If You Could Meet The Original Owner

[Fletch]

I suppose it would be neat to meet Cmdr. Cleary and Lcdr. Laughlin, to whom my naval aviators' dress blouses are named, and ask where they were stationed, what planes they flew, and hear some war (or wartime) stories.

Cleary and Laughlin. Hmm, they're both Irish names. I'll hoist a wee glass tomorrow in remembrance of them. Fair skies and favorable winds to ye lads.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've also got, now that I think of it, a bunch of things that belonged to Rudy Vallee, including a big stack of his 1929-31 radio scripts. Being as he was a fellow Mainer and all, I always thought it would be nifty to meet him -- but the more I learned about him, the more I realized he'd probably criticize my table manners, correct my grammar, stiff me on the lunch check, and then make a pass at me. So it's just as well we never met...

 

[Miss Sis]

My BF has a plus fours suit that belonged the the Viscout Knollys (pronouced Knol, just like my surname) and a jacket made for the Marquis of Cholmondeley (pronouced Chumley), both made in the 30s.

We went to the National Portrait Gallery in London to see if we could find a picture of them which we did, although it was really small and hard to see! It was nice to be able to look them up. I think it was the Viscount who was the Governor of Bermuda. It sure would be interesting to meet them and size them up!

 

[Spitfire]

I have also often wondered about who the former owner of something old in my possesion was. How he/she lived and thought.
But I prefere to keep on wondering. Creating my own pictures and stories. That way you do not get disapointed. And you will never know the truth either.

 

[dhermann1]

I have a lot of old family stuff, letters from the Civil War, an unused diary of my Great Grandmother's from 1864, etc. I'd love to meet those ancestors.

 

[jamespowers]

I actually checked out the history of the previous owner of my 1929 tuxedo. He was quite a prominent member of his state. He served in WWI. Came home and became a lawyer. He had two children. John Jr. served in WWII and never came back. That must have been devastating for him.
I got the tux and a few other things from his granddaughter on line. He died in 1968 so the tux sat around a little while in a trunk.
Would I want to talk to JC? Sure! Details about WWI, his life in general and the things he must have lived through---count me in. :eusa_clap
The pair of pants I gave to a friend of mine dated 1962 from a Dr. Holstein---mmmm----maybe not.

Regards,

J

 

[scotrace]

Bumping this...

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

We had an old civil war sword that likely belonged to my Confederate great grandfather. My late uncle said that he wished he hadn't given the rest of the stuff they had to a scrap metal drive during world war two. I wish he hadn't done that too. :eusa_doh:

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'd like to know the original owner of my car, one Gordon Young of Halifax, N. S. He bought it new in August of 1941 -- no doubt a last-minute-before-the-new-models-roll-in markdown special -- and was still driving it as his regular transportation twenty years later. He was a high school principal, and evidently a man of wholesome and thrifty habits.

 

[Foxer55]

I collect wristwatches. Some are very old. My Rolex GMT Master Pepsi is 50 years old and kept in fine shape. Its as beautiful as the day I got it.

Some of my watches are very old but I keep them in excellent repair (they do have considerable value). Some are upscale and others are what you might call typical but they're well kept now. They are repaired, restored, and serviced to their new condition. I would like to find a few good ones like I've seen with inscriptions like "To John from Mary, Christmas 1944." Just imagine the joy that must have brought to someone! It may have been their proudest possession.

If I ever met one of their owners, who I am sure are long passed, I would return it to them and say, "Here is your beautiful watch, sir, I took care of it for you.

I can't stand people who don't take care of nice things.

 

[Stearmen]

I have an 1886 Winchester 45-70 made in 1889, I would love to meet the original owner of. Every one that handles it says the same thing, "if only it could talk!" And, some of those are people that don't even like guns. Might be the whole American Cowboy thing!

 

[WesternHatWearer]

As for articles of clothing, I personal do not wear clothes owned by other people. So a vintage hat or previously owned hat would not be in my possession. Now a vintage firearm, that I would enjoy. I would enjoy meeting the owner of such an item. I would hope to learn a lot about the item and how best to use it. The same would be true of vintage knives .

I cannot bring myself to wear/ use previously worn clothes, hats, shoes and so on. It is a mental thing and I have just not overcome it yet. lol.

 

[scottyrocks]

I have a couple of ~130 year old pocket watches. I'd love to be able to speak to the original owners about not only the watches, but their lives in general back then.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I wouldn't mind meeting Gordon Young of Halifax, Nova Scotia, who was the original owner of my Plodge. I'd like to know how much mileage he got compared to the 21 mpg I get now.

 

[Bamaboots]

I have a pair of Ray Jones cowboy boots. Jones was a bootmaker in Lampassas, TX who made his last pair of boots in 1983. He made no notations in his boots other than the name of the person they were made for. I got these boots a couple of years ago in like new condition, quite unusual since many of his boots were made for people who used them in their daily work?

I'd like to know about the original owner whose name is still legible.

 

[fashion frank]

I wouldn't mind meeting Gordon Young of Halifax, Nova Scotia, who was the original owner of my Plodge. I'd like to know how much mileage he got compared to the 21 mpg I get now.

I hear you Lizzie I managed to track down the last two owners of my Model A , and the second guy told me " oh I bought it off of an old man in Maryland but I cant even remember his name " and the trail went cold from there.
What's really creepy in a way is when I'm driving that car and think to myself " every person who built owned and or drove this car is most likely dead now" thats kinda spooky !

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

I own several old unsigned oil paintings executed in the 18th and 19th centuries. All quite professionally done, although in need of some restoration which is one reason why I purchased them. I would love to converse with the artists that painted them.