Question of the Day - Tuesday, August 2

[cassiopea]

Salutations! Happy first Tuesday of August ~~~~~

So one of my favourite little comfort shows, that is both interesting and heartwarming, is The Repair Shop. It is a show where people bring their precious items of family history to be fixed and restored. Here is a trailer or intro to get in idea for those unfamiliar:






Anypoo the point of this post is....





What family (Or any item that is important to you, doesn't have to be specifically from family) heirloom, artifact or antique would you bring to the shop to be restored and repaired?



*Last I checked, the BBC show does not charge! Donations are welcomed, although not necessary.

Hard to pick just one! I am blessed with quite a few family antiques that mean a lot to me, from handcrafted tablecloths and jewelry to furniture and war medals from WWI era. Probably one of the first things I would pick is one of the paintings done by my great grandmother. She was an amazing woman altogether in more ways than one, as well as being a very talented artist and grateful to own a couple of her works. This one in particular is quite special since it was in my bedroom since I was a baby (Although it lives in my living room now!) It is about a doctor who is checking up on a little girl who is feigning being ill lol Circa 1900. The photo doesn't really do it justice at the moment, but as you can tell it need cleaning/brightening up and TLC. Literally 122 years of grime build up that requires a specialist. You can barely see the wee doggo in the background for instance!

I would also love to bring my great father's WWI era medals as well from Finland, amongst other previous selections.

How about you folks?

 

[strider rose]

i dont have anything like that ... i was never left with anything from family

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Hmm… my mom has a Singer Treadle sewing machine that belonged to my great-Aunt; my grandma’s oldest sister. I tried to google for her obituary to see exactly when she was born but I can’t find it online. She was old enough that her oldest child was the same age as their youngest sister; who I believe is in her early 90s. Gram would be 97. So the basically the machine is old. Its in decent condition but I’d like to keep it that way. I’m not sure when the last time the actual machine part was raised; its probably not worth the risk of damaging it just to find out if it does.

If I had my grandma’s sewing machine I’d definitely go with that. I don’t know the maker but I remember Gram saying it was very expensive at the time she got it and I believe it was made in Italy or somewhere in Europe. It was big and green and had its own smooth wooden cabinet with an arm that folded out to the left. I learned to sew on it and the sound of that machine is stuck in my memory. Its a soothing sound to me.

 

[NY cat man]

A Chauncey Jerome clock that has been in our family for almost 200 years. It still works, but the veneer is in sad shape. For years, the mirror in the lower half of the door was the only one in the house.

 

[game misconduct]

would have to be wedding pics of my parents or other ones of them before they married. or ones of myself with my little sisters

 

[Jem]

I actually have a few...
I have my (paternal) Grandmother's wedding (engagement) ring where the band has been completely worn out to the point where the bottom broke off. So basically I'm left with just the top with the stones and some gold jutting out from the sides. To have the band remade would be nice...but it's pricey.
I also have an oil painting my (maternal) Grandfather painted and I would love to have the frame fixed or redone.
Although they do not need to be repaired, I have my (paternal) Great Grandmother's pearl set. Earrings and necklace. I would love to have the backings of the earrings changed out to posts instead of clip on. I'm terrified of wearing them out of fear of loosing them.
I have inherited several other items from family over the years, but they don't need fixing yet.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

My grandpa's typewriter. He got it when he was attending DePaul in the 50s.

 

[denice]

The only thing I have is jewelry, my mother's bridal set. It doesn't really need restored, just a cleaning. I would like to turn it into something that would actually be worn. It's an old style that never came back, very popular in the 50's though.

 

[vansX2]

I guess one would hardly call a 38 yr. old chair a antique . I have this Oak Cane Back style chair that has needed repair for over 25 yrs. It's one of 4 of a matching set. I guess that Iam keeping it until I can find someone whom is able to properly repair it. Unfortunately in my community I have not been able to find anyone for such repairs.

 

[vansX2]

The only thing I have is jewelry, my mother's bridal set. It doesn't really need restored, just a cleaning. I would like to turn it into something that would actually be worn. It's an old style that never came back, very popular in the 50's though.

View attachment 428208

It's Beautiful. Perhaps you could pass it down in your family.

 

[vansX2]

My grandpa's typewriter. He got it when he was attending DePaul in the 50s.

That typewriter could fetch you a good price, if you would sell it. Last year I purchased a "German" type set typewriter That was made in the early 1960's. I paid close to $300. for it.

 

[neely]

This question is right up my husband's alley since he likes to collect and sell antiques as a hobby. But since I'm answering not him, lol, I'd say the missing handle on a Mission style desk that I love. He took another handle from the desk into an antique restorer so he could match it but the price was through the roof.

 

[aliceneko]

I love the Repair Shop and it's great to see people across the pond starting to watch it! We often wonder this when we watch the episodes, and I'd probably take in my mother's old dolls house she and my aunt used to play with when they were kids in the '60s. It's designed in the retro style and was handmade by my granddad, but some of the original furniture has broken through years of play as it was then passed on to my cousins and me when we were young.

 

[lizzie]

That looks like a wonderful show!I'd love to watch that on a regular basis!We have a mantle clock that belonged to my husbands grandmother.The veneer could use some touching up and it doesn't keep very good time.It has a key to wind it up and the chime will wake you up out of a dead sleep...may need just a good cleaning on the inside.No one around here to repair clocks,etc. anymore.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

A beautiful commemorative broach of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. The clasp is broken. It is porcelain, with her portrait in sepia tones.

 

[Maria Bayote]

My mom was a devout Catholic. In fact, she was a nun before but left the convent when she got very sick and decided to not come back even after she got well. She just went into teaching law and became a Regional Director for Justice and Probation a few years later.

Just a year or two before she passed away, she gave me this tiny Sto. Niño figurine before I went back to work overseas. She said it would protect me. When she died and I could not return home due to Covid-19 lockdowns, I held onto that figurine while I cried like crazy, as it felt it was my only way to be with her. Every now and then when I get so very sad or suffer from anxiety attacks, I just take it out from the drawer for a while and try to remember my mother's words, "It will protect you."

But I want it to be polished / cleaned, but not from just washing it. When I go for vacation next time I will have to bring it with me for its makeover.