Heirlooms rant

[Viktoria]

Bumble B ,if you can see the Hallmark post it ,I have a little book of gold and silver Hallmarks from 1544 - 1984.
Viktoria.

[melba_schmelba]

I sort of understand where the OP is coming from, and have personal experience of knowledge of family heirlooms inscribed with the family name/arms etc. which were disposed of, and yes perhaps sometimes they are sold for stupid reasons i.e. to finance a gambling habit or some other addiction, or invest in some silly business idea that went down the plughole or simply out of pure greed. But sometimes no doubt things are sold because people literally needed the money to eat/live. So I think you can just say what's done is done, not much point in crying about it 50 years later.

[Ruskie]

I’m with you steadyrollingman. I’ve seen a few episodes of that programme and decided it was better for the blood pressure to not watch any more. 

[steadyrollingman]

I’m with you steadyrollingman. I’ve seen a few episodes of that programme and decided it was better for the blood pressure to not watch any more. 

But by contrast, if you watch The Repair Shop you'll see what the true value of a relatively worthless or unremarkable object is.

[Andrew Tarr]

My heirloom is a mantel clock reputedly given to my gt-grandmother on her wedding day in 1863, coincidentally almost exactly 100 years before my own wedding.  I have recently amused myself adjusting the pendulum to make it keep accurate time.

I also have two of my father's vices (workshop ones) and quite a few of his paintings.  Many other items have already moved on to our daughters.

[Ruskie]

That’s a lovely thing to have Andrew (newer than 1863 perhaps?). 

What is the case made from? ( it has the appearance of bakelite.)

[Viktoria]

Could it be ebony?
It will be very heavy if so.
I have also seen slate used for clocks and there must be black slate or perhaps it could be coloured?
Slate polishes up beautifully .
Viktoria

[Ruskie]

Could it be ebony?
It will be very heavy if so.
I have also seen slate used for clocks and there must be black slate or perhaps it could be coloured?
Slate polishes up beautifully .
Viktoria

Good thoughts Viktoria. I thought if Bakelite it would be a newer clock.
I love the black “whatever it is”. 

[maddys52]

Probably slate, as the name of the file suggests. 

I remember helping clean out a very dear friend's flat after she died. In the back of her wardrobe was a small cardboard box which contained all the mementos of her husband - can't recall exactly what was in it except for his fob watch and a few papers. They had no children and no living relatives (that I knew of at the time, have since discovered a few). It seemed very poignant to me that a life could be contained in a small box, though memory is much more expansive.