RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,732 
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
|
Post by RedSquirrelUK on Aug 23, 2022 19:39:22 GMT
The thread about items from your childhood home made me think.
Have you inherited any interesting family heirlooms?
What are they and what are their stories?
Please don't share if any are valuable, because, internet.
I have a French mirror dating from 6th February 1932 and a pair of barley twist candlesticks which belonged to my great grand-parents. They appear in photos of my great grandparents above and on their mantlepiece, and they are on mine.
The cupboard on my childhood bedroom wall is supposed to be the trunk that an ancestor used when he fought in the Crimean War. He was apparently not a well-liked person, and there is a rumour that the family weren't overjoyed to see him back! There is no back to the cupboard and it has been painted many times, so nobody would ever know its history. That story will probably die with me and my brother.
|
|
|
|
Post by eventhinker on Aug 23, 2022 19:47:40 GMT
I have a small wooden piano music box that is from either the late 1880s or 90s. Plays an unidentified beautiful tune. Still works. It is said that it belonged to my great grandfather, either a gift from his church or a prize. I treasure it even though I never met him.
|
|
|
|
Post by cadoodlebug on Aug 23, 2022 19:53:08 GMT
I have a gold locket that my grandfather gave to my grandmother on their wedding day in 1913. There is a tooth mark on the back where my mom bit it when she was teething. I need to send it to my second cousin as I have no daughters and my niece isn't a locket kind of person.
|
|
|
|
Post by workingclassdog on Aug 23, 2022 20:16:12 GMT
We have an old highchair that dates back to the 1800s.. probably mid to late. It's been painted a million times. We have used it up to my kids (not regularly, just for backup).
I have my grandma's apron which would fit a 10 year old maybe. It's so tiny. She was a teeny tiny person.
I also have some nightgowns that she made..all of the grandkids (girls) wore it at some point.
And we have my husband's grandma's wooden sewing box.. it opens to a three tiered shelving thing. I don't know if it is really old or not.. but I like it.
|
|
|
|
Post by freecharlie on Aug 23, 2022 20:23:48 GMT
I have a green ceramic peacock that apparently my aunt made for my grandma. It sat on grandma's dresser the entire time I was alive. Nobody else wanted it, so I got it and it makes me happy.
I also got a cinnamon candle that my oldest put his finger in and scraped the wax trying to eat it when he was a toddler. It was a hot day and the wax was soft. It also made me smile. Unfortunately, my dad didn't know the story and lit it one day removing the finger tracks, but I know why I have it.
|
|
cakediva
Drama Llama
Making the world a sweeter place one cake at a time!
Posts: 7,426
Location: Fergus, Ontario
|
Post by cakediva on Aug 23, 2022 20:25:23 GMT
I wouldn't call it an heirloom, but as the only granddaughter, when my Grandma passed, I got the box that contained her headpiece and veil. As a little girl I loved when she would take it out and show it to me. I really need to call our local museum and see how best to preserve it. It is insanely delicate and 80 years old. They married in 1942. I'd hate to see it completely disintegrate on me. I don't think it would ever be able to be used again, but I do want to preserve it.  |
|
|
|
Post by papersilly on Aug 23, 2022 20:29:42 GMT
i have a funny "heirloom". it is a wall clock that plugs into the wall. my mom bought it after accumulating a ton of Blue Chip stamp books (this was in the 70's). i remember when grocery stores used to give them out. we collected, saved, licked a ton of them, and stuck them in the books until she had enough to buy this clock. she went to the Blue Chip redemption center and got it. it was plugged in behind her bed for almost 40 years until she died. we kept it plugged in until we sold her house years later and now i have it at the office. the clients must think it is the most garish looking thing but it's a nice memento.
|
|
|
|
Post by Zee on Aug 23, 2022 20:34:01 GMT
Any family "heirlooms" (as in things of value), if there ever were any, were probably lost in the move across the ocean 150-300 years ago.
I have some things I got from my grandma and from my grandpa though, that are special to me.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 16:46:24 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2022 20:49:49 GMT
Yes, I got quite a few from my mom over the years (she's still with us). She gave me her charm bracelet that she had once she began having us. She wore it often and as children we were always infatuated with it. Each charm is for each of us and a few more. I'm careful with it. It's pretty heavy and a little big on me, but it means the world to me.
My mom also gifted me with her original wedding bands (platinum bands that her FIL had made for her, along with 2 platinum bands that were eternity sapphire.) I cherish them because my grandfather made them for her (he was a jeweler on Canal Street in NYC), and because she wore them every day. She later got a cocktail wedding ring and handed down the other rings to me. My sisters were fine with that....
My mom has given me SO many pieces of her jewelry. I always wished I was her size in shoes and clothes/coats.. She was 6" taller than I was! Even her rings have to be worn on my index or middle fingers. I'm careful with them.
The only thing I got regarding my mom's mom was a scrapbook that my sis made for all of us with my Nana's guarded recipes written down. She NEVER wanted us to have them when she was alive. We all cook her recipes in her honor for holidays, etc.
As a sidenote, DD34 was supposed to get many items of her Grandma's when she passed. However, DD is here in FL and her grandma lived in NY. Her 3 children just disposed of the majority of her items, considering them to be "dust collectors". DD thought of some things with love and she's sad that she didn't get to keep any of it. That's what happens when it's not written down in a Will.
|
|
pantsonfire
Pearl Clutcher
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 4,761
|
Post by pantsonfire on Aug 23, 2022 20:56:17 GMT
Yes, several pieces. The only ones I will mention are my grandma's paintings. She gave me art lessons and I always loved looking at the two of her paintings.
|
|
RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,732
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
|
Post by RedSquirrelUK on Aug 23, 2022 21:03:01 GMT
We have an old highchair that dates back to the 1800s.. probably mid to late. It's been painted a million times. We have used it up to my kids (not regularly, just for backup). I have my grandma's apron which would fit a 10 year old maybe. It's so tiny. She was a teeny tiny person. I also have some nightgowns that she made..all of the grandkids (girls) wore it at some point. And we have my husband's grandma's wooden sewing box.. it opens to a three tiered shelving thing. I don't know if it is really old or not.. but I like it. We have DH's grandmother's sewing box that opens out as well. It's a lovely thing! |
|
lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,151
|
Post by lindas on Aug 23, 2022 21:16:03 GMT
I have my grandmother’s China. My grandfather got it from England as a wedding gift for her in 1925. I also her bible with all the family birth dates written in it and I have a pair of earrings that were my
great-grandmother’s.
|
|
|
|
Post by bc2ca on Aug 23, 2022 21:26:23 GMT
My dad has a great small box of treasures that includes a Waterloo Medal and quite few other medals earned by family members killed in WW1. There are also boy scout medals/tokens earned by him and my grandfather for community service during the wars. I'm not sure which of us kids will become the keeper of the box when he passes, but they will stay in the family.
I will inherit a few pieces of art from him. My favorites are a painting by my aunt after her first trip to visit us in Canada and a lovely cross-stitch of the Isle of Harris made by another aunt.
Mom did inherit a chanter belonging to some family member and I'm not sure if dad hung on to it when he sold the family home. None of us learned to play the bagpipes although I love listening to them.
I do wish I'd snagged an old spinning wheel from my granny's house years ago.
|
|
|
|
Post by jenjie on Aug 23, 2022 21:56:02 GMT
I don’t know about heirlooms but I have dh’s grandparents’ grandmother clock. The story goes his grandmother always wanted one. The day it was delivered she sat in her easy chair, enjoyed it, took a nap and never woke up. I find it a bit creepy but when the story was told to me it was told as a fond memory. It doesn’t work but it looks nice in the corner of my living room.
|
|
|
|
Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 23, 2022 22:15:33 GMT
I have a small emerald ring with a Celtic design that belonged to my grandma. I don’t know how or where she got it, but my aunt had it in her safety deposit box after grandma passed away and my mom gave it to me when my aunt passed away.
I also have a tall, narrow ugly wooden cabinet with a bunch of shallow drawers that was in my aunt’s basement. It was originally used for filing train schedules and still has the categories hand painted on the drawers with gold paint. She worked for the railroad and when they converted over to computerized systems she brought it home for my uncle to use to store his artist paints and brushes. Years later when my mom’s twin sister was cleaning out the house she asked me if I wanted it for storing some of my craft supplies so I took it. My husband hates it because it’s so hideous but I love it.
|
|
|
|
Post by genealopea on Aug 23, 2022 22:33:57 GMT
I'm the family genealogist, so I seem to inherit all kinds of goodies.  My favorite is an old secretary desk that was in a farmhouse when my ancestor bought it in 1805. It's been passed down through the family along with a paper documenting the transfers. My parents received it on their wedding day, and they gave it to me on their 50th anniversary. It's filled with old medicine bottles that were found in the basement of that house (my 3rd g grandfather bought it from a doctor.) I have my grandfather's convertible high chair from 1905 (along with a portrait of him sitting in it.). The chair converts from a high chair to a little rocking chair - it's sweet. "Aunt Fanny's Sampler" hangs in my genealogy office - my 2nd great-grandfather's sister died the cross-stitching in 1834 as an 8 year old girl. It says, "Upon this sampler, you will see, my pets, my friends, my flowers, and me." Lots of little animals, children, and flowers. I have a mirror that was owned by my Revolutionary War ancestor. A mid-1800's pine settle bench that turns into a table - from an Irish immigrant ancestor. A butcher block table that was in my great-grandfather's grocery store when my mom worked there in the 1950's. My great grandfather's autograph collection. A set of (really fugly) carved figures that my grandparents bought on their honeymoon in 1934 - they thought they were pretty ugly then, too - and said that that's probably what they'd look like in fifty years. lol. They kept them in their living room for more than fifty years. . The trunk my Irish gg grandmother supposedly brought with her when she immigrated in 1864. It has the wrong initial on it... still working on that one. All of the letters my great-uncle wrote home during World War 2 - he was shot down over Berlin just after his 21st birthday (he was a bomber pilot.) He wrote hundreds of notes / postcards home, and my great-grandmother saved them all in an album. I'm about to give them away.... in January, I got a new DNA match - an 80 year old woman who had been adopted at birth, and had been looking for her birth family since age 16. She was about to give up, and her son gave her a DNA test for Christmas as a last-ditch effort. Luckily, she matched a genealogist. lol. I could tell right away that she matched every one of my grandmother's grandparents. George (my pilot great-uncle) had managed to get someone pregnant on one of his leaves. It was SO exciting! |
|
|
|
Post by melanell on Aug 23, 2022 23:43:26 GMT
I have a bunch of photos, which as a genealogist, are things I really treasure. And I have a few things that belonged to different grandparents, great grandparents, and great-grandparents, as well as some items that belonged to some aunts & uncles. |
|
edie3
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,466
|
Post by edie3 on Aug 23, 2022 23:45:30 GMT
 I have this set of ornaments that were my paternal grandmothers. My dad was the baby, and was born in 1922, so I am not sure how old they are. Not that that matters, I treasure them anyway. |
|
|
|
Post by katlaw on Aug 23, 2022 23:57:18 GMT
My uncle was stationed in England after WWII. My grandmother went to England after the war ended to see him and brought back a really unusual teapot and 2 china serving dishes. I have those in my cupboard. I have always thought if Antique Road Show came through I would take them and see what I can learn about them.
I have a tin that held tea in it she also brought back from England. She used it to store teabags from the late 1940s until she moved into a nursing home. I use it to store teabags in. I am pretty sure my youngest son will take it to his home someday and store teabags in it.
And I have a painting from my other grandmother that was painted by Josep Ballus Burguete, a painter from Spain. It was painted sometime between 1955-1960. It hung in grandmother's living room and now hangs in my living room.
|
|
|
|
Post by mellyw on Aug 24, 2022 0:21:03 GMT
View AttachmentI have this set of ornaments that were my paternal grandmothers. My dad was the baby, and was born in 1922, so I am not sure how old they are. Not that that matters, I treasure them anyway. I love them!! I have my Grandmother’s wooden Christmas ornaments from the 1920-30’s. They’re the last ones I put on the tree each year, it’s my absolute favorite part. My family knows I love family heirlooms, so I have a bunch. I have a large collection of Fenton glassware, my favorites being the one offs my Grandfather made. He was a glass blower for them all his adult life |
|
janeinbama
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,174
Location: Alabama
|
Post by janeinbama on Aug 24, 2022 0:23:04 GMT
I have a large oil painting of a western campfire scene with original gold frame. It's 110 years old. We believe my Great, Great Aunt and Uncle bought it new in 1910.
|
|
basketdiva
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,615
|
Post by basketdiva on Aug 24, 2022 1:57:30 GMT
A set of swizzle sticks with whistles
My grandmother’s WWII ration book
|
|
|
|
Post by gizzy on Aug 24, 2022 2:04:25 GMT
I'm the family genealogist, so I seem to inherit all kinds of goodies. All of the letters my great-uncle wrote home during World War 2 - he was shot down over Berlin just after his 21st birthday (he was a bomber pilot.) He wrote hundreds of notes / postcards home, and my great-grandmother saved them all in an album. I'm about to give them away.... in January, I got a new DNA match - an 80 year old woman who had been adopted at birth, and had been looking for her birth family since age 16. She was about to give up, and her son gave her a DNA test for Christmas as a last-ditch effort. Luckily, she matched a genealogist. lol. I could tell right away that she matched every one of my grandmother's grandparents. George (my pilot great-uncle) had managed to get someone pregnant on one of his leaves. It was SO exciting! That's amazing! I'm glad that she was able to be connected to you. |
|
|
|
Post by malibou on Aug 24, 2022 4:08:03 GMT
I have my godmother's 3 engagement rings, she never married. She was my grandfather's sister. One ring is a blue star sapphire, one is a huge gorgeous peridot, and the third is an opal. I also have compacts, pillboxes and a toothpick holder from her as well as her pocket watch. She was born in 1901.
|
|
|
|
Post by christine58 on Aug 24, 2022 11:24:47 GMT
I have jewelry from both grandmothers. I also have an old sewing machine in a wooden cabinet. (You ‘fold’ the machine into the top and it has a foot pedal)
|
|
|
|
Post by melanell on Aug 24, 2022 11:28:57 GMT
I wouldn't call it an heirloom, but as the only granddaughter, when my Grandma passed, I got the box that contained her headpiece and veil. As a little girl I loved when she would take it out and show it to me. I really need to call our local museum and see how best to preserve it. It is insanely delicate and 80 years old. They married in 1942. I'd hate to see it completely disintegrate on me. I don't think it would ever be able to be used again, but I do want to preserve it. I have to do the same. I have a piece of my great grandmother's wedding ensemble, and I truly know nothing about textile preservation, so calling my local historical society is on my to-do list. I know they have textiles on display so I'm hoping they can point me in the right direction for truly proper items to buy. I've seen items on Amazon & such, but I have no idea which, if any, are actually good choice for archival storage. |
|
iluvpink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,281
Location: Michigan
|
Post by iluvpink on Aug 24, 2022 13:33:47 GMT
I have some pewter candlesticks that my grandfather bought for my grandfather when they were first married. I also have a school book that belonged to my great uncle. The title is "A First German Reader". Great Uncle Emil died of appendicitis in 1925? when he was 15. Just a few months apart from his younger sister who died of a kidney infection.  He apparently loved to doodle in his school books, especially drawings of cows and his name in different ways. It's certainly not a valuable heirloom, but it's quite interesting to me. |
|
Anita
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,643
Location: Kansas City -ish
|
Post by Anita on Aug 24, 2022 13:45:33 GMT
Nothing of value, just sentimental.
|
|
|
|
Post by lbp on Aug 24, 2022 13:57:22 GMT
My house has become the "depository" for family heirlooms! Soooo many! But my favorite is a little black doll that my grandmother gave me that belonged to her. Her family was very poor and she didn't have a doll and was given the doll at church at a charity Christmas event. She was so thrilled to finally have a doll. Her joy was short lived when she went to play with her friends with her doll and was laughed at for having a black doll and was told she couldn't play with them with that n-word baby. She was so embarrassed that she went home and she and her sister put the doll in a wooden box and buried it out back in the orchard.
The doll was forgotten for many years until they were talking about it after they were teenagers and decided to see if they could find the doll. They did! The doll sat on a shelf in my grandmothers spare bedroom for many years. She was somewhat damaged probably from the elements. On my 16th birthday my grandmother gave her to me with this story written out.
It is one of the things I would risk life and limb to rescue in an emergency where I would have to leave my house.
|
|
|
|
Post by birukitty on Aug 24, 2022 17:09:10 GMT
As you all know I love books. I still have the hardback copy of "Gone with the Wind" my parents gave me for my 18th birthday with my father's inscription in it reading, "To Debbie on your 18th Birthday, Love Mom and Dad".
My German grandmother passed away 17 years ago and my mom and I travelled to Germany to pack up her house. I was packing up her bookshelf and noticed she had a copy of "Gone with the Wind"! I asked my mother if I could have it and she said "of course", so it now sits on my bookshelf, next to my copy. It is in German.
I also have a carved wooden Madonna sculpture that hangs in my living room from my Oma's house, along with her rocking chair and a very cool large ceramic bowl that looks like the ocean's currents-the colors used on it I mean. I love all of these things. They make me think of my grandmother whenever I look at them.
My mother shipped to her home a ton of things from my Oma's house and when I mentioned that I couldn't find a decent vegetable peeler she said, "here, take these two" and they were two from my Oma's house! I tell you what-they are the sharpest and best vegetable peelers I've ever used! My mother lived through WWII as a child in Germany and throwing things out that you can still use doesn't apply to her mentality.
|
|
He apparently loved to doodle in his school books, especially drawings of cows and his name in different ways. It's certainly not a valuable heirloom, but it's quite interesting to me.
