Some call them antiques, collectibles, treasures, heirlooms....and some just call it "junk". I have a little of "all the above".
My love for antiques comes mostly from my mother. Her house is full of antique beds, dressers, dolls, mirrors, pictures, glass...I think you get the picture. My little grand-daughter had a "hey-day" at her house a few times...picking up and chewing on all the fancy "kick-knacks". My Grandma Forsythe called them "dust collectors" or "plunderations". Yes, we all are guilty of "collecting" mementos from the past. Each have special meaning to us that makes it's price invaluable.
I am reminded of a contest that happened in our town a few years back. A local "recycling" chapter started and wanted a new slogan. My girls submitted the "You refuse it, we'll reuse it" quote....and they won first place!
I have quite a few such "treasures" in my house. I have the cabinet that Grandma and Grandpa Forsythe purchased the year that my Dad was born (1935), I have Grandma Forsythe's McCoy pitcher, gravy boat, paring knife and sugar spoon. I have a teapot and a pitcher from Grandma Richards, a gravy boat from Grandma McBride and a couple toothpick holders from Mamaw McBride. All these "collectibles" are in my old cabinet.
The cabinet is new to me. I found it at a building supply store in Wheeling, WV. I stopped by there one day to "ramble" through the furnishing torn from houses demolished in the area.....I saw mantel after mantel....some ornate, others plain and serviceable, but all beautiful! My eye caught a cabinet with the glass broken out. The sale sign said $20. I could not believe my eyes! It's a good thing I was driving an SUV that day, it barely fit into the back of the vehicle. When I arrived home, my husband said, "What are you going to do with that piece of junk?" I told him it was a treasure! He promptly cut me a new piece of glass for the front and I think all total, we have invested $38 in this beautiful antique.
None of my pieces are in perfect condition. The cabinet has the legs scared and chipped paint....but I love it! I think the beauty is in the flaws. Looking at these items lovingly is the way that I imagine God looks at us. He knows we are not perfect, he sees the flaws, but he loves us dearly!
I received a real treasure last week. My step-mother, Jean, was cleaning out Dad's things and found another harmonica. We had found the small one that he played regularly at an e
arlier time. This harmonica was a large, Mississippi brand, key of C, harmonica. She gave it to me! I was so grateful! My husband has just started playing a harmonica, and I know he will enjoy practicing on this one...but for now....I go to the cabinet in the corner, full of my "precious souvenirs" and put Dad's harmonica in the gravy boat owned by his mother. It gives me peace, makes me happy knowing that they are together in this manner on earth...for I know that they are reunited in heaven. I just hope they don't start the full celebration til I get there....cause I don't want to miss a thing!
My love for antiques comes mostly from my mother. Her house is full of antique beds, dressers, dolls, mirrors, pictures, glass...I think you get the picture. My little grand-daughter had a "hey-day" at her house a few times...picking up and chewing on all the fancy "kick-knacks". My Grandma Forsythe called them "dust collectors" or "plunderations". Yes, we all are guilty of "collecting" mementos from the past. Each have special meaning to us that makes it's price invaluable.
I am reminded of a contest that happened in our town a few years back. A local "recycling" chapter started and wanted a new slogan. My girls submitted the "You refuse it, we'll reuse it" quote....and they won first place!
I have quite a few such "treasures" in my house. I have the cabinet that Grandma and Grandpa Forsythe purchased the year that my Dad was born (1935), I have Grandma Forsythe's McCoy pitcher, gravy boat, paring knife and sugar spoon. I have a teapot and a pitcher from Grandma Richards, a gravy boat from Grandma McBride and a couple toothpick holders from Mamaw McBride. All these "collectibles" are in my old cabinet.
The cabinet is new to me. I found it at a building supply store in Wheeling, WV. I stopped by there one day to "ramble" through the furnishing torn from houses demolished in the area.....I saw mantel after mantel....some ornate, others plain and serviceable, but all beautiful! My eye caught a cabinet with the glass broken out. The sale sign said $20. I could not believe my eyes! It's a good thing I was driving an SUV that day, it barely fit into the back of the vehicle. When I arrived home, my husband said, "What are you going to do with that piece of junk?" I told him it was a treasure! He promptly cut me a new piece of glass for the front and I think all total, we have invested $38 in this beautiful antique.
None of my pieces are in perfect condition. The cabinet has the legs scared and chipped paint....but I love it! I think the beauty is in the flaws. Looking at these items lovingly is the way that I imagine God looks at us. He knows we are not perfect, he sees the flaws, but he loves us dearly!
I received a real treasure last week. My step-mother, Jean, was cleaning out Dad's things and found another harmonica. We had found the small one that he played regularly at an e
arlier time. This harmonica was a large, Mississippi brand, key of C, harmonica. She gave it to me! I was so grateful! My husband has just started playing a harmonica, and I know he will enjoy practicing on this one...but for now....I go to the cabinet in the corner, full of my "precious souvenirs" and put Dad's harmonica in the gravy boat owned by his mother. It gives me peace, makes me happy knowing that they are together in this manner on earth...for I know that they are reunited in heaven. I just hope they don't start the full celebration til I get there....cause I don't want to miss a thing!
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that cabinet is gorgeous!!! i love finding treasures like that.
ReplyDeletealso love having pretty old things from my loved ones~ does me good to use something of my grandmother's and remember her.