What did you inherit from your ancestors?

[Bill749]

That reminds me of two very sweet old ladies that June used to look after.  They were both unmarried and their nearest relatives were second cousins who rarely visited.  Because most of their furniture was antique and family heirlooms, they decided it had to stay in the family, so the last one to die left everything to these cousins in her will.

When she was in the nursing home shortly before she died, I phoned one of the cousins to tell them she was fading fast (she was in her 90s).  The reply?  "There's no point in us coming to see her as she wouldn't know we were there - let us know when she's dead!"   

As soon as the will had been read they had a local antique dealer in to buy everything of value - so much for keeping things in the family!!   

My grandmother had the right idea - she always said there was enough money to bury her and she didn't want her children to take out insurance on her life - she didn't want anyone waiting for her to die to collect!! 

[patrish]

Does'nt it make your blood boil 

[yn9man]

Inherited a great deal of stuff (too numerous to list everything here) since both sides of my family were collectors / savers / "pack rats" and never threw much away.

Some of my favorite articles are the pictures and negatives (who they are, as of today many remain unknown), family letters, silver, my grandmothers cookie jar, furniture, a cuckoo clock, music box, china, jewelry, afghans, quilts, doilies handmade by my grandmother, my g and gg grandmothers.   

In fact,  I have been (and will continue to be) in the process of taking an  inventory (including pictures) of every family item.

yn9man     

[Springbok]

Lots of bits and bobs, some really antique.

We downsized about 5yrs ago, so shared items between our 3 children. And a long case clock given as a wedding present to my husbands G/Grandparents.
Whilst it is valuable now , it had been cut down to fit in a cottage! and so decrepit that we had to have it restored and that has been passed on to my son in the U.S

All sorts of small items ,Gran's 2 very tiny silver thimbles are now sitting in my elder daughters cabinet alongside a tatty Victorian framed photo of Gran.

The always startling bit is when you visit them and see stuff that you had totally forgotten.

And lots of other bits are now in NZ.  Will some future generation wonder where the old pieces originated?

Spring

[nutkin]

A coffee grinder from the 1880's (very elaborate), silver tea service, gg grandmothers wedding ring and pearl necklace, a Toby jug and my grandmother's tea pot collection.

I have found i have very similar taste in decorating to my grandmother. I remember her every day tea service as a kid and when I married  I picked out the same yellow fiestaware items. Funny as I did not yet have her set. Sort of nice to see the choice ran in the family 60 years later.

[Lydart]

I got mother-in-laws wedding present Spode dinner service as my ex didn't want it when she died ... we decided to use it for every day, as what's the use of having something very nice if its just in a cupboard somewhere ?  I think of her every dinner time now !  (She was MUCH nicer than my ex !!)

My own mothers 'stuff' is too numerous to list here; one of the hazards of having a mother who never threw away anything in 93 years !  But particular treasures are love letters written to her by my father (she was widowed at the age of 59); I took them to her in the nursing home when sorting out her 'stuff' ... she read them, and said 'Huh, very sugary !  Throw them out !'   Of course I didn't !!