Featured Another Bug From Gran's Shoe Boxes

Thank you. That's good advice xx

 

You're welcome to come help anytime! Usually have a couple of estate sales that I'm sorting and pricing jewelry for at any given time, so my things seem to get put on the back burner and go in to the "I'll do it later" closets. There's things in those closets that I haven't seen for years. Scary!!!

 

Since joining this forum I have never spent so much time in my closet!!!! Everything gets the UV test. Nothing escapes

 

This comment made me laugh. Thanks for the early morning wakeup, OBB.

 

I think thats the thing people do when theyve run out of room !

 

@TraceyB
Your task is enviable and yet difficult. Many people end up with bits, bobs and oddments from past ancestors. You have to make that wrenching decision as to what to keep and what to sell or discard.

I don't know that this would work for everyone - but it has worked for us. After my sister and I divided our folks estate; my sister made a shadowbox with some pieces that had virtually no value/ or were unwearable; but were of sentimental value.

I also had the advantage of a tote of cabinet cards of our ancestors which thank goodness Grandma had actually taken the time to write on the back and my mother a genealogist - so I knew dates of marriages, births, etc. I went through those photos and (for a wonder) matched up pieces of jewelry and buttons worn in the cab cards and made fabric reproductions of the photos. I have made a "page" for each ancestor (embroidering around the fabric photo) and adding their names and wedding date; and affixed some of these bits and pieces to each page...my Dad's wedding bout and a tie tack, Mom's wedding pearls, Grandmother's wedding handkerchief, Granddad's single monogramed cufflink, Great Grand's buttons, etc... I have a small pocket on each page and will be writing a small bit about each couple on small cards to fit in the pockets. Yes, labor of love. The way I see it - is that even though I fondly remember my parents and Grandparents...and my daughter will remember her grandparents...but her daughter will only remember us. I'm hoping that by doing this; it will bring our family tree alive for future generations. All together the booklet probably has little real value...yet, I hope it will be of great sentimental value. By the way; the earliest photo I have is a couple with a wedding date of 1844 (the photo is probably not quite that old - as they aren't newlyweds in the photo); but she's holding a small bible which I will be putting with the embroidered book... (the entire project will have a large wood jewelry box to house it when I'm finished). And no, not every couple has mementos to attach... but I'll do a page none the less as I do have their photos.

Good luck with your sorting! It sounds like fun!
Cheerio Leslie

 

I hear you. Mine have real bugs, mostly desiccated.

 

Be very careful with shoes. I was helping my sister in law clean out her Mom's house when her Mom passed and we were doing the bedroom. She was in the closet throwing shoes in a box for goodwill. All of a sudden a 20 dollar bill came flying in the air. I asked her to stop throwing the shoes. Started picking up the shoes and checking them out. Her Mama had stuffed money and jewelry in the toes of her shoes,

 

I have warned a person who might have to deal with my stuff when I'm gone to look inside everything. Everything.

 

My guilty sekrit. I have a storage unit. I do not get this run out of room thing.

 

That's cheating.

 

I have a storage lounge, storage hall, storage bedroom, storage loft......shall I just stop there

 

Now knowing what Granny collected......the photo above is Heaven !!!!
You're already there !!!!



@TraceyB .... this was Moms engagement ring turned into a cocktail ring....but the main stone could be older than that and come from a distant relative....



What am I going to do with it >>>??????
I can't wear it....
A jeweler told me the main diamond is stunning.. VVS1 or better....F or better...& an excellent cut...
I thought about pulling the stone and making a pendant that I'd wear.....but that's not my thing...
I don't want to sell it......unless I get top dollar....which ya can't guarantee ...

So what.....kick it on down the road to my daughter.....who will see it the same as I do...????

It's not even my favorite piece of her jewelry !!!!

The only thing I know for certain, is that how Mom feels about what I do with her possessions which are now mine ...does not enter into my decision as to where this bauble ends up !!

The items that I wanted to remember her by....are not even in my possession...

 

I don't see diamonds going down in value in any permanent way. Maybe get a formal written appraisal & set it aside with the ring. Think of it like an investment you can liquidate if needed.

 

Joyería Salamanca. Apparently the most exclusive jewelry store in Santander. Opened 1936. Closed 2015. Box is a poor thing and typical of Franco era. I'd expect piece to be fine, not costume, if original to box.

Debora

 

@Northern Lights Lodge Leslie, thanks so much for sharing your story. It's funny isn't it - it's not the flash or expensive things we treasure. It's more about the everyday things that evoke the most memories and emotion xx

 

@ulilwitch I was helping an elderly friend clean out her garage a couple of weeks ago and she was going to throw out a heavy old pottery casserole dish. I said I would take it home and put it on Gumtree to see if I could get a few $$ for her. I got home and took the lid off to give it a good clean and there was another container inside and it was full of very old Australian coins, some apparently very valuable. She was delighted I found her stash

 

Hi @komokwa you are absolutely right. I dont have kids to hand these things down to so I can decide what I want to keep, sell or give away

 

@Debora the plot thickens. I have found some very similar boxes. I googled the Manuel Moro box and it looks like an antique store but I may be wrong