My Kind of Gift - Vintage Mikimoto / Pearls of the Week

[GemGeek]

This should make up for last week! I hope you will click the link to read the accompanying story.

My Kind of Gift - Vintage Mikimoto

I was reading an article about people not wanting to inherit their parent's or grandparent's furnishings and keepsakes. There is a growing distaste for "brown furniture", the kind of beautifully ornate dining sets I wanted to inherit when I was a little girl. I have to admit that I prefer the...

www.pearl-guide.com

Enjoy,
Blaire

 

[Katbran]

What a lovely broach and an even lovelier story.

It is a bit disheartening that no one wants the 'family ' furniture. It seems that a new $800 IKEA couch is better than recovering a 15000 custom made one. I am looking to sell my house and 'downsize' later this year and plan to keep 5 things . The rest can be sold or go to the Salvation Army. I have a dear friend who has collected American Antique furniture for 40yrs ..plus inherited a ton of it. She sent a note to say that she had both her adult daughters over for the purpose of sorting out who wanted what . She didn't want any ill feeling later on . Well she needn't have worried ..they didn't want any of it . She was devastated. I told her to start selling it and take a cruise.

 

[mrsadm]

What a fabulous piece, and a wonderful friend! You are very lucky.

 

[GemGeek]

Wow, Katbran, that must have really hurt. It's good she talked to them early, eh?

 

[GemGeek]

What a fabulous piece, and a wonderful friend! You are very lucky.

Yes, yes, and YES!

 

[pattye]

Beautiful brooch and the story hits home for sure.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

That was a wonderful gift, GemGeek!

As I get older I find myself thinking about what I'd like to do with my jewelry. I figure the best way to ensure that a particular person gets something of ours is to give it to them before we die. I think I'd like to give my daughter most of my jewelry-- whatever she wants of it-- when I'm in my mid-70s or so. She'll be in her mid 30s then and will have years to enjoy it.

My mother gave me much of her jewelry years before she passed. As a result, I associate it with her as she was during her healthy years, rather than a sadder association with her Alzheimer's and death. The few items I got after her death are harder for me to wear. Some, I can't touch yet. There is so much poignancy attached to them.

 

[GemGeek]

Pearl Dreams, I hear you and you have a great plan. Mom and I were just talking about her stuff and I reiterated that I would not be able to keep much of it because my house is full. I want a few choice things that are dear to me because they remind me of her -- mostly small stuff. So she said she would start giving things away to friends and family now. A great idea, even if it means you find that some are not interested.

 

[CathyKeshi]

You don't need to "make up for" anything Blaire ... look at the entertainment we got out of last week's post Your new brooch is lovely, and so sweet of your friend to choose something that would be dear to your heart! Choosing a gift that's right for the recipient is really an art form seldom seen these days of text messages and gift cards. Can you hang the brooch from a chain as a pendant?

 

[GemGeek]

Can you hang the brooch from a chain as a pendant?

I probably could, but I'm already a bit paranoid that I'm going to lose it, which I have done by trying to wear a couple of others as pendants. I wear a lot of black, which it looks great against.

 

[Marianne]

As others have said, It is a very treasured gift!

 

[CathyKeshi]

I thought it might have had a folding pendant bail on the back; I have several vintage pins/brooches that do. I'm sure it looks lovely on black; could we entice you into a shot of you wearing it?

 

[amti]

That is so sweet! And a story that we must all face, sooner or later.

My mom has already asked us all what we wanted, including the grandkids. My brothers and I have an understanding that if we gave mom something, we get it back. I read an article about two weeks ago on how the kids won't want any of their parents' furniture. A good friend is cleaning out her mom's house of over 40 years to get it demolished. Her mom is going to live with them and they are going to rebuild a newer, more modern home with a mother in law plan so they can live in a larger, more comfortable house and care for her mom. She is asked me what to keep and what is worth selling. I sent her this article: http://www.nextavenue.org/nobody-wants-parents-stuff/

 

[BWeaves]

Blaire, I loved last weeks post. I just didn't like that brooch. I thought the main pearl was, how shall I say it, a very unfortunate shape and color.

I love your Mikimoto brooch, and what a lovely story. I feel like I just lived your story.

And I love brown furniture. I really do not like the latest furniture trends. Then again, I have two big wooden looms in my living room, so old fashioned furniture just fits.

 

[Icyjade]

Wow, thought provoking thread. I suppose I'll be fine if my kids hate the stuff I collect and I'll rather sell/gift them to people who will appreciate them than saddle them on my kids who will find it troublesome to get rid of them. That said, I'll still be trying my best to get them interested in my pearls/jewelry...

GemGeek: that's such a great gift! Thank you for sharing your story.

 

[Pareltje]

What a wonderful gift, GG. Such a thoughtful gift.
Icy, I will be the first to queue if your kids don't like pearls LOL kiddin .

 

[GemGeek]

That is so sweet! And a story that we must all face, sooner or later.

My mom has already asked us all what we wanted, including the grandkids. My brothers and I have an understanding that if we gave mom something, we get it back. I read an article about two weeks ago on how the kids won't want any of their parents' furniture. A good friend is cleaning out her mom's house of over 40 years to get it demolished. Her mom is going to live with them and they are going to rebuild a newer, more modern home with a mother in law plan so they can live in a larger, more comfortable house and care for her mom. She is asked me what to keep and what is worth selling. I sent her this article: http://www.nextavenue.org/nobody-wants-parents-stuff/

Yes, I think that's the article I read! It should be required reading for everyone.

 

[Katbran]

Must be hitting home with a lot of people ...I'm sure that's the article that a friend linked to me as well.

 

[Camelotshadow]

Very pretty & wondrful memento...brooches are not really that popular anymore but they dress up anything even a scarf & I bet that could be converted to a pendant.

No one to pass on jewelry to but my mother if she outlives me...Shes 88.

Selling a mikimoto dress clip so talk about old!

Its on ebay & I just received a rather paultry low offer of $200 (Think I paid more)& it has about $140 worth of 3.8 grams 9K gold value. I really don;t want to sell a mikimoto for a bit more than scrap after fees so I think I;'ll decline...

Dress clips were out starting the 50's so I'm guessing it has to be about 70 years old...

 

[Pearl Dreams]

That is interesting-- I never heard of dress clips!