Family Heirlooms & Collectables

[normxb]

Do you have any :-
"Family Heirlooms" , "Family History" or "Interesting Collectables" ?

Please share them with us .

I have started cleaning up around the place and have many different things that have been handed down through 3-4 Generations . Some things the , Mmm , Older members MAY remember , and the younger members might find interesting .

This is not restricted to "Car Related" items ,as this is "The Bar" , but would be very welcome .

PLEASE do not abuse the use of this Thread and get it Deleted or Locked , as it could end up being quite Interesting . No Guessing that "My uncles aunt twice removed invented the Knife Etc , Just Factual information .

Maybe if you start your post stating if it is "An Heirloom" , "Family History " or "Collectable"

Thanks Everyone , Look forward to your Input

Norm

[normxb]

"Family Heirloom"
Probably one of my most "Prized Possession" is a Spirit Level . It is a late 1800's level which was the predecessor to a "Dumpy Level" or the current "Laser Level" . My Gt Grandfather was a builder in Young NSW in the late 1800's and this Level was his .

How it was used , was to mount it a distance from where you were building , get it level and look through a "Peep-sight" with Cross Hairs (similar to a rifle scope) this way you could get the foundations "somewhere" near right . We have tested it against a Dumpy Level and were surprised how Close it was .

This is the Level

This is the "Peep-sight"

This is the "Cross Hair" end (you can see them etched into the glass , looks "off" but is actually pretty accurate)

My father used this till the late 60's to find water levels when putting in new dams on our farm.

Norm

[normxb]

"Family Heirloom"
Sitting up normally , this looks just like an ordinary "Wood Plane" , but when you have a look at the bottom you'll find the difference .

This Plane was made for "Bevelling" the corners of the old Type Verandah Posts . Once again This was my Gt Grandfathers .

Underside of the Plane


Norm

[normxb]

"Family Heirloom"
A "Portable" Gramophone belonging to my Gt Grandfather 1920's model :-

A plaque on the lid says " Presented to our Dear Father by his Loving Sons & Daughters on his 80th Birthday , 15-11-25

This has a Volume control (front door is closed)


This is in "Loud mode" (front door open). Wow 2 volumes :


Yes , it does work , the record was playing as I took the Pic .

Norm

[DOC]

Some good pics Norm, i grew up with sort of stuff all around me, Just think back then that old 78 player was as modern as the playstation 3 and probably just as hot then as the playstation is now.

An Old cuboard my dad left laying around

[normxb]

Wow DOC , I think I've got you looking & thinking ....
That is one Nice and Unusual Cabinet , you may be Very surprised what it it worth ( if you're like me , these things are priceless to you , sentimental value) but I think you should get it valued for insurance purposes .

About 10 years ago , a builder working on dad's house offered him $1,500 for the "Peep Level" , but he had promised it to me , a couple of day's later he came back with a $2,000 offer , dad told him the same thing , 2 weeks later the guy turned up again , this time with a $2,500 Cash Cheque (he wanted it real bad) but dad kept his word , that's why it's still in the family after 120+ years .

Anyone else got things of interest to share ?

[DOC]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by normxb

Wow DOC , I think I've got you looking & thinking ....
That is one Nice and Unusual Cabinet , you may be Very surprised what it it worth ( if you're like me , these things are priceless to you , sentimental value) but I think you should get it valued for insurance purposes .

Not sure what it's worth but i have a rough idea in my head, its circa 1890 hand made and is called a sectoir or something like that.

[Nappa]

my great, great, great grandfather was the driver on the first ever steam rail trip in Australia, from melbourne to williamstown in the 1800's.

[normxb]

Hi Nappa
Hey that's Interesting , that would have been "one big trip" in those days ..the "train" guy's and others of us on the site here like to hear this type of History .
So much Family History is lost these day's , don't know if it's kids don't talk to their parent's & grandparent's like we used too , I used to sit for hours listening to my grandfather tell me about his ancesters . (came from England in 1842 to Gunning NSW)

That's something you can be proud of , make sure you pass it on in your family .

Norm

I've been searching for this and eventually found it bout 3am this morning , Geesh . Think you could call me a "hoarder" :
One of my Gt Grandmothers Brothers , "James Johnson" was the ONLY survivor of "The Wreck of the Dunbar" sailing ship which smashed into Sydney heads in 1857 (Historical Feature Daily Telegraph Mirror , Tue Nov. 13th 1990) It's also been mentioned on the "History Channel"



Norm

Any Stories/History like DOC's & Nappa's welcome , let's see what's "out there"

[Jesk]

Well I know that my family were some of the founders of Hahndorf in the 1830's came in on a ship called the Zebra from Prussia (now part of Germany) the ship was piloted by cpt Hahn hence HahnDorf (town/village)

Sorry cant say I have any heirlooms but next time i get a look at the "jaeschke book" there are some amazing stories from colonial times in there

[Feathers]

I have my Grandfather's violins. They're both family heirlooms, AND collectables.

He was at one point the leader of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and had his "concert" violin custom made by Arthur E Smith in 1937.

When I started playing, Dad gave it to me to practice on at home.
We knew a little of it's history, and guessed it would be worth around the $3000 mark. When my high school music teacher heard I had a Smith violin, she suggested I take it and get it checked over, and valued for insurance. She told me about one that had been advertised for sale in the green roon at the Opera House for $30,000.

The man we took it to, had been Smith's apprentice, and still had the old leather bound book with the list of who owned what instrument. He found my Grandfather's name, and the amount he'd paid for it (150 pounds). He filled us in on more of the history of the instrument and it's maker.
In order to have a violin made for you, you had to audition for him, and he was very selective with who he made violins for.
Most of his violins were stamped inside the body with "A. E. Smith" and the year it was made. My Grandfather's violin was signed by hand, making it more valuable.
1937 was also apparently his best year.
Compared to every other violin I own or have played, it's like holding an egg shell.
Nothing else even clomes close in terms of tonal quality either.

(The violin on the right is the Smith, with the concert bow on it's left.)


In 1995 we had it valued for insurance, and his "conservative" estimate was $45,000. The concert bow was $1500.


From the NMA site:
Arthur E Smith, one of the best violin-makers of the twentieth century, was born in England in 1880. His fascination with violin-making began because he was dissatisfied with the cheap violin he owned, so he attempted to make one of his own.

Smith completed his apprenticeship in England but soon realised there weren't many opportunities for him to establish his own business. In 1909, he sailed for Australia and set up a small business repairing and restoring instruments, first in Melbourne and later in Sydney. It was at his workshop in Hunter Street, Sydney, that Smith developed a reputation for fine workmanship. He experimented with Australian timber and also produced his own varnish, which remains a family secret.

AE Smith was an instrument maker with an international reputation, and the most influential figure in the history of Australian violin making. During his lifetime, he made 213 instruments (170 violins, 40 violas and 3 cellos). He has been revered by world famous violinists such as Isaac Stern and Yehudi Menuhin, and his violins have found homes all around the world.

Prior to his death in 1978, Smith's string quartet made between 1946 and 1954, consisting of a viola, cello and two violins, was acquired for the National Museum.
His daughter, grand-son and great grand-daughter still make violins in Brisbane.


I also have my Grandmother's diamond rings, and my great-great-grandmother's rose gold bangle. It's estimated to be 130 years old now.

[normxb]

Jesk
This is all Family History , next time you manage to get the book , put some of the interesting parts in here , I'm sure some people would be interested in you sharing "things of the past" , I know I would . (but then again I'm nosey , : ) It gives members a little of your background , and I think it's not a bad thing .

Feathers ,
What a great bit of info , there are so many people just "don't know what they've got" . It's not just the $$$ value of some of these things like your Grandfathers Violins , is sentimental value as well . It was worth you getting a valuation on them . I know some of the things I've got , I would Never part with them , even though they're not worth a great $$ value . It's not just like a pair of pliers , spanner or a fry pan where you can go down the street and buy another one , these things have a "story" behind them .
Being a Muso myself , I find this of great value .
If you get a chance to get a pic of the bangle , post it on , some else may have one similar and doesn't know what they've got . I've got a ring being valued at the moment and will be doing the same.

Thanks for your input

Norm

[normxb]

Collectable
I've got permission off one of the mod's to put this on here , so i'll put a copy of my licence first to cover AFF and show all is legit .

This is one of my collection of Firearms , it's a Pre WW1 Lee Enfield .303 , it comes with 2 X Bandoliers , each holds 10 "fast load" clips & 2 spare clips and there's approx 230 rounds of ammo . ( Bolt & Magazine are dis-assembled for legal reasons)

Date identification can be found at the front of the stock near the bolt , this one is an English model , you can tell by the factory where it was made B.S.A Co (British Small Arms Company) and is dated "1908" , 6 years before WW1 . Model SMLE 111 . A number of different factories in England , India and also Lithgow NSW made these rifles

(I hope to find some more tools to put in my next post)
Norm

[AU2PWR]

Ive got all my Granfathers WWII Medals , his Bayonet Knife and My Nans House ...

[Feathers]

Thats the bangle. It's rose gold, copper underneath, and my mum and grandmother always refer to it as a "Nellie Stewart".
It's been on my wrist since I was 13, and for 10 years, I was unable to remove it.


These are a set of Onyx beads that belonged to my great grandmother (her son owned the violins), and were given to me for my 21st birthday by my Dad's uncle and his wife.
They seem to believe that they would be worth a bit as well, but they are very chipped.

[Interceptor]

havent got any pics, but somewhere around here i have a pressure cooker that was given to my grandparents by george and beryl formby, complete with a message and george formby's signature engraved on the lid....

for those who dont know, geordge formby was one of the UK's best actors/comedians

[angelfury]

No photo's, but I have a beautiful sideboard made by great grandfather in the early 1800's. It's WA red cedar and Tas blackwood. It used to be grey - dad used it as a work bench in his garage for years before I rescued it. Such sacrilage!!

[normxb]

Originally Posted by AU2PWR

Ive got all my Grandfathers WWII Medals , his Bayonet Knife and My Nans House ...

AU2PWR
Make sure you have those Medals somewhere safe , as they can't be replaced . You can have "Copies" made but they are smaller than the originals , if you have a look on ANZAC Day , you will notice the difference . Also the Bayonet are getting scarce these days , "scooped" up by collectors , but one the "leave the Family" they're gone forever .

The reason I know , is Mum & I tried to get a copy her Dad's Medals & that's what we were told . After WW1 my grandmother caught him at the incinerator "getting rid" of some Junk , the Medals were already in the fire LOST Forever , but she was able to retrieve these :-
Mention in Dispatches signed by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig , 16th March 1919
Signed by Secretary of State for War , Winston Churchill
And the Shield that went with it .


I have his "Discharge Papers" here somewhere & I want to get them laminated .

[normxb]

Feathers

DON'T try and repair the Onyx Beads , like coins , people try & make them "look good" but the moment they do , half the value is gone . Cherish them as they are . Keep them & pass them on in years to come , that's what Family Heirlooms are all about . :

I had a bit of a look and came across this piece of information about "Nellie Stewart Bangles" , Interesting bit of Info :-

Remember those plain gold bangles girls wore at school? The ones they eventually had to get cut off their arms? In my memory, everyone seemed to have one. This paper traces the Australian history of that treasured bangle. Investigations into the Nellie Stewart bangle lie at a nexus of Australian theatre history, and a cultural studies focus on celebrity and fashion. But more than this, they reveal a significant example of ritual practices of gender-based gift giving, lasting for over forty years.

Nellie Stewart was one of Australia’s first stage celebrities of light opera, and a fashion icon of Collins Street, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She was the most adored performer of her time and was called Australia’s Idol! As a reward for a fundraising event in 1885, her partner and theatrical manager, George Musgrove, gave her twenty-five gold sovereigns and a design for a plain gold bangle. From then on, she never removed the bangle from her arm. As Musgrove and Stewart were unable to be married, this item of jewellery bears a special significance in its resemblance to a wedding ring. As the Australian public were then unaware of the history of the original bangle, it is ironic that subsequently they were often given as wedding gifts to the bridal party, as evidenced in newspaper social pages, and archival photographs.

Over the following decades, the Nellie Stewart bangle became one of Australia and New Zealand’s most coveted fashion accessories, by those wishing to emulate her style. ‘There was a time when no really smart girl would be without one. A friend tells me that he counted over three hundred on women going to the theatre in Sydney one night’ (Stewart,1923:159).

This paper looks at the importance of the Nellie Stewart bangle as a trendsetter in Australian jewellery history, its physical changes in the 1920s as part of an evolution in style, and its status as ceremonial gift.

Reference

Stewart, Nellie (1923) My Life’s Story, John Sands, Sydney

http://www.unaustralia.com/programme.php

[sgt_doofey]

Starting off with the big things...

The XE Falcon which I own with my older brother. Given to us by my father shortly before passing away in '05 from cancer.

Also given to us 3 brothers included things such as coins, stamps, car brouchures, old books, and a few other things.
The coins/notes I have date back to the early 1900's through to about 2004. Mainly Australian coins (unfortunately no 1933 Penny's!) and notes, pre dating metric and after the metric currency was introduced.

Matchbox MB38 Cars - Model A Fords. Had some of my own and inherited part of Dad's collection.

Stamps - a whole heap, of which I haven't really bothered with.

Car brochures, some of which I scanned and placed on AFF here.

Grandfathers old tools, which I believe my brother has stashed away somewhere.

Dad also did the family history and chased up the ancestors back to the 1800's some time. We still have that somewhere, but I think it's with Mum.

[normxb]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

haven't got any pics, but somewhere around here i have a pressure cooker that was given to my grandparents by George and Beryl Formby, complete with a message and George Formby's signature engraved on the lid....
For those who don't know, George Formby was one of the UK's best actors/comedians

Interceptor
I don't think there would be many of those around , worth keeping a "Tight Hold" on that . You'd be surprised how many people would use them as a pot plant Etc.

Originally Posted by angelfury

No photo's, but I have a beautiful sideboard made by great grandfather in the early 1800's. It's WA red cedar and Tas blackwood. It used to be grey - dad used it as a work bench in his garage for years before I rescued it. Such sacrilege!!

This is one of the reasons I started this thread , I've been lucky enough to be given these "treasures" over the years . Our family is pretty Sentimental ( read as Hoarders :hihi: ) and also pass on information from our past , Good & Bad .
It's so good to hear that you have been able to "Rescue" this Sideboard , it has such history & a story behind it . You can't go down to the local store and Buy History .

[normxb]

Hey sgt_doofey
Your family sounds just like mine , that's why I have my XB Futura , my dad left it to me when he passed away in '05 . I have a brother & a sister who also have quite a few things . It's a good idea to keep a "list" of all the items you can , just so you can keep track of them. (I stress , it's not to cause family Rifts) , but to keep records of them , even photo's are good records to keep .
Also , ask your mum if she has a copy of your History , it could take you years to replace .

Before my dad died , I got him into a room with a cassette recorder and hit the "Record Button" and said " Ok Dad , you got called up for the Army , what happened" , now I have a full 90 minute recording of him describing his Call Up , Training and his time in the Islands during the War until he was in Borneo when the War finished . Irreplaceable stuff .

As for the stamps , keep them in a box or somewhere , if they are old or very old , some could be worth more than the pre-Decimal money .

[Psycho Chicken]

Originally Posted by normxb

You can have "Copies" made but they are smaller than the originals , if you have a look on ANZAC Day , you will notice the difference .

The smaller ones aren't copies, they are for mess dress.

Got my grandfather's diary from WW2, he was in the RAAF so everything is listed as "training exercises" with no details and he mostly writes about taking girls to the movies.

[normxb]

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

The smaller ones aren't copies, they are for mess dress.
Got my grandfather's diary from WW2, he was in the RAAF so everything is listed as "training exercises" with no details and he mostly writes about taking girls to the movies.

Thanks Psycho Chicken
We'll have another try , that's what we were told last time we asked the Dept of Veteran Affairs .

It's good to hear people are keeping these diaries Etc.

Norm

[Feathers]

Originally Posted by normxb

Feathers

DON'T try and repair the Onyx Beads , like coins , people try & make them "look good" but the moment they do , half the value is gone . Cherish them as they are . Keep them & pass them on in years to come , that's what Family Heirlooms are all about . :

I had a bit of a look and came across this piece of information about "Nellie Stewart Bangles" , Interesting bit of Info :-

Remember those plain gold bangles girls wore at school? The ones they eventually had to get cut off their arms? In my memory, everyone seemed to have one. This paper traces the Australian history of that treasured bangle. Investigations into the Nellie Stewart bangle lie at a nexus of Australian theatre history, and a cultural studies focus on celebrity and fashion. But more than this, they reveal a significant example of ritual practices of gender-based gift giving, lasting for over forty years.

Nellie Stewart was one of Australia’s first stage celebrities of light opera, and a fashion icon of Collins Street, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She was the most adored performer of her time and was called Australia’s Idol! As a reward for a fundraising event in 1885, her partner and theatrical manager, George Musgrove, gave her twenty-five gold sovereigns and a design for a plain gold bangle. From then on, she never removed the bangle from her arm. As Musgrove and Stewart were unable to be married, this item of jewellery bears a special significance in its resemblance to a wedding ring. As the Australian public were then unaware of the history of the original bangle, it is ironic that subsequently they were often given as wedding gifts to the bridal party, as evidenced in newspaper social pages, and archival photographs.

Over the following decades, the Nellie Stewart bangle became one of Australia and New Zealand’s most coveted fashion accessories, by those wishing to emulate her style. ‘There was a time when no really smart girl would be without one. A friend tells me that he counted over three hundred on women going to the theatre in Sydney one night’ (Stewart,1923:159).

This paper looks at the importance of the Nellie Stewart bangle as a trendsetter in Australian jewellery history, its physical changes in the 1920s as part of an evolution in style, and its status as ceremonial gift.

Reference

Stewart, Nellie (1923) My Life’s Story, John Sands, Sydney

http://www.unaustralia.com/programme.php

Thats very interesting, thanks for taking the time to find it.
It's funny, the bit about eventually having them cut off - I thought I was going to have to as well!!

Theres one more family heirloom I still really want, but we can't seem to find.
My maternal Grandmother had a coin sewn into a silk pouch, and pinned into her wedding dress for luck.
On the drive down the coast to Lake Conjola for their honeymoon, she made my Grandfather stop so she could duck behind a bush, she still had the coin with her, but while she was out of the car it fell off.
She didn't notice until they got to their cabin.
She was obviously upset, but realised there was no point dwelling on it for the next 3 weeks.
On the way back home, she again had to ask my Grandfather to pull over, but by some amazing coincidence, they stopped in the exact same spot, and there on the ground was the silk pouch, with the coin inside.
She kept it at home for the 58 years my Grandparents were married, however whenever she went looking for it, she couldn't find it.
Until, a few months before she passed away, she found it in a drawer. It was put back somewhere safe, but we have not found it yet.
When it's time for that house to be sold, I'll turn it upside down until I find it again. I'm sure she'll point me in the right direction though.;)

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by Feathers

Thats very interesting, thanks for taking the time to find it.
It's funny, the bit about eventually having them cut off - I thought I was going to have to as well!!

Theres one more family heirloom I still really want, but we can't seem to find.
My maternal Grandmother had a coin sewn into a silk pouch, and pinned into her wedding dress for luck.
On the drive down the coast to Lake Conjola for their honeymoon, she made my Grandfather stop so she could duck behind a bush, she still had the coin with her, but while she was out of the car it fell off.
She didn't notice until they got to their cabin.
She was obviously upset, but realised there was no point dwelling on it for the next 3 weeks.
On the way back home, she again had to ask my Grandfather to pull over, but by some amazing coincidence, they stopped in the exact same spot, and there on the ground was the silk pouch, with the coin inside.
She kept it at home for the 58 years my Grandparents were married, however whenever she went looking for it, she couldn't find it.
Until, a few months before she passed away, she found it in a drawer. It was put back somewhere safe, but we have not found it yet.
When it's time for that house to be sold, I'll turn it upside down until I find it again. I'm sure she'll point me in the right direction though.;)

What a wonderful story Feathers. Good luck with the hunt. When my Dad died in 2001 we had to pack up and sell up the house, we had to go hunting for the wad of cash that he always had hidden in the house some place. And being a retired builder he really knew how to hide stuff. We never did find the cash. The house is sold now and I often wonder if the new occupants ever stumbled across it. I guess we will ever know.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by normxb

Hey sgt_doofey
Your family sounds just like mine , that's why I have my XB Futura , my dad left it to me when he passed away in '05 . I have a brother & a sister who also have quite a few things . It's a good idea to keep a "list" of all the items you can , just so you can keep track of them. (I stress , it's not to cause family Rifts) , but to keep records of them , even photo's are good records to keep .

I have started that, even down to listing each separate type of coin in a spreadsheet and how many I have, mainly for insurance purposes. I will get them evaluated one day, along with the Matchbox cars. There were a couple in his collection which had a price tag of $75 on them. That was the purcahse price, so I wonder what they are worth now?

Also , ask your mum if she has a copy of your History , it could take you years to replace .

I'm sure she does somewhere.

Before my dad died , I got him into a room with a cassette recorder and hit the "Record Button" and said " Ok Dad , you got called up for the Army , what happened" , now I have a full 90 minute recording of him describing his Call Up , Training and his time in the Islands during the War until he was in Borneo when the War finished . Irreplaceable stuff .

Yeah, Dad started on his life story typing it up in a Word document. Unfortunately, he didn't get to finish it. I think it only goes up to when he was studying at technical college.

As for the stamps , keep them in a box or somewhere , if they are old or very old , some could be worth more than the pre-Decimal money .

Come to think of I, I think my younger brother got those, but they would be in a box somewhere.

All of these things (apart from the XE more than likely) will stay in the family and we'll pass them on to the next generation to come.

[normxb]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

I have started that, even down to listing each separate type of coin in a spreadsheet and how many I have, mainly for insurance purposes. I will get them evaluated one day, along with the Matchbox cars. There were a couple in his collection which had a price tag of $75 on them. That was the purchase price, so I wonder what they are worth now?

Yeah, Dad started on his life story typing it up in a Word document. Unfortunately, he didn't get to finish it. I think it only goes up to when he was studying at technical college.

Come to think of I, I think my younger brother got those, but they would be in a box somewhere.

All of these things (apart from the XE more than likely) will stay in the family and we'll pass them on to the next generation to come.

Oh mate , what a pity about your Dad's life story , I knew a lot of the family History "word of mouth" but didn't know much about his Military History , that's why I used the cassette . Now I can transfer it onto CD as tapes deteriorate after time.

I wonder what they are worth now ? , Dad used to say that about his Motor bikes , He sold them when he got called up in the Army , I think he sold his "Royal Enfield" for 2 pounds 10 shillings : , I don't know how much he sold his "Indian Chief" for . But like he said , he couldn't take them with him and he didn't know how long he was going to be away .

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by normxb

Interceptor
I don't think there would be many of those around , worth keeping a "Tight Hold" on that . You'd be surprised how many people would use them as a pot plant Etc.

yea, afaik its being kept in storage, and afaik it hasnt been used in over 30-40 years......

[normxb]

Heirlooms

Here are a couple of "Gouges" (curved chisels) . Once again around circa. 1800 . I think they are still available at specialised tool shops , these were mostly used when someone wanted a "Fancy Pattern" on their front door . Either done in the factory now or with a Router .


These are a pair of "Wooden Block Planes" , bidding goes wild at Antique Auctions for these , some guy's get them to build up sets from small to large .


This is completely Illegal to use now (but not to own a set) . It is a rabbiting set . First you have the Digger/Hammer , digger to bury the trap "under ground" and then cover the trap with some leaves or similar and then a covering of dirt at the entrance to the burrow . The Hammer to drive the Pin into the ground so the rabbit couldn't escape with the trap . And of course the trap it's self .

You had to be VERY careful setting the trap , you could very easily break or lacerate a finger or two . (these were not Illegal when I was a kid) .

There are also a lot of "Trap Collectors" , there are quite a few different brands & styles , even I thought a "trap was a trap" , but after attending quite a number of Auctions I found there was a difference , I have seen a single trap sold for $70-$80 each .