My mother has been dead for 50 years. I was 12 when she passed away suddenly.
One of my most cherished memories was when, as a young child, she allowed me to dust her knickknacks. We had a steam radiator in our living room and she had had, a great extravagance for her perhaps (my parents were never affluent) a covering built for the radiator. On either end, she had knickknack shelves.
I would take each knickknack off carefully, dust the shelf, and dust the knickknack.
Fast forward many, many years.
I don't have much that belongs to my mother. That is why I cherish what I am about to show you as one of my most valued possessions.
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It is a set of salt and pepper shakers. Researching online, I found it is a set of "1940's Syroco Wood" Salt and Pepper shakers.
Reading even further I found out more about "Syroco Wood", which I will save for another blog post. It was amazing, considering that these items may have been made only around 70 miles from where I have lived for nearly 30 years. They are cracking, but so far, still all in one piece. I'd love to know how to take good care of them.
I will never know where my Mom picked this item up - perhaps in a souvenir shop in Ohio (in the left back, it looks like "OH 1/49")? I know my Mom and Dad never had much of a honeymoon but perhaps they made it all the way from New York City to Ohio.
The pieces are cracking but may be in good shape, considering they may have been made sometime between 1949 and ? (I was born in 1952). They aren't worth much (one Etsy dealer is selling these for $18. U.S.) but I don't care.
To me, they are priceless.
The Cherished Blogfest #CBF16
Hosted by:
Dan Antion / Sharukh Bamboat / Damyanti Biswas / Mary Giese /
Peter Nena / Cheryl Pennington / Kate Powell
Peter Nena / Cheryl Pennington / Kate Powell
Of course they are priceless to you, they were your mums. I still have a little good luck pig my great grand mother owned and it's ugly and a little broken, but I love it because it was hers.
ReplyDeleteAh, the emotional connections we have to items. It is a very powerful force, especially if you are trying to downsize.
DeleteKind of like Harvey (of Suits) and his duck painting?
ReplyDeleteI've never watched Suits (I'm not much of a TV listener) so I had to Google it and - wow. I am blown away by the "Listen Closely" painting. Something learned today!
DeleteWow! These are such unique salt and pepper shakers... the ones that are not only rare but have some truly cherished memories attached to them!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know just how unique they were until I decided to do research for this post - just loving the Cherished Blogfest! (I will be posting more about Syroco Wood soon!)(
DeleteWhat interesting salt and pepper shakers. It would be interesting to know what drew your mom to them. A great memory of your her.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know that, too. But there is no one left alive to ask, alas. Thank you for visiting!
DeleteConnection. I love those treasured things that connect us with our loved ones, they weave our lives together. Thank you for sharing your mom and your memories. Wishing you a peace filled weekend.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog, Terri!
DeleteHow neat! I like those -- the carving is very impressive. And as a Beatles fan, I got a kick out of your title!
ReplyDeleteYou'll get an even bigger kick, I suspect, out of the comment I just left on your blog. Does Binghamton, New York mean anything to you? Thank you for visiting!
DeleteThey are unique and lovely, because they speak your memories. I was just on the phone with my daughter. We sent her a quilt that MY grandmother made. She was thrilled to get it. She will now be the KEEPER of some of these treasures. Beth
ReplyDeleteKeeper of the treasures, indeed. The thought of a handmade quilt passed down through generations is a comforting one. I sometimes think of what will happen to my possessions after I am gone; if they will have any meaning to those of subsequent generations.
DeleteIt's so nice that you have those memories. My Mom had little knick-knacks but I have no idea what my sister did with everything after she inherited the house. She did return the placemats I bought my mother in Spain.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that, with my mother in law's downsizing, few people seemed interested in anything she had to dispose of. But then she kept what she could fit into her new place. When she finally goes the way we all will go, I wonder if, at that point, we will have a family feud.
DeleteHow unique. Such intricate carving.
ReplyDeleteActually, it isn't carved. On Saturday I will blog about what I found out about "Syroco Wood". I found it a fascinating story.
Deletethese are indeed the best cherished memories... they look lovely and have so many sentiments attached to it.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI loved the way you have written this post. Absolutely heart-touching. As a co-host I thank you for sharing your story in the Cherished Blogfest.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I got a lot out of the research I had to do for this post. Thank YOU and the other co-hosters!
DeleteYou can't put a price on sentiment. How tragic that you lost your mother at such a young age. Thank you for sharing these precious keepsakes with us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and allowing me to share with you, Debbie!
DeleteThose are salt and pepper shakers?! Wow! I don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful as those!!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Modern Gypsy
Thank you. I was fascinated by Native Americans from my earliest youth, and I wonder if those shakers (in some subconscious way) started my fascination. Perhaps I will never know.
DeleteI love this! My sister was a crafter. She passed from colon cancer 20 years ago, but just before she left us, she gave me her very last piece of work - a doll made of buttons and spools. I call her "Betty Buttons" and she sits on the shelf above my desk in my office. I would feel quite lost if "Betty" were to go missing. I'm sure you feel the same about your mother's keepsakes.
ReplyDelete~Mary
Mary, yes, I would feel that way. May we both have these objects in our lives for many years to come.
DeleteWhen something is cherished, it's because of the memories behind it, not the intrinsic value. I hope someone knows how to care for them and can tell you.
ReplyDeleteSo far, no, but I may be pleasantly surprised.
DeleteIf you wouldn't have mentioned them as salt and pepper shakers, they would have been artifacts since their carving looks exquisite. But still they are, artifacts. I can understand why you cherish them for they remind you of your mother's memories.
ReplyDeleteI hope someone who knows can tell you how to care for your beautiful carved salt and pepper shakers, as they seem to be such a lovely reminder of your parents.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely set - hopefully someone will know how to make them last as long as the memories attached to them.
ReplyDeleteThey look like amazing craftsmanship. But as you said, their value is more in their sentimentality for you. Ironically, my Mom used to collect salt shakers and each of my siblings and I inherited a few pairs of them when Mom passed away 5 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing more precious than something that carries sweet memories and dear history. Thank you for sharing yours! <3
ReplyDelete