When people decided it was time to cut and get out of the House, where they lived for perhaps 40 years, they want to extend their household furniture, treasured belongings and family heirlooms, their adult children and grandchildren. But more often than not, their descendants say no thanks, according to executives moving to help elderly parents move to assisted living facilities and real estate appraisers who help families to sell unwanted goods.
This can be painful for aging parents, especially when the undesirable elements include Family treasures that were passed from generation to generation, such as the sterling silver serving pieces that belonged to their grandparents and tablecloths, brought to America a great great-grandmother 140 years ago as part of her bridal dowry. These relics are part of family history and living tradition, the expected parents to go for a long time after they left the scene.
The reluctance to accept everything that a parent from the family estate offers is not a new phenomenon, said Jack Larkin, Chief historian of the Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts has always been a tension between the generations for their taste and style. A century ago, an adult child might have taken her mother China but went to her locker, just like a daughter could do now.
But Larkin, acknowledged the tensions between the generations for what to keep and what to give away more now because of the changes in American families over the last five decades as women entered the workforce and extended their concerns outside of the household. Although historically, women were the keepers of family traditions and family traditions, many may decide that they don't want to carry forward the traditions of each of their mothers and grandmothers.
At the same time, Larkin added, men become more involved in domestic issues and parenting and sons may carry on certain traditions that are kept apart from their daughters. Looking at these developments through the prism of the home furnishings, Larkin pondering "the House will have a China Cabinet and breakfront China for display in the dining room?" Kids can keep these pieces of furniture, but judging by the families decided to sell, their content will be very different, said Stephanie Kenyon, President of & Slons Kenyon, Chevy Chase appraisal and auction firm.
She found that the young generation live informally, and little interest in preserving the way of life of their parents, especially as they entertained. Is this a modest real estate with a pair of sterling silver candlesticks, Sterling Diners and a set of fine porcelain dessert plates decorated with tiny Rosebuds, or much more real estate with enough China, silverware, wine glasses and water to accommodate to a sit-down dinner for 20 people, the heirs do not want.
The reason the offspring to give most often for selling off the contents of their parents China closet require maintenance, Kenyon said. Silver, that every bride wanted 50 years ago needs regular polishing, fine porcelain China must have washed my hands and damask table linens require ironing, as well as a thorough washing. The pace of life was slower then. Today's families want dishes that can go in the dishwasher and microwave and cutlery of stainless steel, which does not tarnish.
Passing on silver because it is too much work is somewhat ironic, from a historical point of view, said Dean Zimmerman, Director of the Museum of the history of the Western Reserve historical society in Cleveland. For a mother and grandmother who were brides before World War II silver version was low, compared with the much less expensive steel cutlery, which was available then--it will corrode and rust if you don't wash and carefully dry it immediately after each use, "he said.
In addition to keeping the question of young adults in their 20s and 30s to take a pass on their parents and grandfathers things because they have a very different sense of history, Kenyon said. School programs have a wide focus with more attention to America's diversity and much less on specific historical periods. Even kids who grew up in the District of Colombia and visited Mount Vernon and other historic homes several times to say old things, "so what if George Washington used his generation? So, if it was used in the 1890 year?»
This group of equally disinterested in the as made these old things, Kenyon noted, but many, especially of old silver pieces, have an interesting back story. For example, some real estate today have one or two "coin silver serving spoons, so named because 200 to 250 years ago, the man who would be serving tea or bring a bag of coins for the wizard and ask him to do a piece. You can still see the hand hammered texture on the back of a spoon and chisel marks inside these teapots, Kenyon said.
When heirs decide on large pieces of furniture, even China cabinets and breakfronts often sold because the current decorating trends in favor of clean lines and spare look, Kenyon said. Family carved pieces look older, fussy, and they're usually dark with age. Refinishing often reveals beautiful wood texture, which was hidden under layers of varnish, but the families are not interested. They want to buy new parts, but, she said, they won't be better in terms of quality. Ordinary, mass-produced furniture made before 1970 stronger frames with better glues and finishes compared to what it was made with.
Kenyon said that while some families sell many, if not most, household items, they inherit, the growing interest of the general public to renew, reuse and recycle soil, many young people just out of College, to buy a previously owned goods for sale real estate and tag her firm a consignment shop.
Kenyon also noted that heirs who want to sell the Manor of unrealistic about its value. Browse TV shows such as "Antiques Roadshow," they have seen, they "are sitting on a gold mine, but it's rare to find something in the Manor, truly Museum quality," she said. Most of the estates will have several vintage collectibles are worth "in the low hundreds, not thousands." high such as a set of four funky 1950 's, bar stools, which people often have in their basement rec rooms in good condition, it might be worth $ 300, not $ 3,000.
Melanie Diane appraiser, real estate in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said that the heirs are also misleading prices listed in antique guides, written by antique dealers. Today, the price on eBay is set to true. Book dealers can appreciate green depression glass plates at 35 dollars but the price is closer to $ 5 on eBay.