There's part of me that loves a mystery and part of me that really wishes I understood what secrets the mystery holds. When I was growing up, my Mum's dressing table held such an attraction for me. I would climb up on the velvet cushioned stool, carefully pick up the hairbrush, mirror and comb set that always sat in the middle. A beautiful set, with Chinese patterned satin covered by a layer of filigree golden coloured metal. I would carefully brush my hair - gazing into the tri-fold mirror that was on top of the dressing table, checking my appearance from front and both sides. Having made my hair as glamorous as I could, my attention would turn to the other bits and pieces on the table top. A bottle of perfume, pots of creams and lotions, and a few trinkets. I now have a selection of these at home and all qualify for the title of 'precious'.
For February, I will share one of these that holds a mystery. It's a little leather covered chest, about 3" tall and 4" wide. Inside is a collection of things. Buttons from clothes that I remember her wearing, a couple of brooches and then these things ...
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A commemorative coin for the Coronation in 1952, and a five shilling piece from the same year. A cutting from a local newspaper, which turns out to be the obituary from when her grandmother died, a few months after I was born. A key. What do you think this opens? We never found anything that it fitted but it was kept safe so it must have some significance. Then the little white leather pouch. The softest leather you can imagine, held with a silver popper on the back. Gold writing that indicates it comes from a jewellers in Burlington Arcade London W1. Something very special must have come in there. You would imagine that it had once held a precious ring. But open it up and you will see tht inside it is a little brown stone. With a perfectly formed hole in the corner. Where had it come from? Who found it and gave it to my my mum? Why was it kept in such a special place? It obviously held some special memories to her but it was story she never told, and will now remain a mystery for ever more.
This is part of Sian's Pick your Precious series. Head on over there to see what other stories people are sharing.
35 comments:
Oh yes, that is indeed precious and although mystery's are nice to solve, there is something precious about having an unsolvable one too. Such lovely things to have.
Oh what a delicious mystery. Thanks for sharing it with us
Yes, I too used to love all the trinkets on my grandmother's dressing table - it all seemed so exotic and grown up and important. These are indeed special treasures Deb!
That certainly is a mystery that will always be unsolved, what a great collection of treasure you have in that little box x
What special treasures these are Deb! Thanks for sharing them x
They really are a mystery but I think that makes them even more precious xThanks for sharing x
What a wonderfully told story this is! You've conjured up that special dressing table atmosphere, all the glamour and wonder, and you've got me guessing about that special stone too. I love it.
what stories left untold, precious indeed x
A wonderful story, fabulously told! I could picture you sat there preening, at your Mums dressing table!! What a lovely collection of keepsakes & I wonder just what was the significance of that little stone that it was kept in such an exclusive little pouch?!! :D
I too spent hours at my mum's dressing table....and have some of her precious pieces now.
Yes I could imagine you sitting there preening too - what a lovely little box too - a great story Deb x
A lovely story. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Such a wonderful story, told with love. I wonder why our mothers dressing tables held such interest to us, back then.
What a fabulous and mysterious treasure!
What a lovely treasure box, filled with wonderful & even mysterious treasures. Thanks for letting us peek at the treasures.
We have my hubby's grandmother's old desk - I need to share about it one Storytelling Sunday.
Very intriguing!
A lovely story - I have a small trinket box with some special treasures of things i know nothing about x
I love the random boxes of 'treasures' that we all keep. You have made me wonder what Gracia will make of the one I have filled with things that only have any significance to me.
Lovely story, so well told. I'm imagining my Gran's dressing table now, can even smell her perfume and feel the different fabrics in her top drawer - her hankies, her silk scarves, the doilies under her jewelry tray. Thank you so much for telling such an evocative story.
Your description of sitting at that dressing table resonated with me too....my mum had one that sounds very similar..lovely box of mysteries too!
Alison xx
This is such an interesting story Deb! Let us know if you ever find any answers!
My mother didn't have a dressing table, but my aunt did and you conjured up memories of wishing I had such wonderful things on my dresser! Thanks for sharing!
You captured my attention completely. I was sitting there with you as you told me all about those treasures. What wonderful little mysteries.
I love a mystery, but I'd love to know the story too!!
So cool! What a fun little treasure chest, even without the back story of every item!
'tis a mystery that you will pass down to your children's children and the mystery will never be solved but how lovely to has such an heirloom
This is so well told - it brings me back to my childhood and into my parents' bedroom.
Thank you,
Rinda
Your description of your Mum's dressing table brought back a lot of memories of my Mum's vanity dresser. How wonderful that you have her box of special momentos.
Lovely story. My eye was immediately drawn to the little silver key. Wonder what it opened? It would look beautiful on a silver chain.
What a wonderful story and I love that there are lots of little treasures.
Such an intriguing story - all the more poignant as we won't have the answers. Beautifully told.
What a great story, wouldn't it have been fun to know the significance of the stone - as you said, it must have meant a lot to her.
Oh Deb, this is such a great story. And I can really relate to the mystery of things. I too inherited a sweet little trinket box that belonged to my mother (not as small as your leather covered box, but a nice little box made of cedar wood). Let this be a lesson to us to label the things that are meaningful to us so our daughter's will know their significance.
Oh a very special precious indeed. As a storyteller you make any number of wonderful stories with thos treasured items. Lovely - thank you for sharing. J x
That was a beautiful way to tell the story. I think that is why I like this series so much, it is a chance to tell some of our stories so that our kids won't be wondering why those little items are precious. I wonder where the stone came from?
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