I have Chinese trinkets and collectables from my grandmother and mother who lived in Tientsin from 1900s to 1940s. I value them but worry that my son who does not seem to value that side of his familial history will just bin them when I drop off. I suppose they have been looked at and loved for three generations and that is a plus. I still have not got around to writing the story of their lives yet but when you pop up on my email I get all encouraged again. Xb
I love your writing Jane,how you put it out there,so full of story,I feel real involved. Does that sound weird?Our parents use to havestuff I guess,my sisters got jewelry,special scarfs and things like that.Dad had war medal,stuff he brought back from British North Borneo after the war.Left in his will for my brother and I to share,but he took nearly everything,I am the oldest.I guess the practical things I have is what he taught me,like tip of a man's small finger to the tip of his thumb is 9 inches,back then.So heirlooms no,but they were both good teacher,and loving
Hello Jane! I was thinking about you earlier in the week and here you are! Glad to hear you are keeping well. I am an Op Shop tragic and over the years have collected many lovely and interesting treasures. My weakness is fine bone china. I also have special pieces handed down from family. I do not think my children will want them so I have actually started selling off some pieces that I have found in op shops as they don't hold sentimental value. The excitement for me is in finding pieces. I love to google them for value and the history.
Probably the most treasured possession is a gold fob watch that belonged to my paternal grandfather. I recently came across it again and will be passing it on to our son. I didn't know my grandfather and my son was only 4 yo when my dad passed away.
I have often thought about labelling the more sentimental pieces and I am going to do it so that the story is not lost. Thanks for that Jane xx
Hi Kerrie, I think I felt you nudging me!! It’s a great idea to give away things that are not special or storied. That’s what I’m trying to sort through at the moment. Hope all is well 🫶🏻
This is an interesting topic, Jane and than you for talking about it. it has got me thinking about things that I could consider heirlooms that are precocious to me.
I think that the most significant one that I now possess is the bound and embossed rugby league programs that belonged to my great uncle Norman “Latchem” Robinson.
He was a prominent figure in the game, devoting his life to life to the Balmain club as a player , coach, and administrator.
At the end of each season, the New South Wales Rugby Football League would present prominent members of the these volumes, with all of the weekly programs, The Rugby League News, included. The volume is embossed on the front with the NSWRFL logo, and with N.C Robinson in the bottom left corner.
I have 2 of these in my possession, with the most significant one being from 1969, which is the last year that the Balmain side won the competition, which means much to myself and my family.
They are a time capsule, providing the lists of fixtures, teams and players for upcoming matches was their main purpose, but also featured articles on individual players, talking points about rules and administration of the league and interestingly, the advertising that are placed amongst its pages.
The then legal advertising of cigarette brands adorn the pages, as were sports stores like Mick Simmons, which were prominent in Sydney at the time. Travel with TAA, men’s clothing stores, car dealers, petroleum companies and banking with the Rural Bank (which my parents had a home loan with at the time) And not to forget AM radio stations 2SM and 2KY who rules the Sydney airways way back then.
They are wonderful to look back on and I hope to pass them on to the next generation, who I hope will care for and enjoy as much as I have.
Thank you for this email, Jane. I hope you have been keeping well. I thought I would share a photo I saw and kept some years ago. It is of a mature aged lady with the accompanying words:
Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
I glance at it from time to time and am reminded of its message.
Hi Jane, sorry this has taken me so long to reply. What a great story and know the feeling of what you have written. I have a full china set of Old Country Roses dishes in my china cabinet which is fine but I also have a lot of the collectibles that used to come out near Christmas time etc., and what to do with all of them. They are too nice to pack away. When I’m gone I’ll let my family decide.
How lovely to read your post. I too have some “curios” passed on from my parents and grandparents when they lived in Hong Kong, China and Malaysia years ago. I even have a “naked lady figurine” from those times! How I wish I had asked them those key questions about the backstory when I had a chance to do so. Unfortunately one assumes there will be plenty of time for that…and then it’s sadly too late to find out.
I have Chinese trinkets and collectables from my grandmother and mother who lived in Tientsin from 1900s to 1940s. I value them but worry that my son who does not seem to value that side of his familial history will just bin them when I drop off. I suppose they have been looked at and loved for three generations and that is a plus. I still have not got around to writing the story of their lives yet but when you pop up on my email I get all encouraged again. Xb
Just get some labels from Officeworks and write in the label… or tape a small envelope to the back of the object perhaps?
I love your writing Jane,how you put it out there,so full of story,I feel real involved. Does that sound weird?Our parents use to havestuff I guess,my sisters got jewelry,special scarfs and things like that.Dad had war medal,stuff he brought back from British North Borneo after the war.Left in his will for my brother and I to share,but he took nearly everything,I am the oldest.I guess the practical things I have is what he taught me,like tip of a man's small finger to the tip of his thumb is 9 inches,back then.So heirlooms no,but they were both good teacher,and loving
Not everyone is into ‘stuff’, Bill. But I do think most of us love our stories.
Hello Jane! I was thinking about you earlier in the week and here you are! Glad to hear you are keeping well. I am an Op Shop tragic and over the years have collected many lovely and interesting treasures. My weakness is fine bone china. I also have special pieces handed down from family. I do not think my children will want them so I have actually started selling off some pieces that I have found in op shops as they don't hold sentimental value. The excitement for me is in finding pieces. I love to google them for value and the history.
Probably the most treasured possession is a gold fob watch that belonged to my paternal grandfather. I recently came across it again and will be passing it on to our son. I didn't know my grandfather and my son was only 4 yo when my dad passed away.
I have often thought about labelling the more sentimental pieces and I am going to do it so that the story is not lost. Thanks for that Jane xx
Hi Kerrie, I think I felt you nudging me!! It’s a great idea to give away things that are not special or storied. That’s what I’m trying to sort through at the moment. Hope all is well 🫶🏻
This is an interesting topic, Jane and than you for talking about it. it has got me thinking about things that I could consider heirlooms that are precocious to me.
I think that the most significant one that I now possess is the bound and embossed rugby league programs that belonged to my great uncle Norman “Latchem” Robinson.
He was a prominent figure in the game, devoting his life to life to the Balmain club as a player , coach, and administrator.
At the end of each season, the New South Wales Rugby Football League would present prominent members of the these volumes, with all of the weekly programs, The Rugby League News, included. The volume is embossed on the front with the NSWRFL logo, and with N.C Robinson in the bottom left corner.
I have 2 of these in my possession, with the most significant one being from 1969, which is the last year that the Balmain side won the competition, which means much to myself and my family.
They are a time capsule, providing the lists of fixtures, teams and players for upcoming matches was their main purpose, but also featured articles on individual players, talking points about rules and administration of the league and interestingly, the advertising that are placed amongst its pages.
The then legal advertising of cigarette brands adorn the pages, as were sports stores like Mick Simmons, which were prominent in Sydney at the time. Travel with TAA, men’s clothing stores, car dealers, petroleum companies and banking with the Rural Bank (which my parents had a home loan with at the time) And not to forget AM radio stations 2SM and 2KY who rules the Sydney airways way back then.
They are wonderful to look back on and I hope to pass them on to the next generation, who I hope will care for and enjoy as much as I have.
Oh I love this Chris, precious little time capsules. I love it. Thank you 🙏
Beautifully told Jane, pleasure to read
Thank you for this email, Jane. I hope you have been keeping well. I thought I would share a photo I saw and kept some years ago. It is of a mature aged lady with the accompanying words:
Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.
I glance at it from time to time and am reminded of its message.
Thank-you Russell, hope you are well!
Hi Jane, sorry this has taken me so long to reply. What a great story and know the feeling of what you have written. I have a full china set of Old Country Roses dishes in my china cabinet which is fine but I also have a lot of the collectibles that used to come out near Christmas time etc., and what to do with all of them. They are too nice to pack away. When I’m gone I’ll let my family decide.
How lovely to read your post. I too have some “curios” passed on from my parents and grandparents when they lived in Hong Kong, China and Malaysia years ago. I even have a “naked lady figurine” from those times! How I wish I had asked them those key questions about the backstory when I had a chance to do so. Unfortunately one assumes there will be plenty of time for that…and then it’s sadly too late to find out.