pieces of furniture to their former glory and have a complete understanding of the workmanship that went into creating it and hate seeing that destroyed.

The chest of drawers that hold all my brass pieces for making stuff is one such piece of furniture.

I have an old brass kettle which I intend turning into a helmet. It can't hold water and the spout id loose, but it should polish up beautifully once it has been altered.

[spunk]

Here in the Netherlands, antiques are completely out.
It used to be said that antiques always retain their value, but that is now outdated. You can pick up antiques here almost for free.
Personally I'd rather have a steampunk item on display, than people throwing stuff away or keeping it in the attic just because it's old (but it's not everyone's cup of tea of course)
2-3 years ago steampunk/industrial was in fashion here but now that everyone has that, again we want something different.
(unfortunately you notice it on the forum too, not many new creations)
so for me personally, this way you keep the antique look on unique items.

[SeVeNeVeS]

All depends on the item in question, if in good/perfect condition keep as is and display on a shelf, if not I am not against carving it up for a creation but if using something I would rather think of a way that doesn't destroy the thing but just "incorporate" it into the display.

In the strictest sense, the difference between an antique and a vintage item is its age. Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old.

Say, a copper pot from the 60's purchased from a car boot is to me fair game and would not fear drilling and soldering if that was required to achieve my artistic goal.

If that makes me some kind of heathan animal, then so be it.

Come to think of it the only item I have drilled is a brass fire extinguisher, the sort you see everywhere.....

Spoiler: ShowHide

[mizzarrogh]

Personaly i don't destroy things i concider being of actual historical value, but sometime i use them in such way it can be fully reversed back to the original state in the future, like my telegraf system, none of the original parts are destroyed or altered in a destructive way, but i had to add some modern things in order to make it funtional.

Same thing with the typewriter, even if it's not that old, my plan is to make the repurposing fully reversible and i kept all the original springs and other small parts that came looe in a bag i taped inside it, it's pretty easy to put it all back in the future if someone want to.

I hawe some instruments from 1970s cars in my boxes, but they where so beaten up whan found tham that they where doomed to the scrapbin by all the car guys, so i think they would be no problem using parts of them.

Things like old gardenpumps and other decorative things i kept all the parts so they can be welded back if someone want to in the future but it was all so corroded so it was no longer functioning, i had to remove it in order to make the handcrank unit fit, i keep the pipework under the barn, so what still remains of it after i removed all the rust is still there.

[Justin Time]

I used to restore/refinish antique furniture as a hobby when I was young, and hate to see anyone destroy an antique for the sake of "art" or a fad.

However, like many here, I think it depends on the condition of said antique.  It it is non-functional or damaged to a point where restoration/repair would be too expensive, difficult or just not realistic, then by all means use the parts to make something new; better that than a landfill.

Nearly 20 years ago I bought an anniversary clock at a thrift store for $4 with the intention of gutting it for parts for an art project.  But the more I looked at it, the more I felt it needed repaired, not junked.  As I researched the maker, I discovered that the clock was worth around $500-$600 (20 yrs ago) and well worth fixing after my initial $4 investment   And thus, a small collection anniversary clocks began 

As-far-as furniture goes, I'd hate to see anything destroyed or defaced that could be restored.  I stripped many a layer of ugly paint off of many a china cabinet for friends and family only to have them shocked by how much they loved the "new" piece of furniture that they were previously ready to throw in the garbage because it was old and ugly.  The solid oak, red, white and blue American Bicentennial-painted cabinet leaps to mind as one that was simple to restore and save from a landfill.

A thrift store in the state my mother used to live couldn't give away old sewing machines locally, so they regularly threw them in the dumpster.  I tried telling them there was a market for them, they just had to try selling on-line (pick-up only) and they just laughed at the idea.  I know when the owner died a few years later they tossed about a dozen treadle-powered sewing machines in the garbage along with several other pieces of "old junk" no one wanted 

[Sorontar]

There are underground groups who endeavour to restore that which others won't:

http://urban-resources.net/untergunther.html

"The Untergunther is a French team whose activity is to restore the invisible parts of the heritage in total clandestinity.
In November 2005, the Untergunther infiltrated the Pantheon of Paris and, with the help of the professional clockmaker Jean-Baptiste Viot, started to restore the abandoned monumental 1850 Wagner clock before its irreversible state of defacement.
...
This amazing restoration is the end of an adventure began with the clandestine transformation of a neglected part of the Pantheon as a design living room with wood furniture built onsite, electricity, and a computer connected to internet called the UGWK, for "Unter und Gunther Winter Kneipe", which could be translated as the Unter and Gunther Winter Boozer. A very pleasant workshop which gave also nightmares to Mister Jeannot and its so called Administration.

On the morning of friday November 23 2007, four members of the Untergunther appeared before the Paris Court of Justice, charged not of illegal intrusion and occupation of a national monument or use of false keys but for having detroyed a keeper of a lock located on one of the outside grids of the Pantheon.
This charge (qualified as "stupid" by Public Prosecutor Anne Benejean) being not provable, the indictment was the total release of the UnterGunther members while Eric Gomez, lawyer for Monum, asked 48300 euros in compensation."

Sorontar

[MWBailey]

I'm not an advocate for using parts of historical artefacts to make something new. However, there's the concept of restoration. Is an electric conversion of a Ford Model T considered restoration or desecration?  It's probably dependent on the condition of the Model T.  If it's ready to be taken apart for decoration items by the local auctioneer or pawn broker, then I'd rather give it to the guy who will turn it into a street legal electric car, because it's a more noble destiny.

The Model T is a funny example. It's the car every hot rod builder wants, but there aren't any left, so now you can buy new Model-T frames and fiberglass replica bodies.

There's lots left, you just have to pay more than the car actually cost when new (even allowing for inflation) to get it, as all or most have been restored, or as you said, turned into hot rods or lowriders. Assuming you can get the owner to sell, which in many cases is extremely unlikely. But yes, I agree, it's hilarious how they've basically made it so you can build your own from the ground up...