What are your most treasured Possessions? Top 5, maybe top 10?

[jskeen]

Ok, I know that usually when somebody opens a new thread like this they say "Ok, I'll go first, here's my...." but I literally just thought of this (again, It has crossed my mind before) and decided I would toss it out here and see if it splashed. I promise, I'll put together my top 5 (or top 10 if I can manage the time) soon. But I really think it would be a valid and interesting thread for the group. I'll show you mine, really, just show me yours while I think about it.

I don't necessarily mean the most expensive, or the most unique, or the most...... whatever, but what is most treasured by you. Post a pic, post the description, tell us as much or as little as you want, but open up that window a little and give us a peek inside what makes you who you are and what helped make you that way.

If your House was on fire, and you could only carry X number of THINGS (not people, or pets, or electronic devices) but THINGS, What would they be?

 

[Emmalia]

Ooh, fun!

1. My Beau once told me, "I would be content to hold you until the heat death of the universe." I told him I wanted that engraved on something--so last Christmas he gave me a beautiful silver locket.

2. As a child, I loved Rudyard Kipling's stories and poems. As a young woman I found a 1901 book of Kipling's poetry at a flea market that was quite reasonably priced (though not in fantastic condition). When I got it home and went to store it, a bit of paper fell out that I hadn't noticed in the store. It was a clipping from my hometown newspaper, from 1936, announcing Kipling's death.

3. My mother graciously allowed me to borrow her charm bracelet (with charms collected from the 50s through the 60s, when she was in high school and college) when I was going through my first vintage phase. At one point, she permitted me to keep it. My favorite charm is a little "Going Steady" envelope with a little plastic letter on a hinge that stores inside...you're meant to write your steady's name on it.

4. Okay, this is kind of silly, but...I grew up watching 80s cartoons, so of course I grew up loving Optimus Prime. Last winter I had to go in for a minor surgery. A few days beforehand, my Beau and I were watching Transformers Prime (yes, yes, I know I'm an adult--it's an excellent show!) and in that canon, Optimus was, prior to becoming leader of the Autobots, essentially a giant mechanical librarian. I commented to Beau, "Oh, I want to see a picture of Optimus in a tweed suit with glasses! How cute would that be?" Guess what was waiting for me when I got home from my surgery? ...this. He commissioned an artist to make it while I was away.

5. And I'll be pragmatic and say my computer. Because it's my life!

Thanks for posing this question. I decided to answer it because I'm rather new here and it seemed interesting, but it's actually made me feel intensely grateful for what I have!

 

[jskeen]

Ooh, fun!

1. My Beau once told me, "I would be content to hold you until the heat death of the universe." I told him I wanted that engraved on something--so last Christmas he gave me a beautiful silver locket.

I love that quote! A true science geek's declaration of undying affection!

I can add in a quick one of my own, not necessarily the first on my list, but simply the easiest to post, because I just posted pics of it in another thread.

This is my grandfather's last railroad standard watch. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for almost 40 years, from the time he got out of the Navy after WWII, ending up as the Senior Dispatcher for the Palestine, Texas Depot until he retired in the mid '80's. He gave it to me shortly before he passed away.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I can only think of two and they are:

1. My Russian Shturmanskie watch
2. The family albums containing pics of my grandparents and other relatives from the 1920s and 30s. Some of the pics I have posted here at the Lounge.

 

[jskeen]

I wanted to drop in one more item on my list before I crash for the night, but I couldn't find the pics online. I'm positive I posted them to the oldtoolslist at some point, they should have been in the archive, but I can't dig them out of the digital ground clutter for anything. I'll have to go fire up on of my more ancient desktop pc's and see if I can find the scans.

But in any case, another item on my most treasured possessions list would have to be my Great Grandfather's tool chest. I got it from my Grandmother quite a few years ago after my Grandfather passed away. The chest in question had sat in my Pappa's shop/playhouse for years, but I can't ever remember seeing it opened while he was alive. A few years after he died, I was helping my Grandmother clean his shop out and asked her "what's that big grey box over there in the corner with all the stuff stacked on it". She replied "That's my daddy's tool chest, he gave it to H. H. (My Grandfather) sometime after we got married. I'm not sure what's in it, Harry never seemed to use anything out of it that I can remember". Turned out that it contained a fairly complete set of vintage carpenters tools from the turn of the century, including half a dozen bailey planes, a matched pair of Disston trophy grade hand saws, A rosewood and brass brace with a full set of bits, assorted machinists tools, including a vintage Goodel and Pratt rule and square set, and many other heirloom quality hand tools of the carpenters trade. His Son-in-law may or may have not had much use for vintage woodworking tools, being a railroad man and more inclined to machinist and mechanical hobbies, but I have been a woodworker since I was in High School, and immediately recognized almost every item in that old wooden box, and have for years taken great pleasure in using them anytime I am working on a project that allows me to in the manner for which they were designed.

I have since completely refinished and restored the chest and most of it's contents (if needed), and added a few items of my own, but I can still recognize every one of Great Grandpa Mills's tools, even with my eyes closed just by touch and their position in the chest. I just have to remember to be careful reaching in there, because almost everything in there is razor sharp in at least a couple of places.

I'll post up some pics one way or the other of the box and it's contents, even if I have to resort to taking some new shots, but I should be able to find some of the old "before and after" shots.

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

Wow, is this something I can carry? After all pictures are very important. Am I running because of a distaster, have I been indentified as a J.W. or some other reason. Really hard to say, mostly based on time and circumstance. Ready for the world to turn on me at any time.

 

[bburtner@moran]

My pills.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I love that quote! A true science geek's declaration of undying affection!

I can add in a quick one of my own, not necessarily the first on my list, but simply the easiest to post, because I just posted pics of it in another thread.

This is my grandfather's last railroad standard watch. He worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for almost 40 years, from the time he got out of the Navy after WWII, ending up as the Senior Dispatcher for the Palestine, Texas Depot until he retired in the mid '80's. He gave it to me shortly before he passed away.

Very nice. I too have my grandfather's watch, though it's a wristwatch, not a pocketwatch. It's not vintage, unless you consider 1970 to be vintage, but it was a presentation watch given to him by his employer on his 30-year anniversary. It's an Omega Geneve with a custom company dial. My grandfather was not a wealthy man, a former sharecropper, and he was very proud of that watch, by far the "fanciest" thing he owned. He wore it every day up to and including the day he died. If my house was on fire, that would be the first thing I grabbed.

I also have a pocket watch my wife game me as a wedding present, and that would be the second.

The third thing I'd grab is my Paul Reed Smith Custom 24.

If I had room left, I'd probably grab a bottle of whisky from the bar.

 

[Shangas]

Jskeen, that's a stunning pocketwatch of excellent quality. Well worth being treasured.

My treasures, in no particular order...

My grandmother's Singer 99k sewing-machine, which I restored:




My ca. 1862 Toulmin & Gale Writing-Box. It's been one of my biggest dreams to own a functional writing-box.



My Ball pocketwatch:



This jade ring. It belonged to my grandmother. She wore it almost every day that I knew her.

 

[jskeen]

My pills.

at 6am, I assume you mean sleeping pills?

Wow, is this something I can carry? After all pictures are very important. Am I running because of a distaster, have I been indentified as a J.W. or some other reason. Really hard to say, mostly based on time and circumstance. Ready for the world to turn on me at any time.

Well, I wasn't really specifically referring to a bug out bag, more things you would want to keep if life as we know it was going to continue at least for a while. If the zombie apocalypse arrives, all bets are off and I will be carrying mostly ammo!

Very nice. I too have my grandfather's watch, though it's a wristwatch, not a pocketwatch. It's not vintage, unless you consider 1970 to be vintage, but it was a presentation watch given to him by his employer on his 30-year anniversary. It's an Omega Geneve with a custom company dial. My grandfather was not a wealthy man, a former sharecropper, and he was very proud of that watch, by far the "fanciest" thing he owned. He wore it every day up to and including the day he died. If my house was on fire, that would be the first thing I grabbed.

I also have a pocket watch my wife game me as a wedding present, and that would be the second.

The third thing I'd grab is my Paul Reed Smith Custom 24.

If I had room left, I'd probably grab a bottle of whisky from the bar.

I would love to see a pic of the watches. As for the axe, what color, which pickups and what do you play it through? If you grab a good single malt scotch, let me know and I'll share

Jskeen, that's a stunning pocketwatch of excellent quality. Well worth being treasured.

My treasures, in no particular order...

My grandmother's Singer 99k sewing-machine, which I restored:


My ca. 1862 Toulmin & Gale Writing-Box. It's been one of my biggest dreams to own a functional writing-box.

My Ball pocketwatch:


This jade ring. It belonged to my grandmother. She wore it almost every day that I knew her.

Very nice sewing machine and lap desk. I love all the Ball railroad watches, a Hamilton 999 is at the top of my wish list. Lovely ring, is it a native Aussie stone?

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Wife, pets, wallets, hats, shoes, mother in law, (lol she is 91)....lol! More than 10 items, but, I have some great fire extinguishers and a way to toss a lot out of the home in case of a fire emergency.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Well, I wasn't really specifically referring to a bug out bag, more things you would want to keep if life as we know it was going to continue at least for a while. If the zombie apocalypse arrives, all bets are off and I will be carrying mostly ammo!

Yeah, I understood you to mean "what things do you hold in the highest sentimental regard", not literally what would you grab first.

I would love to see a pic of the watches. As for the axe, what color, which pickups and what do you play it through? If you grab a good single malt scotch, let me know and I'll share

I've never been able to figure out the picture thing, but I'll try to post one of the watch and the axe. As for the latter, it's amber burst, with a "10 top". It's gorgeous. It has the standard PRS HFS pickups, that came with the model during those years. I usually play it through my Line 6 Spider amp. I'm not a professional player or anything, I'm just a picker, but it was a gift from my wife for my 40th birthday, so it means a lot to me.

As for the scotch, we may can make that happen, as we live in the same town. I've also been drinking a lot of bourbon lately, because...well, I'm not sure, other than I think I'm supposed to.

 

[Emmalia]

What marvelous treasures! And jskeen, that is an amazing watch.

 

[splintercellsz]

1. A small wood car my dad helped me build back in middle school.
2. Great Grandfathers Watch, Wallet, and other items
3. 1900s Stetson Expo
4. 1917 Army coat
5. My fathers Army uniform (still enlisted)

 

[Shangas]

Hi Jskeen.

Yes the sewing-machine was my grandmother's pride and joy. The desk I bought in London.

I'm not sure about the ring. It's white gold with diamond-chips and a jade stone in the middle. That's all I know. I doubt it's very old (gran never had money to spend on that stuff). She wore it every day that I knew her.

The watch is from the 1950s, so the tail-end of RR pocketwatches. But it still has all the requirements and keeps excellent time.

 

[LizzieMaine]

1. My great-grandmother's pie board, c. 1880

2. My great-grandfather's mantel clock, c. 1910

3. My grandmother's high school graduation photo, 1929

4. A framed photo of my grandfather's semipro basketball team, 1927

5. A 19th Century Chinese brass box containing certain irreplaceable items.

 

[Shangas]

Would it be possible to get photographs of those things, Lizzie? I'm especially interested in the brass box.

 

[jskeen]

Thought I'd add another item to my list. Still working on it, I'll get to the promised top 5 or so eventually. This one is a little hard to photograph well, but I hope you will get the idea. It's a blanket. Not a traditional quilt, but my Mom made it for me before my freshman year in college. It started out as a OD green, GI issue wool blanket sized for a twin bunk. Warm, but itchy, so Mom covered it with a pair of cotton flat sheets, edge bound it and added the monogram down the center.

I've carried this thing through college, 4 years in the air force, Operation Desert Storm, and half way around the world a couple of times. I've put 3 babies to sleep under it, till the first two were old enough for their Grandma to make them one of their own, and the third one still uses mine every night.

It is getting worn a little thin, and has a couple of "field repairs", but definitely has a place in my top 5 list.