Painted portraits of ancestors are high on the list of valued family heirlooms. Family treasures for many people are those which hold monetary value. Consider, however, what value your heirlooms hold for you...
Sentimental Value
I was over at my Grandfather Nicklas’ house regularly and remember him working on his stamp collection. His sight was failing, so he used a large magnifying glass to see the details. That is my image of him and that magnifying glass is the item I chose to keep to remember him by.
Historical Value
I often forget that my ancestors lived through historical events that are still talked about today. Imagine photographing the aftermath of the Great Fire of Baltimore or taking a snapshot of the Great Arctic Outbreak of 1899? My Great Uncle Frederick Rolker did both!
Social Value
My sister-in-law was visiting my great aunt and told her about the National Association for the Deaf conference she was attending that city. Suddenly, my 93 year old great Aunt Edna Rolker began to sign the alphabet. Turns out that she was fast buddies with George W Veditz, the ‘father of American Sign Language’. We have none of their correspondence but do have a game box Veditz dedicated to her brothers.
Functional Value
I was using a mitre box handed down to me from my Grandfather Pearce when my father pointed out that my grandfather had inherited it from his uncle by marriage; Harry Keefer. Imagine four generations using the same mitre box!
Fashion Value
As I am the only one who regularly wears jewelry in the family, I have inherited several pieces unlike any jewelry worn by anyone today. People find it eye catching and get wistful when I tell them they are family pieces.
All of these heirlooms are valued by me because they remind me of people I loved and the people that they loved.
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