Wednesday, 10 August 2011

10 on the 10th!

This is my first '10 on the 10th' ! The lovely Shimelle has some fab ideas but I never seem to actually get my act together before the deadline lol. I decided to unearth my great great Aunts jewellery box that came to me when my Grandad had to downsize many years ago & he knew as I was the family historian that I would take care of it. Its nothing special ..... well it is to me!
Marion was born in the late 1800s in Manchester. She spent her career as a very much loved girls school headmistress. Sadly her fiance was killed in WW1 as was her brother Norman and she apparently spent many years in a fruitless search for their graves. In her later life she was unfortunately  the victim of burglary & lost many precious things. But this little box managed to remain in her possession until her death in 1972!


GreatGreat Aunt Marions box - battered but well loved!

When opened the box reveals its hidden treasure.
 I have chosen 10 items to show in more detail

Marion was a great traveller & was lucky to go to many exotic places.
This bracelet shows the major towns of Switzerland with the scenes painted onto enamel

Marions beloved brother Norman who was awarded the Military Medal
 for bravery under enemy fire. He died at Ypres in 1917 aged 23.
This mourning necklace also has a picture on the reverse side of her father

This is a handmade beaded choker sadly now falling apart

One of the brooches in the box. I think this is marcasite? It catches the light beautifully

This piece & another similar one confused me at first but I think I've worked out that
these clip on either side of a collar on a blouse or cloak. Purely for decoration.

This is a mourning brooch made of the famous Whitby Jet.
It has been broken over the years but if i have enough money one day I hope to restore it.
This also held the same photos as the necklace above/

The coral necklace & earrings.
I wore this necklace often but it had tightened over the years so we had it restrung
& its much better. Theres no way I could wear the screw on earrings though!

The joker in the pack?
This necklace is made if golden cotton(?) crochet work & golden beads
but seems to have a 1960s feel to it!

Another mourning brooch - poor Marion :(
I've shown the other side of the necklace with the photo of her father
(my great x3 Grandfather) James Wilson b1853

Last but not least is little chap. My favourite I think. I dont know what he is made of or why she had him
in there but he adds a certain whimsy to the collection don't you think?
So thats my 10 on the 10th for August! Do you have a favourite?
Thanks for reading xx

8 comments:

  1. Wow! Those are some amazing items. Yeah, I kinda like the last one best, too. :)

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  2. Oh my these are just amazing. How lucky you are to have these, I think my favourite is that pretty brooch.

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  3. Some really beautiful treasures there.

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  4. Beautiful collection and treasured memories of an aunty.
    Thanks for sharing
    xxx

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  5. My favorite would be the box itself! Oh what I could do with a box like that!

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  6. What memories in that box. I loved the tales you told; my favourite would have to be what I would call a cardigan clip.
    Elx

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  7. What an absolutely wonderful collection - every piece with a story all of its own. I love it! An inspired choice for your first "ten" Heather

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  8. What a wonderful collection to have, full of precious memories:)
    I'm taking part in Ginger's Mail Art Exchange, so just popping over to say "Hi!"

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