The importance of family heirlooms

family heirlooms

Most children are thrilled to receive a family heirloom, whether it has been passed down many generations or something they remember receiving as a gift as a child. It may also be something they cherished when they were young children.

The stories they tell have special meaning in one way or another. It could be a gift from Aunt Julie or Uncle Bill, or it could be something the child remembered from her parents or grandparents’ house growing up. Who hasn’t wished they had that special toy, book or piece while watching the traveling antique show on TV?

If it is an item that is passed down from generation to generation, take the time to learn as much information about the piece as possible. Countless stories can be told of an heirloom being passed down from a previous generation, but no one can remember who it came from, the approximate date, or the value. When this information is preserved with the heirloom piece, it makes the item much more valuable.

Even if the piece is only 10-20 years old and you remember it from your childhood, it may still have sentimental value. Passing on to a future generation will eventually add decades to the piece. It may not be an antique now, but in 20 years it will be. An example of some beautiful pieces are the Tiffany lamps made by Louis Comfort Tiffany. If one of his lamps is sold at auction, it can easily fetch thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.

If you think an heirloom piece is valuable and you don’t know its value, don’t hesitate to hire a professional to help you appraise the piece. A museum or library is a great place to start. Most museums have a curator who can appraise the pieces or can direct the appropriate person to appraise the piece. Many libraries have books available on antiques and family heirlooms. Appraisals are important to know the value of an item, the age, the period of time it was used. It can also assist you in why you should have the piece insured. The insurance company will need to know the value and will most likely ask you for an appraisal.

Relics are an important part of history. Without history, we would not be who we are today. We have evolved from the simple life to the technological age. With heirlooms, we know where we came from and how we became what we are today.

tiffany lamp