Do you have any family "heirlooms", or keep sakes?

All that I have from my father is his U.S. Navy Honorable Discharge. He served three years during WWII. While not an heirloom, and worthless to most, being a veteran myself I am very proud to have it.
 

I have a 7 1/2' tall cupboard that my great-great-grandfather made in 1860 for his bride. The wood on both sides are a solid pieces of wood about 19" wide. Mom gave those to me as a wedding gift which she had inherited from Grandma. I also have several ornate tables that would have been in used in a parlor that was my Grandma's that I think were from around 1890 or 1900 which one has a marble top on.
 

fuzzybuddy said:
I was watching "Antiques Roadshow" where people bring heirlooms that have been passed down. The only thing I have is my dad's pocket watch from 1942. My grandparents didn't have oil paintings, marble statues, etc,; they only had what was on sale at KMart.
Do you have any family "heirlooms", or keep sakes?
Click to expand...
I have this toy cannon from my great gramma

She gave it to me when I was around 6 yrs old

That antiques road show came to our town, maybe in the '80s (?)

Set it down on the counter of their round table of experts

'It's worth around $30 to $40
Several 100 were made in the '40s'


It's worth so much more to me

cannon.jpg
 
Last edited:
jpstrap said:
That's strange, I also have a pocket watch from my dad. An Eljin, looks like a standard production model. It's a watch that he took as collateral from a guy he loaned money to. Has initials I don't recognize. Hope the guy doesn't want it back!
Click to expand...
My dad's watch was a Longines, and it was engraved with my mom's initial and his, with his birthday. It's shiny gold color, but I don't know if it is. It's worth about $300. My mom gave it to him. My mom hated to spend a cent, and I mean HATED. It's not like her to buy an expensive gift.
 
I had a letter handed down on my mother’s side of the family. The letter was addressed to his wife from a member of the first Michigan legislature. In it, in addition to describing the governor, and the legislature, he complained about Canadians raiding their cattle! That, and anything similar I have donated to appropriate historical societies. A big thing on that side of the family was our reputed descendance from the pilgrim John Howland. Not such a big thing when I discovered that two million Americans are thought to be descended from him. (-8
 
debodun said:
Yes, I'm getting that from all sides. There used to be a handful of second-hand thrift stores locally, but they've all gone OOB in the last 5 years. Thirty year ago you could ask almost anything for an item considered and antique or collectible at a garage sale. Nowadays, you can't give most things away.
I have many of the items mentioned in the article. I pity my executor.
Click to expand...
Your executor will call 1-800 junk and it will end up in a landfill. Because I hate things being thrown away if they are useful I have helped friends and family give away or donate items that can’t be sold. I have done the same with my stuff.

I have to say that having less decorative items makes it easier to clean my house and looks better. I don’t like the minimalist look either but there’s a happy medium.
 
I have a lot of what I'd consider heirlooms, Dad's guns, Mom's keepsakes, etc.
The one that comes to mind is a cannonball from the Civil War. (at least that's how the story goes..)
Supposedly, my great grandmother's uncle found it on the battlefield somewhere. It had apparently just missed him, so he kept it as a good luck charm and brought it home after the war.
Dad wound up with it, and as I recall, he kept it under the bed.
 
I have a few things I have kept from my parents and grandparents including my grandma’s gold wedding band which I wear.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top