I opened the box holding my mother's brooches and began to cry. The week has started on a rocky note and unearthing one of the many, many collections of things I have of my mother's pushed me over the edge, yet comforted, hence the tears.
My mother loved brooches: on a blazer lapel, to hold a scarf in place, on her hand-knitted wool coats.
In her honor, like an pseudo-OCD meditation, I sorted the little collection. Five distinct categories are clear.
1. The ceramic, usually obtained from local Sydney artists, such as Vicki Grima:
3. The travel souvenirs:
4. The family heirlooms:
5. Her Sydney roots:
One question: what is that delicate little chain on the antique/vintage brooches for? I have yet to grasp its use. Extra security in case the main clasp gives? A way to attach two sides of, say, a scarf? I could use the Internet, I suppose, but I prefer to simply pose the question and ponder possibilities.
Re-boxing the brooches. Must remember I can take them out and wear them myself.
I don't know if you are still monitoring this blog, but my understanding is that they were extra security.
ReplyDeleteI love how you've done this. My MIL died in 2010, my auntin 2015, and my mother in 2020, and I have quite a few of their brooches, which fall into similar categories. I particularly love the family heirlooms, and do wear some myself occasionally.