When “heirlooms” aren’t identified, and their stories never told, then they often become items that are tossed or sold – as they have no history, no ties to the family. So take the time to identify your family heirlooms history and memories so your treasures aren’t tossed in the trash. They are just as valuable as your family photographs and also need to be documented. Sometimes it’s not even the value of the item in question; it’s the story which holds the value.
Friday Night Family Heirlooms: telling their stories…
The Spool Cabinet
“The Spool Cabinet”
The Spool Cabinet is another of mama’s treasures that she accumulated over the years. It was given to her by Mr. Johnny Jackson, of Jackson’s general store in Siloam, Georgia; he closed his store, probably in the early 1960’s. She had mentioned to him that if he was selling it, she’d like it – and the rest is history.
My father often called Mr. Jackson’s store to talk to my mother – if she happened to be in town; there was no phone at her father’s farm so she came to town hoping he would call.
Mr. Johnny Jackson inside his store
Mama always told me that this was a spool cabinet when she first brought it home to our home at 706 Hillcrest Ave. in Perry, Georgia – was there writing on the drawers – could it have been Coats & Clarks written there? Well, I’ll never know for sure unless I happen to discover its twin!
I have to tell you that mama was very proud of herself for removing the writing; after all, who wanted writing on their furniture! It always sat in the living room by the kitchen door. She couldn’t believe it when I told her recently how much more value it would have if she had left the writing on. When I mentioned the name of Coats & Clark, she said she vaguely remember seeing those names, but she had been more concerned with removing it than preserving it – Oh Well….
When mama moved back to the farm to care for her father, she offered any of her antiques to me after I married. I was, Ok, I’ll take it all! The spool cabinet was one of the first pieces we loaded in that U-Haul trailer, pulled by our Volkswagen. It soon found a new home in our apartment in 1973 and it’s remained in our home ever since. (I just know I have a few more photos of this cabinet when it first arrived – now to find!)
Click Friday Night Family Heirlooms to read more stories…
© 2015 Jeanne Bryan Insalaco
