Some cultures place much importance on antique objects and family heirlooms and people often go to great lengths to preserve and acquire such things. Many people even collect antiques. However, in other cultures the concept of antiques and preserving and holding onto family heirlooms is not as present. I’m curious as to why that is.
Why do you think some cultures give more importance to antiques than others? Are antiques given importance in your culture? Does your family have any antiques or family heirlooms?
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
In my family, jewelry is sometimes passed down. Furniture that was part of a bride's trousseau is treated with great care. I like vintage jewelry and antiquated items; there's a sort of charm to it. My sister recently gave me her lamp cuz she knows I like it. It's not an antique, but it's in the form of an old-fashioned telephone booth, lol. I watched a few videos recently on antiquated makeup; the packaging was cooler back then.
An idea came to mind; don't know if it would be a possible reason behind your question. In Pakistan, many people use their father's first name as their last name. So, you're connected to only that one generation whereas using a family name such as Smith connects or attaches you with many generations, so maybe this leads to a stronger desire to preserve and pass on family heirlooms. I know that there are exceptions.
Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
No antiques here. My mom had jewelry/gold passed down the generation but she didn't like how it looked. She went to the jewelry shop and asked them to melt it and shape into something modern lol
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
the oldest child's wife gets the family antique jewelry. currently my Bhabhi has it...my nephew's wife now will inherit those articles of jewelry.
we have Khandaanii mango, guava and India Plum orchards plus individual tree lines. we still jointly own a lot of farms and houses including our ancestral home.
my mom got a number of deGhs, pateelas and other utensils made of solid copper. they sit in our village home and is loaned to families to cook food on weddings.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
Interesting replies!
In our culture, there is some emphasis on preserving and passing down family heirlooms but not to the same extent as other cultures. Most families pass down jewellery or other small items. I think the reason for this is that our traditional jewellery does not change and is not subject to trends, so it can be worn throughout the generations.
My parents have a couple of family heirlooms. They have three carved turquoise and metalwork jewellery boxes that have been in our family since the mid-1930s. I don't know if they date from the the mid-30's era or if that was just when my grandfather's father acquired them. My mum also has all of my grandmother's jewellery. My husband's family also has a couple of things. My father-in-law collects antique pulwars (a type of sword from Afghanistan) and has some that date back to the early 19th century.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
Some cultures place much importance on antique objects and family heirlooms and people often go to great lengths to preserve and acquire such things. Many people even collect antiques. However, in other cultures the concept of antiques and preserving and holding onto family heirlooms is not as present. I'm curious as to why that is.
Why do you think some cultures give more importance to antiques than others? Are antiques given importance in your culture? Does your family have any antiques or family heirlooms?
I think it varies from person to person in same culture. I don't see people preserving items other than precious one like jewellery, etc in Sindh, but then there are people who preserve even clothes of their dear ones who passed away.
Another aspect is normally preserving occurs in societies / families which are well off. A poor society got nothing to inherit for preserving.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
I think it varies from person to person in same culture. I don't see people preserving items other than precious one like jewellery, etc in Sindh, but then there are people who preserve even clothes of their dear ones who passed away.
Another aspect is normally preserving occurs in societies / families which are well off. A poor society got nothing to inherit for preserving.
^ That's quite a good point.
It's also interesting to look at the type of things different cultures choose to pass down/preserve. For instance, in Britain, I've noticed that many people are quite into antique furniture, whereas in our culture, most antique things that get passed down are usually jewellery, smaller decorative items, and things of that nature.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
I don't there is a real strict concept of family heirlooms or preserving the past in the subcontinent, unless it's gold. Which is honestly a shame. The workmanship of the days gone by is absolutely sublime, and can not be replicated in the same way these days. I know among the people we know, they kinda mock the West's obsession with antiques, keh goron ko dekho, koora kabar ko bhi itna mehnga bechtay hain.
I know in my family there is no such thing as passing things along. Not even jewellery =/ It's melted down to make something new. It's the gold that's valuable, not the shape or memories.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
One thing that is shameful for subcontinent's society is when someone inherit books their elders kept with them for years, they normally sell them as raddi.
We have a rehl (Quran stand) that was given to my mom by my grandmother on her wedding as a gift. My grandmother got it from her mil, my dads grandmother. She brought it in her dowry when she got married in 1917. I think thats the only thing that has been passed down in my family.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
Oh old books <3 There’s nothing better than open an old book gingerly. It’s a shame so many wonderful things lost. I was skimming through White Mughals, and the author William Darymple (sp?) mentioned going to a place where all these old written records from the time of East India Trading company were just rotting, and a piece of our history was being lost in front of his eyes. And then I see BBC documentaries, where they show ledgers from the Tudor times, and they can piece together their history by just perusing through old papers. It’s just heart breaking.
That sounds lovely. Do you guys still use it?
Wooden rehl’s are pretty sturdy Keep it away from termites and it will last forever.
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Surprisingly my family has quite an unusual tradition of preserving and occasionally passing down shawls/Chadars or even duppatas. After looking at the family chadors, I must admit, I am all for preserving them. The quality, the craftsmenship, the artistry and the style is purely impeccable and so unique, and unfortunately you do feel a sense of loss and brutal passing of time and breaking down of traditions when you realise that usage of such items and availability of such craftsmanship is pretty much at the verge of extinction in the mass market.
I reckon in certain communities from subcontinent, land or property is considered the ultimate family heirloom.
There was this news few years back that government building in Lahore was being renovated / extended, without caring much for loss of documents that were as old as Mughal era.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
Surprisingly my family has quite an unusual tradition of preserving and occasionally passing down shawls/Chadars or even duppatas. After looking at the family chadors, I must admit, I am all for preserving them. The quality, the craftsmenship, the artistry and the style is purely impeccable and so unique, and unfortunately you do feel a sense of loss and brutal passing of time and breaking down of traditions when you realise that usage of such items and availability of such craftsmanship is pretty much at the verge of extinction in the mass market.
I reckon in certain communities from subcontinent, land or property is considered the ultimate family heirloom.
When my daadi passed away, her belongings like ja-namaaz , dupatta she used to wear while offering prayers, tasbeeh got claimants. She passed away during one of my chacha's wedding and had two Bahoos with her (including new one). The other 3 bahoo (including my Mom) had separate kitchens and thats how all the old utensils went to last two bahoos. Its been around 12 years to her death and I don't see any of her possessions intact.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
When my daadi passed away, her belongings like ja-namaaz , dupatta she used to wear while offering prayers, tasbeeh got claimants. She passed away during one of my chacha's wedding and had two Bahoos with her (including new one). The other 3 bahoo (including my Mom) had separate kitchens and thats how all the old utensils went to last two bahoos. Its been around 12 years to her death and I don't see any of her possessions intact.
Any idea where your Grandmother's possession could be at present? Maybe they're boxed up or something.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
Any idea where your Grandmother's possession could be at present? Maybe they're boxed up or something.
may be ja-namaz, tasbeeh and dupatta were boxed are in use of some ladies of the family. But the old utensils (including naimat khana that was used before fridge) were distributed between two of her bahoos from which many items lost, broken.
She had to sold her gold kangan to meet expenses of wedding of my chacha. She had worked hard, saved whatever little income they had and at last were able to give 1200 sq ft area to each of five sons. So, they did leave behind some property for their children as well besides these small items. I remember she gave a ring (last one she saved) to my sister and asked her to give it to our eldest cousin on his wedding. On her instructions, one gold nose pin (phulli, which is not simple koka) was given to the lady who gave her bath. This lady was friend of my phuppi and as she used to get lot of gold from this bath service, my phuppi, as usual, bought that phulli at half price.
Re: Antiques and family heirlooms in different cultures
I think a lot of stuff got left behind in the partition so there is that to consider.
My grandmother started giving out her things to her nephews and nieces (my mother didn't want them) but as I grew older I had a nahiiin moment. She knows I love antiques so she's started saving all that stuff for me including her mother's wedding dinner set. (I found it on google and she was so happy to see it had some value)
The one interesting aspect of my family is that there are some pieces of jewelry unique only to my family given to all married girls. My aunts and married cousins all have those items. So for a lot of girls the items may be new but they follow the old designs. Fortunately the pieces are very modern and pretty so they'll never go out of fashion.
Keep it away from termites and it will last forever.