Family heirlooms

[Jaggy thistle]

My sgain dubh is my heirloom it was my grandfathers and is made of Sheffield steel and you could shave with it ,it will be passed down to my eldest grandson.sometimes I wish I could post pictures!!

[ForresterModern]

All of my kilt kit is either purchased by me or new gifted by my wife or parents. As I have several very nice kilts and accessories I hope to pass down to one of my children who will appreciate their significance at least to me if not to our family.

I received the wicker with leather strap fishing creel my father always carried with us when we went fishing, and he taught me to fish using his old gear. My understanding is that it was a new item gift to him from his father at some point in his life, but I know not when. The creel is currently in storage since our last move, but destined or a prominent spot in a guest bedroom dedicated to all things scottish and related to flyfishing.

I am also supposed to inherit a rare collectible black powder rifle that my father made as a kit with his father back around the time I was born, but right now that is tied up in one of my uncle's closets, with some family disputes ongoing about who was supposed to get what when he died-----15 years ago. I may never see that rifle, let alone have the chance to hand it down to my children. Although my father and his siblings are civil with one another, there are several of just this kind of topic that set off people's emotions and sends them running for emotional cover, never to discuss it again.

[JolyStNicholas]

Me family, though strong in Scot heritage were not in the tradition of passing family heirlooms. So me family kilt and Fly Plaid, that I had made in the Seton Modern will be the first to be started down that path with me son. Hopefully it will travel for many generations into the future as a "Family Heirloom"

[Ozark Ridge Rider]

when I sit in my grouse butt, with the bag, knowing he was THERE, all those years ago, as was my father and they both enjoyed the same view as I see. Do I believe in ghosts ? Well no, but I can almost, almost, see their faces and hear their voices, I find it very comforting. I am rambling, sorry.

So, to all of you out there, look after those wee things that one day a great grand child will enjoy and yes they really will smile and under their breath they will say, not often perhaps, "thanks grandad!"

Ramble on, my friend. I'd listen to your rambling (philosophizing) any day. I feel the same way when I use a tool or a rifle that was passed to me. I've said "thanks, granddad" many times. I wear his square and compass ring every day.

Regards,
Dan

[RB51]

So, to all of you out there, look after those wee things that one day a great grand child will enjoy and yes they really will smile and under their breath they will say, not often perhaps, "thanks grandad!"

What an extraordinarily wonderful statement Jock, well put! I am fortunate to have, from one side of the family, my great-uncle's pocketwatch and a glass he took his scotch in. Glass is very ordinary, but it was his and as children we were fascinated by the lines painted on it and seeing how much of a tipple he poured (with little kids around it was probably greater than most days). The lines are long worn off now, but the memory is still strong.

From the other side I inherited a wall clock that was hand-made in Russia and belonged to my great-great - grandfather. It has been passed down through first-born sons and sadly no longer works. I've had it in to a number of clockmakers and they just can't seem to get it to keep time as it should. From my father I got woodworking hand tools, and often I feel very comforted when planing a board or using a chisel knowing that he had held these very tools. Provisions are already in my will for passing these things down to my sons, and I can only hope they hold them as dear as I do.

Laurie

[muirkirkca]

Have a nice home spun blanket brought over from Scotland from Great grandmothers family in early 1840's. Natural white with blue trim at one end.
Copies of a couple of letters 1875 from relative in Lochgilpead to my great-great grandmother outlining the status of relatives and friends in that area.
Letter from great grandfather to his brother who was in the banking business on the west coast of the US - mentions Bunker Hill silver mine 1909.

[johnnym]

I have a number of things from my father's side of the family. Although both of my grandfather's were of Scottish/British descent, I have no evidence that either of them demonstrated an interest in their heritage. Most notable item is my great-grandfather's toolbox - with many of the tools still in it. He was a builder/contractor. It is quite large, about the size of a blanket chest (24"x24"x40"). Most interesting is that he stamped his name on the tools to identify them. My father entrusted me with the box 17 years ago with the admonition - I have had this for 52 years, now it's your turn. The house that great-grandpa built in the early 1870's still stands and has been restored by the current owner. He died in 1910 after being hit by a train. Our grandfather was born in the house, the youngest of 5 children. My Dad was not born until 1918. Someday, the box will go to my son. We can trace one branch of the family back 21 generations, to 1370 in England.

[Nighthawk]

My only heirloom is my great grandfathers saber and medals from his service with the New York 79th and the Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. I don't know that his sword qualifies, bit I do wear it to festivals on rare occasions.

[longhuntr74]

I think the Saber definitely qualifies...funny that you mention it as I was about to make a post regarding a Saber. As most of you know I'm a career US Army officer. One of the traditions of military officers, unforturnately a dying one in the US Army it seems, is the ownership of an Officer's Saber. The Marines still require all officers to own one I believe...the Army apparently stopped that tradition LONG ago. I think it should be brought back. I purchased a Saber as a lieutenant when I first came in, but it was a cheaper, foreign made one that wasn't very high quality and I ended up selling it on ebay a few years back. I'm a little past mid-way in my career and have decided that I need to make the investment very soon on a quality one. I intend to buy a WKC brand (German made) saber in the next year (maybe Christmas this year, but we're in the middle of a move so will need to see how expenses play out) and will pass it on to my son as a family heirloom...with my name etched on the blade according to tradition.

[Stratherrick]

I, too, was gifted some woodworking tools, not from a relative but from one of my patients when I was still working as an RN in a hospital before I became a District (visiting) Nurse. I carve to this day.

Thinking of disputes, my great grandad had quite a bit of family silver. Virtually all of it went to his youngest daughter and she left it to one of her nephews. She'd helped raise him when his mother had died young. They were the longest lasting of the old Highlanders, dying in the 1990s. When he died, his widow just took the lot down an antique shop and that was that!

The biggest shame is that some of the items were boxes 'n' stuff with plaques on given as presentation items to him. He ran a church choir and was on the school board. His job was as factor to the Farraline estate in Stratherrick from the mid 1890s to 1915 when he died.

As I mentionmed in my opening post, I have his gold watch and the only other items we have as a family are the silver top to a powder horn (my older sister has that as she and her husband are hunting folks), the silver plaque on its own from a ?box he had presented to him from another "singing class" (my mum has that) and the wooden box with which he used to collect rents from the farmers and crofters. The latter item I gave to one of my American cousins who lives in NJ. It has pride of place on her lounge mantlepiece.

I love the way this thread is meandering. It's always great to see how we put value on such diverse things. That some should be kilt-related is just grand. Oh, and btw, my late cousin's (the old boy mentioned above) army kilt got accidently sent to the Salvation Army store after he died. He had wanted me to have it, but somebody else got the benefit...c'est la vie!

Slainte

Bruce