Family heirlooms can tell us a lot about the past. Very few have such strong connections to it, however. How did these items land in their possession?
That's why it's pretty cool when you meet someone who has somehow managed to hold on to something for so long or who had it passed down to them by a late relative.
These items all have their own stories, as we were reminded by Redditor Last_in_kahoot, who asked the online community,
"What is the oldest thing you own right now?"
"It amazes me..."
"Two paintings from the 17th century. It amazes me to think about, how many people must have owned them, and how they lived, died, etc."
sirlui9119
This is so cool! Wonder who you'll pass it down to?
"Does that count?"
"My home. Does that count? Completed in the 1600s with elements of it dating back to the 1400s!"
b-roc
We bet this has been landmarked, no?
"Probably older..."
"Was going to say 'land.' I think my land was made at the last glacial period maybe hundreds of thousands of years old? Probably older than most other things on this list but not that old geologically speaking."
LazerWolfe53
Still pretty cool! Is it wild and untouched? Are you going to build a home on it?
"I have a pair of hairpins..."
"I have a pair of hairpins that appear to be enameled metal that have a note in the box written by my great-grandmother: 'These pins were worn by me on my wedding day as a gift from my grandmother who wore them on her own wedding day.'
"My great-grandmother’s wedding day was in 1902. Her grandmother’s was in 1831."
munkieshynes
Wow! Many of us do not have such strong connections to the past. You're lucky!
"My winter coat..."
"My winter coat is my great-grandfather's one! So it's more than 100 years old and I can still wear it."
Shymilaris
It sounds like a beautiful item that will never go out of style!
"A cast iron skillet..."
"A cast iron skillet from the late 1800’s."
WranglerSilver6451
My only hope is that the seasoning on this is amazing.
"I have a shotgun..."
"I have a shotgun that belonged to my great-great grandfather. I don't know exactly, but it's over 125 years old."
wrecktus-abdominus
Those antiques are pretty stunning to look at, even if I don't care for guns myself.
"I don't know much..."
"I have a flag that they flew over the Alamo. I don't know much about that piece of history but my great grandparents saw to it that I received it when they both passed away."
MattyBreland
Do yourself a favor and read up on it. It's a pretty fascinating piece of history.
"But the more interesting one..."
"I've got fossil shark teeth. But the more interesting one is a piece of iron age pottery from a tomb in Spain I dug up and put in my pocket on an archaeological dig, forgot about it till I flew home."
Velcrawr
Wow! Don't you think you should perhaps see about preserving it in a museum?
"I believe it to be authentic."
"A Hadrian era silver denarius."
"I believe it to be authentic. The obverse is Hadrian's bust in profile and the reverse is the Esteemed Fortuna, a combination not in much demand and probably not faked."
BrunoGracere
Would be pretty cool if you got that appraised!
History is fascinating and those of you who've somehow managed to hold on to family heirlooms or who have made some pretty cool discoveries don't know just how lucky you are.
Have some stories of your own? Feel free to tell us more in the comments below!
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Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram