{"id":57551,"date":"2020-04-07T12:50:10","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T16:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=57551"},"modified":"2023-10-12T14:20:12","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T18:20:12","slug":"genealogy-101-what-is-that-identifying-family-heirlooms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-101-what-is-that-identifying-family-heirlooms.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy 101: What Is That? Identifying Family Heirlooms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article \u2013 part of an ongoing \u201cIntroduction to Genealogy\u201d series \u2013 Gena Philibert-Ortega gives tips for identifying the family heirloom that was handed down to you. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I have been fortunate to have people show me their family heirlooms and ask if I know anything about them. I\u2019ve researched everything from quilts and dresses to kitchen tools and dishes. I love this type of treasure hunt \u2013 and to be honest, it seems that my parents\u2019 hobby of antique shopping when I was a kid has benefitted me. Afterall, what better place to learn history than an antique store?<\/p>\n

What heirlooms do you or your family have that make you scratch your head? How can you identify something you inherited? Let\u2019s use an item from my family to help us think about how we can identify family heirlooms.<\/p>\n

What Is That?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Consider these objects from my mom\u2019s collection. These two items stand about 1\u00bd inches tall and have a bowl that is about 1 inch, but some of these items can also be taller than the examples I\u2019m showing. These particular examples are made of glass, but my mom also has some that are made of plastic.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: eye wash cups. Credit: Gena Philibert-Ortega.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Online Searching<\/u><\/p>\n

If I had no idea what these items were, it would be difficult to just \u201cGoogle it\u201d hoping for a quick answer. What keywords would I use that would make sense? If I wanted to try a Google search, I should come up with a hypothesis for what I think these items could be, what they were used for, or where they were used (for example, the kitchen) that might help me to describe them in an online search. I may decide to use what little I do know to start my search. For example, typing in the name of any manufacturer or other clues found on the items may help. Unfortunately, in this case there are no identifying marks or manufacturer names on these two items.<\/p>\n

What else could I try? I could seek out reference guides or relevant websites. Antique price guides and vintage Sears Catalogs may help. Finding similar items on eBay or Pinterest would also be helpful \u2013 but once again, I need to have words to describe these items to search those websites.<\/p>\n

One other technique you could use to identify an unknown item is to use a reverse image search via Google Images. A \u201creverse image search\u201d is when a search engine uses an image instead of keywords to find matches. To do this, go to Google Images<\/a> and click on the camera icon in the search engine box. Now upload an image of the item. Google will search for other images that match the one you uploaded. This might help you to find matching images which can lead to more information.<\/p>\n

Family and Friends<\/u><\/p>\n

I could start my research by asking my family what they think these items are and if they knew the use\/importance of them. If that didn\u2019t result in an answer, I could crowdsource the question to my friends on social media websites Facebook and Twitter. I have crowdsourced problems on social media before and this can be very helpful. I could also post a photo of these items on my blog or website hoping a reader might have an answer.<\/p>\n

The Archive Lady<\/a>, Melissa LeMaster Barker, recommends asking your local museum or historical society about your item. They can help you identify it or make suggestions. I would also suggest local antique stores since the people who work and sell there have a special interest in vintage items and may specialize in your particular item.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s What It Is!<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, by searching online and asking around, you now know what the item is. Next, use old newspapers, such as GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>, to learn more about it. Consider newspaper articles such as advertisements, collector columns, or anything that might describe using that item.<\/p>\n

In the example from my mom\u2019s collection, the photo shows two eye wash cups. It seems that when my mom started collecting these, about the 1980s, other collectors were curious about the medical item and started seeking them out as well.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Newark Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), 24 December 1981, page 37<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Delving further back in the historical newspapers, I get a sense of why eye wash cups were so important to generations past. Today the importance of washing your eyes seems to be limited to removing foreign objects or liquids from the eye, but generations previous saw eye washing as part of their overall beauty regime.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a 1917 \u201cBeauty Chats\u201d newspaper column explaining that \u201cdaily eye wash increases the beauty of the eye.\u201d You could purchase eye wash, but this article suggests that the \u201cbest wash is made from pure water \u2013 boiled water is pure \u2013 and boric acid.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), 28 August 1917, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article includes an image of a woman using an eye wash cup.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), 28 August 1917, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My favorite of the articles on eye washing is this one that proclaims \u201cNo Woman Can Be Really Beautiful Who Neglects This Most Important of Duties.\u201d This newspaper article instructs that \u201cThe eye bath should be taken in the morning and before retiring. The eye cup fits over the open eye and the water will wash it out.\u201d It also says to use a \u201cpinch of salt.\u201d However, I\u2019m not so sure I\u2019d want to add even diluted salty water to my eye.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Cleveland Gazette (Cleveland, Ohio), 29 July 1916, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Collyrium was an eye wash liquid that your ancestor may have purchased.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Collyrium. Credit: Gena Philibert-Ortega.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the product shown above, the bottle cap was replaced with an eyewash cup.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Collyrium box. Credit: Gena Philibert-Ortega.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Learn More about That Heirloom Today<\/strong><\/p>\n

Family members die, and with them their life experiences and stories. Often, we don\u2019t understand what was important to them or why they saved certain items or found joy in material items that we don\u2019t use anymore. Not sure what that heirloom is? You can figure it out by using crowdsourcing, reference works, and historical newspapers. Then use what you learned to tell the story of that item and your ancestor.<\/p>\n

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