Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Heirlooms









One of those words that is pronounced so unlike you might imagine. The French side of my family says (HAIR-loom) .. or even (hair-LOOM)...they never add the "s" to make it plural... you are supposed to guess it is there.... uhm.. I guess. The Brit side gets it more correct...but it still sounds like (err-looms)...or something.. not quite like I would pronounce it... which seems more like ..(Air-looms). Always different strokes for different folks isn't it?

Anyway.... it still means.....
"Possessions handed down from generation to generation"... and, these are mine.













Some of you who have been reading my blog for a bit will have seen these before, but for Mrs. Nesbitt's friends... these are two little vases .. English ... not sure how old, but were carried in hand luggage by an aunt who immigrated to Canada in the 70's.. when she was in her 50's .. originally belonged to my Nan Jackson (her mother) . I have no idea when or where my grandmother would have acquired them. The tall guy has a missing toe. Click to read more about that if you like.










Another of the pieces she passed along to me.. a gift from Whitby it says...I love the open lace work edge..and it is rubbed with what I believe (or even if it is not...I still choose to believe) to be real gold.










The guys love to play in it..and usually there are a few golden/sparkly Christmas decorations in there as well. They are not being disrespectful..they just like it and they do play gently.










This little handkerchief is so dainty ... I am quite sure nobody ever thought to use it ..even to wipe away a single tear.










The open work on the edges is delicate and beautiful. It was kept in a sea farer's chest for many a year. No knowledge of its history.













Uh, oh.... somebody likes to play on that as well.... but...he is just sitting ....and he is behaving.










This spoon is silver... and as you can see...doesn't get polished often.










It is 9 inches long. Again, I don't know much of the history... it also came from England... was my Nan's.... looks to be a casserole or fruit/dessert type serving spoon.











And...last, but not least, .... and where else would a grand old tea pot hail from? England of course! Again...brought by my dear old auntie when she arrived here (although she was not old when she arrived) ... whew... don't want her to think I ever thought that. Of course, she and my Mom are long gone now... but they never, ever seemed old to me. A couple of real pistols in their time together after she moved here... almost til the year they passed away. Separately, they were .. .. erm.. almost reserved and sedate..but get 'em together..and watch out...they were too much fun!

It took about 20 full minutes of polishing to make that one shiny area nice enough to get a photo to show it off at all. It usually sits under my sink... black and blueish.... Silver is so beautiful when it is silver...but it is soooo much work to maintain. I have heard that if you use it regularly it stays shiny.... anybody know if that is true?

26 comments:

Susan said...

hey Vee,

LOVE the silver spoon and teapot and you know according to the folks at Antique Roadshow you shouldn't polish them, but enjoy the warm patina of tarnish. Apparently polishing them over time deteriorates the surface and design. And less work for you !

Hugs from NS, S.

Anne-Berit said...

Beautiful things,and a good H-post:o)

Janet said...

Lovely heirlooms! I don't polish my silver things very often either!

Pernille said...

I just love your old things:) Very beautiful!!!!! Great choice for the letter H!
Have a nice day:)

Andrea said...

They are all beautiful heirlooms too. I would never have thought of heirloom. Great H post.

Petunia said...

So many beautiful things! This was a great choice for H and I learned a new word too: Heirloom!
Thank you!

Vee said...

Treasures so lovely no matter what you call them...

I keep my silver out and try not to worry about its being less than silver...right now it's kind of coppery actually. Sometimes it's silver; sometimes it's not. I like it both ways. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that that teapot needs a place of honor out and not under the counter.

Lilli & Nevada said...

What a lovely post i never thought about heirloom. Those are some beautiful pieces that you have. I especially like the spoon and the teapot.So detailed

MightyMom said...

try putting it in a pot of hot water with baking soda....but it will stink...works well I've been told.

lovely lovlies dearie

Anonymous said...

WoW..some very beautifully captured shots...lovely!

Little Blue Violet said...

If you send me those cinnamon rolls I will tell you the secret of keeping silver shiny and bright. K. Im just BSing. I dont have any secret. Can I have a cinnamon roll anyway??? lol. Those look divine. Ill have to make some this weekend. You know how much I love the footed vase. It gorgeous!

Windlost said...

Oh wow, some lovely things! I left a comment over on your other blog...
How are you?

xo Terri

Sarah said...

Hi Vee!

Yes Susan is right. You have to be careful or you rub off the silver over time! I've read you can use baking soda made into a paste and carefully rub over the surface, then rinse.

Those rolls look divine!

Hugs, Sarah x

DeeMom said...

what treasures.... Fabulous

mrsnesbitt said...

Ahhh! Whitby, we are not far from it! Infact I am going there today!

Pete M said...

Very ornate your possessions, nice to have such keepsakes

Dragonstar said...

Beautiful silver. If you want too clean it without rubbing, use the hot water and baking soda, and a piece of crumpled Kitchen foil/aluminium foil - don't know what you'd call it over there. Then just rinse and dry gently.

Happyone said...

All of your Heirlooms (air-looms) are so pretty. How nice to have things to pass down through the generations.

Neva said...

I love your lovely heirlooms.....

kRiZcPEc said...

very beautiful, it must feel great to dine with these things...thanks for sharing.

Leslie: said...

This is wonderful! I love your "AIRlooms" and have some kind of similar. Yes, silver is the pits to polish! I inherited my mother's silver tea service and I think I'll have to have it polished professionally or else have it redipped. It's SO black now! LOVE LOVE LOVE the spoon! Thx for popping by my place and feel free to pop in any time - not just on ABC Wednesdays! Anyone who loves bears is a friend to me.

BumbleVee said...

thanks everybody for all the comments and the tips on cleaning. I am going to try the baking soda one on some other small silverware item and if it works.... plunge the teapot!
I'll let you know what happens.....

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

I see yor ABC post has been invaydid by Bears too, as was Mummy's. HEHEHEH!!

I luv Whitby Ginger Bred. We brort sum bak from Harrogayte larst yeer, an et it wiv hunny on. YUm!

Linda Fleming said...

Oh Vee! What beautiful and special heirlooms you have (however you pronounce it-LOL). You are blessed to have so many special things handed down to you. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Louise said...

I say air-looms, you only say hair-looms over here in the UK, if you are very posh! What lovely things to have been passed down to you, I have some little treasures which were passed down to me from my grandparents, maybe I shall gather them together and blog them sometime. I haven't ever been to Whitby, but I do own some Whitby Jet jewellery, which I love, although I have bought these pieces myself. I don't think I could ever part with my air-looms, do you? x

Pauline said...

Oh what gorgeous treasures you have, I love the spoon and teapot, from England too, I am impressed. It's nice that you let the bears enjoy them sometime too.

Pauline