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What makes something an heirloom?

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Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#41

Post by vintermann »

matthewfcarlson wrote: post #14

For someone who wants to create heirlooms today, how would you go about it? Something sturdy and well made, but not so valuable that it’s tucked away into a box (like the Rolex in the article). The watch that I rock today (a smart watch) is well made but I don’t see it being useful in 50 years much less 20.

I bet the scrapbooks people could give helpful advice.

I don't think you should worry about usefulness at all. It's impossible to say what you have that will be useful to your grandchildren, but probably not very much.

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#42

Post by vintermann »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #8

I might not know what heirloom really means because it's hard for me to think of a purchased watch as an heirloom. (From the post though the Seiko is clearly the one that has the strongest familial connection.) A piece of furniture a grandfather made feels more like what I think of as an heirloom. Something one-off, made by the person you are remembering. But also a letter my mother wrote, her handwriting, is more va…

Totally agree.

It just occurs to me that I'm sitting in my grandfather's recliner chair right now, a very early model, from a local factory, of what would eventually become a fairly well-known piece of industrial design worldwide. I should probably have it repaired a little.

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#44

Post by flipbrad »

opyate wrote: post #34
HideousKojima wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got a slide rule that belonged to my great grandfather, who was an architect. Been thinking of actually learning how to use one, I'll probably order a new one to keep the heirloom one in good condition.

My grandad had a tape measure which he regularly oiled and took very good care off. On the flip side of that, today's tradesmen usually just leave their tape measures out in the rain and mud. Seen it twice now just in my own garden (garden office built in January, and home extensions now in July). Disposable culture!

Tape measures become inaccurate over time, especially if you let them snap shut, so holding onto them for too long may not be a great idea.

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#45

Post by nextlevelwizard »

matthewfcarlson wrote: post #14

For someone who wants to create heirlooms today, how would you go about it? Something sturdy and well made, but not so valuable that it’s tucked away into a box (like the Rolex in the article). The watch that I rock today (a smart watch) is well made but I don’t see it being useful in 50 years much less 20.

That is pretty hard. I can't think anything off the top of my head that I would actually want as inheritance from my parents. It is all just stuff.

My mother has some old glass-ware she has kept in the cupboard for decades that were her inheritance from her grandmother or something, but we've checked and it is not worth anything it is just set of old cups and have definitely not been used for decades.

My father has a collection of some coins, but they are just something he used to collect when he did traveling in the 80s. Not really an heirloom or something I will be keep collecting - maybe if it has some monetary value I might keep the collection intact since I am not scrapped for cash.

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#46

Post by [deleted] »

opyate wrote: post #34
HideousKojima wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got a slide rule that belonged to my great grandfather, who was an architect. Been thinking of actually learning how to use one, I'll probably order a new one to keep the heirloom one in good condition.

My grandad had a tape measure which he regularly oiled and took very good care off. On the flip side of that, today's tradesmen usually just leave their tape measures out in the rain and mud. Seen it twice now just in my own garden (garden office built in January, and home extensions now in July). Disposable culture!

[deleted]

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#47

Post by arcade79 »

I've got a couple of heirlooms, both from my great grandfather. He was an artist.

1. A painting he created, landscape with a deer. He wasn't very good at painting deer, it looks like a pig. :-)

2. A set of chess pieces. Very well made, with lead inside the pieces to make them balance better. Really, really nice. They went to a different son than my grandfather, but I managed to /almost/ beat the one that got the chess pieces as a 10 year old. He was the county champion. He willed the chess pieces to me.

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#48

Post by kd5bjo »

matthewfcarlson wrote: post #14

For someone who wants to create heirlooms today, how would you go about it? Something sturdy and well made, but not so valuable that it’s tucked away into a box (like the Rolex in the article). The watch that I rock today (a smart watch) is well made but I don’t see it being useful in 50 years much less 20.

The item doesn't matter so much as the memories that get attached to it. If you want to do this through conscious effort, make sure to use the item frequently in activities that you do with whomever you intend to pass it on to.

Anecdotally, the things that are most likely to become multi-generation heirlooms are things like woodworking tools. They last forever with moderate care, and woodworking as a hobby or profession can also be passed from one generation to the next so that the tools will continue to be useful.

Re: What makes something an heirloom?

#50

Post by coldtea »

flipbrad wrote: post #44
opyate wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My grandad had a tape measure which he regularly oiled and took very good care off. On the flip side of that, today's tradesmen usually just leave their tape measures out in the rain and mud. Seen it twice now just in my own garden (garden office built in January, and home extensions now in July). Disposable culture!

Tape measures become inaccurate over time, especially if you let them snap shut, so holding onto them for too long may not be a great idea.

If you're building a spaceship maybe.

For anything else it's trivial to check if there's any discrepancy, and for casual use it might not even matter.

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