Family Heirlooms

**Hepcat** · 01-15-2007, 10:41

I thought it would be great if people posted pictures and info on any family heirlooms they have.

My grandmother recently gave me a Swiss Music Box from the late 19th century which her grandmother had. I will post some pictures of it later, though I am sure that pleanty of other people here have antiques which have been in their family for generations.

I look forward to seeing some.

**Ibn Munqidh** · 01-15-2007, 11:05

We keep our Great-Great grandfather's sword at my grandfathers house:

http://img147.imagevenue.com/aAfkjfp..._122_474lo.jpg

oh BTW, very nice idea for a thread!

**Justiciar** · 01-15-2007, 11:39

There used to be some well and truly wonderous heirloom in our family, passed down in a traditional pattern. I believe it went something like; The eldest son's second son should be called John. That younger John would recieve, from his (great)uncle, also named John, the heirloom itself. We don't even know what it was, sadly, as the John before my uncle pawned it. Had he not, the chances are I'd be named John too.

**percy13** · 01-15-2007, 15:33

Mines are a bit depressing I'm afraid. Firstly a WW1 bayonet, which is alarmingly long and belonged to my grandad's father.

The second is a set of Far East medals from my Dad's uncle. He was taken prisoner in 42' at Singapore and once released never recovered from the experience. He suffered endless recurrences of Malaria which were deeply disturbing not only for him but also his family. But the worst one was that he suffered awful mental problems until the day he died. Unable to leave the house he was rarely seen by doctors and could not work being shut indoors. The doctors he saw only saw him for his malaria and they had little understanding of mental illness back then anyway. He was also unable to eat at the table and would sit on the floor to do so. When he did try to eat at the table he suffered terrible anxiety. Most nights he also woke up screaming. So having his medals is not something that makes me feel very happy about, more sad than anything.

**Hepcat** · 01-15-2007, 22:57

Well, as promised, here are photos of my English grandmother's music box, which was given to her by her grandmother who brought it at a fair in 1880 (I think, or somewhere around then) in England. It is Swiss and it still works.

Ibn Munqidh, nice sword, how old is it? It looks like it has been well looked after.

Justiciar, how bizarre! I've never heard of anything like that before. Just out of curiosity your uncle pawning it wouldn't have been during the great depression, would it?

pleasy, I'm sorry to hear that your grandfather had such a hard time in his later life.

Thanks for sharing.

**Justiciar** · 01-16-2007, 20:09

Wow! I must admit, I couldn't help myself if I were the owner of that thing.. I'd be far too compelled to take it apart.

Aye it was, good guess. It was acctually my uncle John's great-uncle John that pawned it. My grandfather was the only male child of his grandfather's eldest son. His uncle John (my great-grand father's younger brother) sold it when in something of a sorry state. He'd just got out of WWI having spent the greater part of that time in a trench, had fallen into a state of severe depression, became an alcoholic, lost his daughter (and unborn grandchild, we think) and devorced his wife. I suppose he figured that his brother only having the one son meant that he wasn't bound in any way to keep the tradition going.

Sort of confusing stuff, but I've come across worse.

**Patriarch of Constantinople** · 01-17-2007, 01:34

Military herilooms given from my Grandfather (and Great-Grandfather)

Greek War Medal from World War II. This medal was instituted by the Greek government in 1947 to commemorate participation in actions during the time from 1941-1945.

My Grandfather was awarded this, and never wore it. Instead, he put it on his best friends grave (which he made and paid for, by the way). His friend died in the Italian invasion.

**Patriarch of Constantinople** · 01-17-2007, 01:40

This is the World War 1 Victory Medal awarded to my Great-Grandfather, who fought at Macedonia against the Austrians.

**Patriarch of Constantinople** · 01-17-2007, 01:43

Originally Posted by pleasy

Mines are a bit depressing I'm afraid. Firstly a WW1 bayonet, which is alarmingly long and belonged to my grandad's father.

The second is a set of Far East medals from my Dad's uncle. He was taken prisoner in 42' at Singapore and once released never recovered from the experience. He suffered endless recurrences of Malaria which were deeply disturbing not only for him but also his family. But the worst one was that he suffered awful mental problems until the day he died. Unable to leave the house he was rarely seen by doctors and could not work being shut indoors. The doctors he saw only saw him for his malaria and they had little understanding of mental illness back then anyway. He was also unable to eat at the table and would sit on the floor to do so. When he did try to eat at the table he suffered terrible anxiety. Most nights he also woke up screaming. So having his medals is not something that makes me feel very happy about, more sad than anything.

Like my medals, they really aren't the happiest. My grandfather lost his best friend and his family, because of war. My great grandfather could never get a job, and died a drunk.

**IrishArmenian** · 01-17-2007, 03:00

We had some seal from a knight order in the crusades, I would like to think that we helped the crusaders, but I assume an ancestor looted his former empolyers after they died and retreated. The holder selected the heir based on kindess of heart and generally being a good person at all times (though the kicker was, no one was told this, so as to judge true character). It was lost during the exile, about 90 years ago.