Here are our marching orders for this week’s Fun Monday post, per Karmyn: “…pick an object that has special meaning to your heart and tell us all about it. Examples include a family heirloom or a special gift.”
“Things” in and of themselves have little significance to me. A few things which enjoin me to my past, however, are matchless, impossible-to-replace t r e a s u r e s. Perhaps there are no greater treasures in this imaginary bejeweled chest than a few items inherited from my mother, who lost a five-year battle with cancer when I was just nine years old.
First, this sweater. Look at it–it’s exquisite.
The beading is gorgeous. My aunt had this in storage until about three years ago, when she decided to give one to me and a similar one to my sister. When I wear it (and I look for opportunities to do so), it’s as if my mom was wrapped around; in a very real sense, she is. For some reason her clothes, most of which are too small for me to wear, bring her to life again, maybe more so than pictures. They paint a picture of her taste and style and give me cause to wonder what she’d be like now.
Next, my fine china–her china passed on to me.
It’s an Oxford bone china (now a division of Lenox) and the pattern is Malden. I would never have chosen something so simple when I got married, I’m sure I would’ve gone for something with a lot of color like Wedgewood’s Runnymede or Lenox’s Autumn. Now, I’m soooo thankful for her elegant, simple taste. This is beautiful and pictures don’t do it justice. Slice a little Spam and arrange it on a plate, and I swear it will actually taste good.
My mother-in-law, by example, has taught me to use my china and crystal and silver (she gave me her sterling on my 40th birthday because we didn’t have any; since she had her own mother’s, she thought it ridiculous to have two sets). Most of my friends have their wedding china boxed up. Insanity. If yours is in boxes or stashed in a cabinet, please–get it out! Use it tomorrow night! So what if it’s Sloppy Joes or beans and franks, USE IT! If it gets broken, it breaks; replace it, don’t replace it…but don’t let it sit in a box for the rest of your life, waiting for “something” special when a thousand special somethings are passing you by! My children love to eat in our dining room with the good stuff, and every time we do, I swear I won’t wait so long til the next time.
The last “thing” which is hardly a thing is my polyphon. I have only seen one other one in person at an antique store y
ears ago. This actually comes from my father’s side of the family; his father (who died before I was born) owned an antique store and so my siblings and I inherited pieces we could probably never have afforded (or “justified”) on our own. As a child, I can remember thinking this music box was simply magical. To the right, above the handle is is a coin slot; although it has never functioned, we’d put in change and listen for it’s “clank” at the bottom of the casing. We’d twirl the handle and then twirl ourselves. I have no idea how I lucked out with this piece, but somehow I think I got away with murder (although I did covet the elegant candelabras my sister ended up with).
Yes, this still plays… beautifully. If you check back later, I’m going to try to upload a video file, right now everyone’s asleep so I’m waiting for some help to film it. We have 23 metal discs, they’re housed in the bottom piece of the Polyphon. It’s function is similar to a smaller music box.
I thought I’d include a picture of the small name plate on the front of the piece…I thought it might be familiar to some of my 
readers from England.
Thanks to Karmyn for selecting a WONDERFUL Fun Monday topic–you can tell I thoroughly enjoyed sharing these things with you.
Dear pensieve. You are so right about the china. I don’t have good china (yet) but my mum let us use her good china and we simply loved it.
You’re so right about the china. I’ve been using stuff my mom never did. And how awesome is that polyphon?! I’m coming back for the video!
Wow! I am so humbled. I’ll never have any great stuff like this. You must wake up every morning, slip on your sweater, eat your Cheerios from a fine china bowl and take a cheerful morning tour of your house.
I wake up and all I see are testicles on the ceiling.
Oh, I adore your beautiful things. The memories and the objects themselves are golden.
What beautiful heirlooms and treasures. Loved the tour and also the fact you have been instructed to use the china. It was almost like being in an antique shop…instead I was in a friend’s house.
Will wish you a wonderful week now, as I probably won’t have time to visit much for awhile.
You are right about the china, I don’t have any because I’ve no room, but if I did I’d use it all the time!
I love that you wear your Mum’s old clothes, I have a few of my Mum’s clothes from the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Will be back to check out the video, good luck with it.
Oh, Robin, I am beyond jealous of your polyphon. Drooling, actually. I’d smash a window for it.
I use my fine china all the time.
The Polyphon is absolutely amazing.
I can’t have nice objects like those because I grow paralyzingly paranoid that I’ll break something of tremendous value and of irreplaceable nature. It’s a good thing that those objects are in your possession, as you seem fully capable to not destroying them in a somewhat comical but ultimately heartbreaking manner.
Little Miss, doesn’t the food taste just a wee bit better because of it?
Melissa, ugh…my foyer (where it’s located) is being painted even as we speak…when I can get in there, I’ll try to get it with my lemony stupid digital camera (lol).
Y e a h, Min, THAT’S what I do every morning…! Maybe you should do something about that testicle-ceiling affliction you’ve got going on. It flat scared me! lol
Jenny, I’d have to agree with you ;).
Swampy, ah, yes, it’s nice to share these with a friend, irl or cyber space, doesn’t matter to me. Hope all is well as your week sounds to be VERY full of something!
Beccy, there’s a whole ‘nother post I’ll be writing in the future about the vintage clothing we found recently in my grandmother’s basement! I’m looking forward to figuring out how to write it :/.
Heather, I guess b/c of your musical abilities, I knew you’d like seeing this…just glad you stopped in today :).
Amy….yaaaaeeeee! I love to know there are people who understand it’s SUPPOSED to be used!!!
James, Yikes!! You popped in while I was writing. This is the way I figure it…something’s gonna get broken sometime. At least it won’t be from lack of use, it’ll be because we were ENJOYING it! After I shed a few tears, rant and rave, beat the crap outta one of my kids, I’ll sing the theme song from “Annie” and all will be well with the world ;).
I have never seen (or heard of) a polyphon. How nice that you have somnething that brings back memories of childhood.
Really nice stuff with even better memories. That polyphon is amazing.
robin you have such lovely treasures, that cardigan is beautiful, and its very easy not to use china (kept for best)and the poyphon is wonderful. I love antiques.
sorry spelling error polyphon
All of your things are beautiful, the sweater, the china, and the polyphon. For years, I wore a sweater vest that my mom wore in the eighth grade. Wearing the vest always made me feel good.
Bethany, I have a horrid memory, so I am all the more thankful for these “reminders”.
Mark, I guess now that I’m home for the afternoon, I should go try to film the durn thing.
Chris, lol, I keep wanting to put an “e” at the end of it, so no probleme-o with the incorrect spelling. I agree, it IS easy NOT to use the china, that’s why I was so emphatic in telling everyone NOT to do that (did that make sense??? lol).
MJD, I TOTALLY get why you wore that sweater vest…that sounds very cool to me!
What a great post. I love that sweater – looks like it belonged to a Lady of Fine Quality…. who probably did sip tea from her china cups.
Holy crap! A cornucopia of precious items!! I loved them all (well maybe not so much the sweater).
I agree wholeheartedly with you views on fine china. And that polyphon gizmo is amazing, I think we need a post just on that.
Since Heather has smashed the window anyway, I think I might just grab the dinner set, I love that pattern!
Oh, gosh, Karmyn, that’s kind of funny…my mom was from RURAL Georgia and it’s funny to think of her the way you described her. That being said, I guess with the items I chose, it LOOKS that way (but it really isn’t accurate…). More on that in a future post ;).
Willowtree, why thank you! I’m having technical difficulties with filming a video blog (grrrr >:( ), but I haven’t given up. I guess I should just save it for an easy post, huh?
I have that very same sweater. 😉
Steve~
I love the polyphon – what musical selections have you got? I miss the music boxes at the museum, I always turned them on while I was cleaning.
I only keep out the pieces of china we use b/c earthquakes still freak me out & even then, whenever an earthquake hits I have to go check on every piece. I’ve only lost one so far.
so where is my comment from earlier??
We have a little music box that has metal discs…
Thorens Swiss Music Box and it would easily sit in your lap it is so small.
It plays 23 songs.
But yours is the best,
I’ll try to remember to use the china instead of the chinet (paper) next time we have a real dinner instead of dash and go.
Lovely sweater. Sorry you have to wonder how she looked in it.
robin I understand what you are saying about using the china and agree I just find it hard to do with some of the stuff I have (actually I think I am lazy and as some the china I have isn’t dishwasher friendly it stays packed away for high days and holidays) silly really
Some lovely thoughts here Robin… a wonderful post. I love your Mom’s beaded sweater (another cool sweater!) and the idea of being wrapped up in HER. I have a dress my mother wore at my sister’s wedding made from an Indian sari my father brought back from his trip to the Orient. It’s turquoise with gold emroidery, and gorgeous. No occasion to wear it yet though!
Sadly, our wedding china (Rosenthal) is down to the last few pieces. We’ve used it all these years, and we’ve broken quite a few plates. The pattern is no longer available, so I’ve been contemplating something NEW! Maybe it’s a good thing your mother’s (Lenox) china didn’t get used… you might not have it to enjoy today.
Can you tell me more about the polyphon please. I have never seen one with an inlaid door. Looks good! Regards.
Steve