Your Heirlooms

[Jet Gorgon]

Mom just sent me Gram's wedding dress (1917) that Gram gave me eons ago. I just wanted to see it all -- beautiful silk with delicate white rosebuds around the neckline, silk stockings, full-length silk gloves with five buttons at the wrist and white wedge-heeled shoes with silver buckles on top. I'm donating it to the museum in her hometown where Granpa's buffalo coat is on display. I have lots of old family stuff, but my favourites include one of my Uncle's hand-written grocery lists and my second cousin's Purple Heart from WWII (Darby's Ranger, died in the raid on Mt Cassino).
What are you custodian of?

[daveboy]

I've got a silver babies teething ring its a bear attached to a rubber ring.

[Camel Toe]

I have a plaque/trophy with me, had it now since I was 14, goes everywhere I go. My dad won a track event at Roxbury Latin School of Boston in 1908.

Nice topic idea, girl.

[Marmite the Dog]

I have my grandfather's engagement ring.

[astasinim]

I have my grandfather's engagement ring.

So do I, although I also found it odd that a bloke would wear an engagement ring.

I also have his medals from WWII plus my other grandfathers.
My great grandads medals from WWI and medals from South Africa (early 1900). I also inherited his brass snuff box, with family company name engraved on the front. They were some kind of wool finishers.

[Troubled]

What are you custodian of?

Absolutely nothing sad sack that i am.
I think I may have a couple of photos of the folks somewhere. Everything else taken by siblings or my folks had nothing to pass on

[DrivingForce]

What are you custodian of?

Absolutely nothing sad sack that i am.
I think I may have a couple of photos of the folks somewhere. Everything else taken by siblings or my folks had nothing to pass on

same here, plenty of proud family history, though not much of it left..long story but most of it was given away by an eccentric aunt to historical societies..
famous people, associations, Edison, Einstein, educators the world over that even began many educational systems and much more... I wouldn't have brought any of it over here anyway, even left my dads veterans coffin flag with my brother, felt it belonged there not here..

what most amazes me is reading some diaries from back then, they traveled on ships when the trip was months long and seemed to do it as commonly as we go to the grocery store. add in the fact that they lived shorter lives than now and it is really quite amazing they got anything accomplished...and yet they really did.....

[Texpat]

I have a ton of old shit my parents have given me -- passed from their parents.

I especially prize something my daughter made for me many years ago while she was in elementary school. A clay Elvis head with a slot in the top (it's a coin bank). A true keepsake, and excellent work for a 8/9-year-old.

[Loy Toy]

Nothing with me here in Thailand Jettie.

I have a number of pictures of the grand and great grandparents stored away back in Australia and will pick them up in December and after I have escorted my eldest daughter down the aisle.

You have made me all melancholy Jettie (and realizing all the little things that I have missed) but a nice thread all the same.

[Happyman]

A silver teaspoon that my mum won in a swimming race across Salcombe harbour ( Devon ) when she was 13 years old !! (1929???)

[tsicar]

my great grandfather's sterling silver pocket watch (in perfect working order), a 21st birthday present to me from my late father is floating around somewhere in isaan after my ex sold it off to buy more booze/drugs.
traditionally passed down from the eldest son of the eldest son in my father's family, sadly my son will never lay hands on it...... pisses me off big time!

[Marmite the Dog]

^ That reminds me. I have a silver dessert spoon that my father was given when he was a kid, possibly at his christening.

I've just checked out the hallmark and it was essayed in London in 1902.

[Jet Gorgon]

^^ Tsicar, that is sad.

Wow, those are some wonderful heirlooms. I guess it's the memory of the person or just the family heritage for things that go back a few generations.

I have lots of letters and photos of my great aunty (the Mom of my coz who died; she died after giving birth to him). I want to put them all in an album, but wonder if I should turn it all over to the archives. Dunno if kids want that old stuff anymore. My Gram's artwork (she put herself through art college in the early 1900s by being a maid; the family freaked!) is with various fam members, and still grace the walls of their homes. Pity she got married and moved to fekin Alberta to be a pioneer housewife.
Marmers, I didn't know guys did engagement rings. Please tell me more. That spoon sounds interesting, too.

[tsicar]

^^ Tsicar, that is sad.

Wow, those are some wonderful heirlooms. I guess it's the memory of the person or just the family heritage for things that go back a few generations.

I have lots of letters and photos of my great aunty (the Mom of my coz who died; she died after giving birth to him). I want to put them all in an album, but wonder if I should turn it all over to the archives. Dunno if kids want that old stuff anymore. My Gram's artwork (she put herself through art college in the early 1900s by being a maid; the family freaked!) is with various fam members, and still grace the walls of their homes. Pity she got married and moved to fekin Alberta to be a pioneer housewife.
Marmers, I didn't know guys did engagement rings. Please tell me more. That spoon sounds interesting, too.

kids, if they are brought up to respect and treasure old stuff passed down through the family, will definitely want that stuff, and will pass it on down to their kids.
the actual monetary value of an heirloom means nothing, although some of them may be priceless, it ceases to be an heirloom when appreciation and the history of the item is lost.
i hope everybody holds on to their old shit, to pass on down to their kids, who will then pass on the item, and the history, to their kids, and so on.

[Marmite the Dog]

Marmers, I didn't know guys did engagement rings.

I don't think it's common for guys to have them. Maybe it's not really an engagement ring, but that's what my mother told me when she presented it to me on my 30th birthday. Its band is well worn and I tried to get my friend to add more gold to it to strengthen it, but she would've had to re-essay it, so I didn't get it done. It's square on top with a small diamond towards one corner.

The spoon is fekkin' filthy at the moment, but I did use it for a few years.

[Marmite the Dog]

Oh, and I've still got my wedding ring. Just haven't worked out what to do with it yet.

[keda]

I have the companion of a watch with an innovative mechanism presented by my father to the Science Museum in the early 50s. They asked for my one in the 70s and then in the 90s, offering a separate display case for the pair, but ain't getting it.

[Jet Gorgon]

Keda, would love to see a pic and more info on that!

You're right, tsicar. I sat for hours with Gram going thru old photo albums, her books, everything, asking Qs and listening to stories. It was wonderful.

Oh, and I've still got my wedding ring. Just haven't worked out what to do with it yet.

Recycle. (ie, do it again).

I forgot my absolute favs: some of Gram's books
Tennyson's Poems, the full monty. Blue leather jacket with gold leaf stamping, gilt-edged pages, 6-point type (no date)
Old Curiosity Shop (she wrote 1913)
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam (she inscribed it 1911)
Book of Flowers (no date)
Dunno when printers started putting the publishing dates in books.

[Gerbil]

Whole bunch of stuff going back about 4 generations in storage in the UK. Will probably ship it over when I finally get round to selling my UK property (not in the current market though )

[Spin]

I've got a copy of Razzle that i found under me dads bed in 1983.

[kingwilly]

yup. this thread needs pics!

I have a watch.
a china german shepard
a small eifel tower
and a small wooden dutch windmall

[Spin]

yup. this thread needs pics!

[panama hat]

Loads of things, almost all of them are in my parent's old house in Sydney . . . uninhabited except for the caretaker lady.

50 years of travel as a diplomat in Africa, Asia, S. America etc . . . loads of stuff . . . as for heirlooms, the favourite ones I have with me always:

1) A bible printed in 1786, colour pictures in it and ivory covers (I'm not particularly religious, but the artistry is simply breathtaking)

2) A beautiful 16th century Chinese tea-set, black background with spring motifs painted.

3) 18th century maps of Australia and New Zealand


And a great heart-breaker for me:

I was born in Bangkok while my parents were posted here and Queen Sirikit gave my mother a purple jade buddha pendant in soft-gold casing for my birth. She wore it every day until she died . . . I wore it every day until the chain broke and left it in my briefcase - which was stolen from the lobby of the Shangri-La in Bangkok. I still feel very sad when I think about it.

[Jet Gorgon]

^55555 That's not an ancient issue, Spin. Fess up.

[Spin]

^ aahh! you an avid reader too? greens for you