Inheritance: heirloom purchases

[Lifethroughlenses]

I’m about to inherit a fairly modest sum of money (a few £k). I want to buy one or more beautiful things with it that will stand the test of time. Maybe to pass down but most importantly things that I will treasure. An investment in the sense of really good quality beautiful things but they don’t need to appreciate in value.

So perhaps an item or two of clothing, art or homeware. My family have never really had “nice things” so I’m slightly struggling for ideas. Help me!

I would take your time and start looking.

What pleases you? Have you ever seen a piece of furniture, jewellery, glass, china or art that you simply loved, that you wanted to live with?

Do you like the additional interest of it having a long history that you can get to know and think about? Or do you like the idea of commissioning someone who makes things to produce something just for you?

I've bought art in recent years. None of it is worth anything, but I love looking at it. The most expensive was £300.

I'm lucky to have inherited an oak chest (we use it as a hall table). I don't know if it's worth anything but I do think it's quite old. I enjoy seeing it every day, im certainit has a history. And i have some teacups and saucers from a 1912 teaset that are so delicate you can see the light through them. They're wonderful.

I'm always tempted by the idea of an antique emerald ring but I'm biding my time. One say I may see the right one.

We spent money from my grandma on a lovely set of matching cutlery and gave away all the random mismatched stuff we've collected up over the years. It makes me happy every time I open the cutlery drawer.

That would fit with nice and good quality, but not necessarily an heirloom. It won't increase in value and by the time our kids clear out our house they'll just dump it in a charity shop.

But it makes my daily life happier

I would buy a classic piece of jewellery. If I had £5k I’d buy Tiffany’s gold t-bar bracelet. Or I would buy a good set of cutlery for best. I’ve wanted one for ages. Have you considered instead, building memories and using the money for a great family holiday or for several nice trips?

What do you enjoy doing?
When you think about the things you own, which thing(s) do you use regularly, enjoy using, but have always compromised on cost/quality when buying them?

@Rocknrollstar We are lucky enough to have had several nice holidays (I have two jobs and it’s what I use my second income on because it’s something I love above all else) so a really good holiday probably wouldn’t stand out in the way that having something really beautiful would. I’m not sure I can bring myself to spend £5k on a bracelet! That’s about £4.9k more than anything else I own! But I do take your point. @DogInATent that sounds like a good starting point.

If it were me I would buy an original (or several prints) of an artist I have had my eye on. Usually the cost plus framing adds up to a lot but I get so much pleasure out of decent wall art. Do you live near any galleries? Or failing that look online on Google to narrow down the style you would like then down to an artist or two.

Ditto with furniture. I love a good antique shop.

What about new plants or a lovely semi mature tree for the garden?

Take your time with it and don't buy on a whim, buy something you see and love but normally wouldn't even consider because of the cost.

I bought a beautiful carriage clock (mid 19th century from a famous English clock maker) from the money left by grandparents.

I also have a few lalique glass animals that came to me from a dear friend.

But my favourite piece is a rather ugly and heavy glass ashtray. It's what I remember as a child at my grandparents house.
I think it's the association that make items into valued family pieces.

I'd start with a collectable vase, some beautiful pieces from the 1920's.

I have a Victorian lilly vase I use all the time.

Cost C£80 in 2001.

Then I'd consider a writing pen, old refurbished Parkers are nice.

We bought a beautiful baby grand with a small inheritance it's been such a nice and fitting way to remember this person who had a true love of music. DCs learnt to play on it too.

Chanel 2.55 medium classic flap handbag. I bought one in 2019 for circa 4k and has already doubled in value. Plus they are timeless.

Honestly not to be rude but having some moderate experience with this, I wouldn’t bother. Very, very few items are guaranteed to continue appreciating over time (basically things like Rolex and Hermes bags and even then only certain styles which you’d have to have knowledge of) - most things go up and down and there’s no guarantee your heirs would inherit when the market is up. Even jewellery rarely appreciates. There’s also nothing to say they would want to keep whatever item because they might have totally different taste in art/jewellery/furniture etc.

Buy something you appreciate and you enjoy and it’s a bonus if it ever has a decent resale value in future.

@BooToYouHalloween I said in my post that I wasn’t buying anything to appreciate in value. I want to buy something that I will treasure.

Sorry I totally misread the post 🤦‍♀️

I’d suggest good quality and attractive versions of ordinary things that you use frequently. Like a Chesterfield sofa or good quality cutlery and crockery. Perhaps a rug? Something you’ll enjoy researching and choosing. Perhaps not a breakable vase. Start going to art galleries and seeing what you like

I really like arts & crafts style chairs, and designer dining chairs from certain periods of the 20C. I'd love to invest in some of those. And some Robert Welch vintage items. Odd.

Maybe try visiting lots of eclectic places and see if there is anything that stands out to you, just pulls your soul. Museums, odd exhibitions or galleries, randomly search ebay for words that seem interesting.

I've no idea why dining chairs pull my soul, makes no sense. They make me happy. I can't be bothered with jewelry, love art but rarely see anything I'd actually want in my home 24/7, decorative items can go jump (I'd rather have some rocks), but I've found my thing with dining chairs... When you find your thing, you just know.

@Gentleness dining chairs are a really good idea actually. Mine are fairly cheap ones and a bit battered.

My secret indulgence with inheritance is original artwork. This is because the deceased was a bit of an artist, so I wanted to invest in something I'd enjoy but reflected the interests of the deceased.

There's a few arts trails I've been going on - and anything really takes my fancy in budget I buy. We display it on the wall too.

I very nearly bought an original oil painting at the weekend but it was BIG and I really needed DH's opinion on whether it was TOO big for where I was going to put it. So I've taken a photo and we're going back to have a look together. I did measure up and I think it likely is too big though.

I really need better dining chairs too! Some mid century style decent quality chairs would be amazing.

I'd also buy a Le Creuset big casserole dish. The biggest one. I have a smaller one and they last forever plus are very useful. The cheap ones just aren't the same (I've tried).

I’d buy a lovely antique Persian rug :)
https://www.naintrading.co.uk/oriental-carpets/tabriz-antique-389x298-p-120940.html

I've realised I'm a bit obsessed with old clocks and coloured glass ornaments. My grandmother had a rainbow murano ashtray I loved and I don't know what happened to it but I'd buy something similar if I saw it.

I'd buy antique jewellery. You can get some really lovely pieces for roughly half what you'd pay if new or sometimes even less.

I was in a similar situation @Lifethroughlenses

The loved one I inherited from had a real love of emeralds and when passing an antique jewellers one day I seen the most beautiful emerald and diamond ring. It was far more than I’d ever normally spend on myself on jewellery but my first thought when I seen it was of my loved one and I just knew it was the perfect thing to spend her money on 😊

Lalique bowl or vase?
follow artists on Instagram and perhaps a picture of a view you love? Holiday or nearer to home. Plein air is a good search term for talented artists with lovely landscapes.

First editions of an author you love?

A beautiful lamp or a dinner service you think is pretty? Auction are good for these.

half the fun is the research. Finding amazing artists, beautiful bone china, victorian earrings, bedlinen by Peter Reed or similar.

If you ever are near an antiques hub (Hungerford / Brighton / London), mentally spending your money is a very cheap and enjoyable way to spend a day in the name of this research.

I would buy a beautiful clock for a sideboard. Something you can admire everyday and, hopefully, it will hold its value.

That's lovely.