Reinforcing wires sticking out of the tread:

Week 10 of 2011 so hardly ancient, and only 18k:

Tube valve vanished, I expected it to have shredded the tube but only a cut. I've carried a spare tube ever since I've had wire wheels so had one to hand for the new tyres. One spoke completely missing, probably broke beforehand and escaped when the bead came off the rim.