Favorite hand-me-downs - as inspired by the "materialistic" thread

[Cardinal]

The materialistic thread started getting into a discussion of things people have that are hand me downs from others - PG's furniture and Chet's china, for instance. What are your favorite hand-me-downs? (Assuming that you are not too materialistic to use something from somebody else.)

I have a set of brushed aluminum canisters that were a wedding present to my grandmother in 1929. I also have a chair from the 1950's. For a long time, it was out-of-style. I think it is back to the point of being trendy, although it does not match the rest of the arts and crafts furniture I have in the living room.

 

[nerudite]

I have a few things that belonged to my great grandmother (a couple of china pieces and some various knick knacks) that I really love. My parents gave me one of their framed Dali lithographs (and someday I have dibs on the signed ones they still have). Just this past Christmas, my mom sent up the Christmas advent calendar that I had when I was a kid... that will be a cherished thing for a long time. Otherwise, I don't really have too many hand-me-downs.

 

[PlannerGirl]

My bedroom set, my parents found it on the side of the road in Germany right after they got married. its big heavy dark wood stuff with marble tops, very basic sorta arts and crafts looking. I have fond memories of this stuff in my parents room as a kid and now its in my room.

Old silver from my great grandmother that they found stuck under a plank in her kitchen floor in a cigar box.

My mothers bible from before she passed on, im not Christian but i like seeing the warn pages and the text she underlined to help her make it through her last days.

 

[Chet]

I have 2:

A very ornate tea pot that belonged to my great grandparents on my fathers side. They received it as a wedding present in 1911, in what is now then Slovakia. They were driven from the homeland by war, and it is the only (non-textile) possession they brought with the to America when they emigrated from Austria in 1914.

A cuckoo clock hand carved the early 1920's by my great grandfather in on my mothers side. He purchased german mechanicals and built around them. To this day it still works very well, but a few years ago I knocked it off the wall and many of the intricately carved pieces broke off. I have it all in a box, and someday will pay for professional restoration.

 

[Queen B]

My diningroom table and buffet were handed down from my husbands parents who bought it at a garage sale after they got married.
I have my grandmothers rocking chair and Fireking Azurite (light Blue) square dinnerware including platter..
I have to hand down to my daughter a Grandfather Clock that I bought with money from my father's estate. I decided that I needed to spend the money on something totally friviolous that I would never buy any other way.

 

[NHPlanner]

My bed (well....Kylie's bed now), a hand me down from my grandmother after my grandfather died.

 

[Planderella]

I have my grandparent's antique bed.

 

[moose]

A pair of roadrunner sewing scissors that were my grandmothers.

my mother's mixmaster (upright mixer) circa 1970.

a green sweater of my mother's that was given to her by her boyfriend when she was 18.

a string of Italian glass beads that belonged to my grandmother.

Two hats: one of Grandma's and one of Grandpa's (I never met him). both circa 1940.



huh, more favorite hand-me-downs than I thought....

 

[BKM]

Does a 21 inch computer monitor, my home computer, and a scanner and printer count? I would have probably never spent my own money on a computer system for home

My bother-in-law keeps upgrading his system/surplusing work equipment, so I keep getting better equipment

I gave my old 17" monitor to a neighbor kid.

 

[tsc]

Granmother's chrome and glass 1957 Waring Blender... complete with box and all original manuals, recipe book.. and receipt from Two Guys.. purchased for $7 and change in Newark NJ. It is like new.

It is called... "my favorite thing"

 

[NHPlanner]

Does a 21 inch computer monitor, my home computer, and a scanner and printer count?

Actually, I have one of those too....though it's been significantly upgraded since I go it.

 

[Chet]

I have my grandmother's original 1941 Fiesta Ware stoneware too. Even have the original 1941 catalog - plates were $0.17 a piece! The entire set is valued over $3,500 now.

 

[Repo Man]

My grandma gave me her china set. It is quite nice, but the floral pattern is just not my style, so I am letting my mom and dad enjoy it until I have more room and a wife...

I have an old sony stereo from the 70s that was handed down from my grandpa, to my dad, to me. The sound from this thing is amazing and I refuse to give it up. It is now in my office.

 

[JNA]

My grandfather's WW 1 CANADIAN Army Regimental Crest.
Dad's C.G. License as a Chief Engineer-Steam.

 

[donk]

Hand me downs

1) From my grandmother a pair of ebony rhinocerous book ends from one of her trips to africa in the 70's. Lots of memories from being a kid, they were don't touch toys.

2) Cigar store indian- mid sized. From my mother, who gave it to me when i moved out of the house.

3) Kitchen table - so oak table, when my step father built the new one I got the old one.

4) Kitchen chairs-various vintages, all wood all bent backs, various conditions and colours. from parents.

5) mattress and box spring - from parent's house. like they need 3 queen size beds for the two of them.

6) Speakers. Had a set of AR 3AD's for a while, had to give them back.

7) we had this weird old friend back home who gave me his WWI foot locker, use it to store papers, it is old and beaten up, but neat.

8) waiting for the brass monkey piggy bank at my parent's, it has been promised to me or my kids(if/when I have any).

 

[kms]

A diamond from a ring my dad was going to give to a girl. That didn't last, so she gave the ring to his mom, who passed it onto me.

A dining room set from an 88 year old neighbor. He was one of my best friends during that time of my life. His family gave it to me when he died. When I open the drawers of the buffet, I can still smell his rotten cigar smoke, except that it doesn't really smell rotten to me anymore.

My dad's wallet that still has some of his business cards in it. I don't use it anymore, but it's still here.

Old linens from my husband's and my grandparents. His grandmother must have covered every surface with a table cloth.

 

[biscuit]

A lot of my things are hand-me-downs since I'm just kind of starting out. This is good because the fiance really doesn't care for most of the stufff I picked out and bought new so she can go out and buy whatever when we get a house.

My favorite hand-me-down is a very ornate large brass floorlamp that once belonged to my great-grandparents.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Yellow leather chair/ottoman from my dad's law office.

End tables/large mirror/lamps from my parents' old house.

Queen bed from my brother (he only had it a few months, so I saved a bundle); headboard, too!

Silver "collectible" spoons that belonged to my great-aunt.

Old Christmas decorations that my parents used and my mom can't use any more (smaller house); they were part of my "growing up" and even though many are showing their age, I can't give them up.

 

[mendelman]

The oak dining table that my maternal grandmother's parents bought used in 1914 when they arrived in Alpena County, MI after immigrating from Germany.

It is circular, solid oak, has casters, can be enlarged to fitt up to 15 people. Also the sides fold, so it is a very adaptable table. It is officially a fourth generation hand-me-down, and I will never get rid of it.

 

[SGB]

A solid brass sperm whale paperweight that was my paternal great aunt's.

My maternal grandmother's engagement ring, which I gave to my wife as her engagement ring a number of years ago.

 

[Big Easy King]

My grandmother gave me her Bible, which has a very beautiful wood case, and I own 2 of my grandfather's vintage hats, circa 1930's. I cherish those items.

 

[Chet]

I thought of another -

A WW2 German Officers Dagger with scabbard, velvet cord, and tassles. I found it in the rafters of my gradfathers boat house after he passed away. No one knows where it came from (other than germany, duh), since he was never over seas during the war (he was a mechanical engineer and electrical engineer in a company that produced military hardware).

I've got it in a shadow box frame now. Its worth about $550 to the right buyer but I've been told they are illegal to sell..

 

[Greenescapist]

I realize now that I am kind of lucky being the oldest in my family. When I graduated from college and got my first real apartment, my parnets gave me their extra set of dishes, pots, pans... a whole lot of stuff. A few years later my sister was ready to move out and my parents had nothing left to give.

My grandmother gave me a down comforter that was handmade. It's probably 20 years old, but is so nice and warm.

 

[Michele Zone]

My bedroom set and a mahogany credenza, both from my sister. The mahogany credenza is heavy as hell. I finally put it on wheels so it was easier to move. But it is a Keeper. I think she was nuts to get rid of it.

 

[Rem]

I have some medallions (sports awards) on a watch chain that belonged to my paternal grandfather. They were precious to the whole family and I think a few of my aunts and uncles (and father) were jealous when he gave them to me. I think he thought I might be successful in sport - can be deceiving at age 9. He's long since passed away, when I was still young, so I'm not sure why he chose me. My father checks up occasionally to make sure I still have them.

My parents are holding some furniture from my maternal grandmother who passed away more recently - it's too soon for my mother to part with (and I have no where for it).

We have gradually replaced most of the hand me down furniture we received when we were first married (almost 16 years ago). Most of it basically fell apart eventually though we have 6 dining chairs that keep on keeping on.

 

[JNL]

I realize now that I am kind of lucky being the oldest in my family. .... A few years later my sister was ready to move out and my parents had nothing left to give.

I sympathise with your sister - I am third oldest of four and all I can think of that I have from my parents is some beat-up old furniture!!! LOL.

But it was good getting hand-me-down makeup and clothes from my older sisters, when I was a teenager.