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Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2002 1:52 PM
Subject: [ohgenealogy] Heirloom Hints
Heirloom Hints
by <A
HREF="http://www.genealogy.com/#author">Allison Stacy </A>
Don't overlook an antique's potential genealogical value. An item's date or
place of manufacture may help you place your family member then and there.
Your ancestors' belongings can illustrate their tastes, social status and the
time period they lived in. Antiques can provide these potential clues:
Clothing:
A military uniform or wedding dress will show your ancestor's physical size:
tall, short, thin or plump.
Furniture:
can reveal aspects of your ancestors' lifestyle. Intricate, custom pieces
would indicate that they were well-off financially, for instance. Plain
furniture might show that they had humble tastes.
Jewelry, silver and metalwork: Besides signaling social status, these objects
are the most likely to be engraved with initials, names or dates. Sometimes
they were given as awards; others might have followed an important event,
such as a birth or wedding. A locket may contain a photo of the owner's loved
ones.
Books and manuscripts:
Letters and diaries reveal what kind of person your ancestor was. (For more
on diaries, see the June 2000 issue of Family Tree Magazine.) Though writing
in a book will destroy its value as an "antique," notes and underlining can
provide insight into the owner's thoughts and interpretations. Knowing what
books your ancestors read can also show their level of education.
Toys and Collectibles:
Memorabilia is a reminder of what was popular and the attitudes of the times.
Did Grandpa support Prohibition? Did Great-grandma play with wooden dolls as
a child?
Pay attention to heirlooms' condition and function — they can tell you about
an ancestor's activities. Research the period the heirloom came from, then
evaluate what it means for your ancestor to have it.
Coming out of the Closet (or Attic or Basement...)
Although logic tells us that dark, musty basements and dusty, moth-ridden
attics are the worst locales to store heirlooms, somehow that's where many
end up. Do you know what treasures your (or your relatives') home is hiding?
Be an heirloom hero — invade your closets! Rescue those riches! Follow these
steps:
Get it out of harm's way.
No matter what you've got — furniture, clothing, art, photographs, books —
excessive sunlight, extreme temperature, moisture, dust, bugs and mold are
its enemies. Remove heirlooms from places where they're subject to those
conditions.
Assess the condition. Sometimes your efforts to save a piece could actually
damage it. Before you do anything, learn how to care for that particular
object by reading a book on preservation or contacting a conservator
(especially if the piece is in bad condition).
Clean it up.
Use your newfound knowledge to revive your heirloom — carefully. Be wary of
using polishes and cleaning products. Never alter furniture's original
finish.
Store or display it properly. Unfortunately, usage often shortens an object's
life (as well as decreasing its value). Keep books and furniture dusted and
protect objects from getting scratched, dented or broken. Store papers and
photographs in acid-free containers.
Tell its story. Don't leave your descendants in the dark: Identify the
heirloom, record its condition and take pictures. Explain what you know about
the item and its owner, and add the story to your family history.
For guidelines on preserving specific types of heirlooms and a list of
conservation organizations, see "<A
HREF="http://www.myhistory.org/saving/">Saving Your Family
Treasures</A>," an article
from the National Endowment for the Humanities' My History is America's
History project.
About the Author: Allison Stacy is an associate editor of Family Tree
Magazine, America's most popular magazine on discovering, preserving and
celebrating your family history, where this article first appeared.
posted by:
¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤º°Claudette°º¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤º°`°ºø
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