Family Heirlooms

Linda Stufflebean at Empty Branches on the Family Tree followed Randy Seaver's Saturday Night Genealogy Fun prompt of "What Family Heirlooms Did You Inherit or Obtain?" That's a great idea. I'll join in! Now that I've taken an inventory of my heirlooms, I can count myself lucky that I have so many nice items passed down in my family. My brothers and sisters have other items. My sister has my grandmother's baptismal certificate. My brother has my father's Navy uniform and other military items. A cousin has my grandmother's teapot cookie jar that her homemade cookies would wait approximately 10 seconds before being eaten by some of her grandchildren.

Here are the family heirlooms I inherited and a couple items about my family that I've purchased.

Mom's family photo albums, some likely were owned by her parents. A few of the photos are posted more are here and here.

Dad's Navy photos and papers.

Wicker rocking chair from my mother.

Old toy box purchased by my parents when I was a child.

Great-grandma Menke's tea set.

Grandma Panther's large colorful crocheted doily - framed.

Great-grandma Menke's spoons, some of them worn down from daily use for decades.

Grandma Panther's diaries - 8 editions. Other members of the family have the originals. I have reprints that I created from scans of the originals.

Original letter written by my great-grandfather's half-brother, Donat Panther in 1913, living in Germany, to the Panther family living in America. A translation of the letter can be seen near the end of this post.

Milk cap from the Panther Dairy, owned by the brother of my grandfather. (purchased)

Milk cap from the Menke Dairy, owned by the brother of my grandmother. (purchased)

 What family heirlooms do you have? Do you have photos or scans of some items that are in other people's possession?

--Matt