As I mentioned earlier, we have too much stuff. Now, my family has been here since 1627 and my wife's since 1634. None were all that wealthy but they did ok. As the families got smaller this stuff funneled down and down; until we have a lot of it. We are trying to distribute it.

The stuff that is historically important goes back to Harvard. But they can't accept it until you have it appraised. There are these original letters from Jefferson, Madison, "the Adams family", etc.

Found someone in Boston who could appraise those. They are gone to a museum.

Then, there was this medal. It is one of a kind; struck by Paul Revere in whatever amounted to 24 k gold at that time. I had to pick it up on the west coast and fly it home to be appraised. I then had to fly it to Cambridge with a stopover in Detroit. They may not be able to find guns or bombs in shoes, but they sure as hell could find the f**k'in medal everytime. I loved opening it at each security check and have people crowd around to admire it. Lot's of ooh's, how beautiful. Just a few examples.

Then we have other stuff of no known historical value. Example; we have this bowl. It is carved from a single piece of translucent jade. It is about 10 or 12 in in diameter at the top. Very intricate carving. It sets in a hand carved ebony [or some such thing] base. It is from China. I found a person in NYC who was an expert in the field. He kept it for a day. After a big fee, he said he couldn't place a value on it. It was authenic and very old; but there was nothing to compare it to. He couldn't set a value. Our insurance company is not happy with that one.

Of course there are the books. Example: We have a leather bound book on medicine. An ancestor studied medicine in England in the late 1700's. He wrote a series of pamphlets on the state of medicine at the time. We have the surviving copy. Haven't been able to get that one appraised.

Giving stuff away costs more than sending it to the landfill. Of course I have extra chainsaws. Those are easy to give away. ;o)))

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 26, 2001

Answers

Merry Christmas Z!

If you have books you want to give away, not the museum stuff, just books no one wants, let me know. If I can wrangle a pickup to them, I'll take them. When my grandmother had to move something like 2,000 miles, she couldn't take her library with her. A thrift store finally took them, but it was said no one wanted them and it was just a favor to her to get rid of them. There was a set of encylopedias from 1880 and other sets younger, medical texts from several decades of my grandfather's practice, and who knows how many classics. It killed my soul that I had no way to take them, knowing that no one else wanted them.

Wait a minute...there's bound to be a total book nut in your area who could take them. Try asking around at your library for a myopic old lady who pesters kids to read Kipling. She'll take them. :)

-- helen (books@are.sacred.objects), December 26, 2001.

**I loved opening it at each security check and have people crowd around to admire it.**

Oh gee Z, I just never would have guessed this about you. *wink wink*

-- (cin@cin.cin), December 26, 2001.

Can ya post a pic of the medal? I'd love to see that.

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), December 26, 2001.

Cap:

I don't have a picture of that one. It was a centerpiece of a major event at the museum. It is a place just off of Harvard yard; mostly underground.

The medal was a special tribute to Charles Bulfinch who designed the first real theatre in Boston. It, although all gold, gave him free access to all perfomances; as I remember. They have a site; if I have time tomorrow, I will look it up. We were invited to the showing of the contribution. Getting busy around here.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 26, 2001.

I knew that name sounded familiar, he's the guy that built Faneuil Hall, our 1st U.S Capital and had a hand in our present Capital.Cool.

I wouldv'e taken that off your hands : )

-- capnfun (capnfun1@excite.com), December 26, 2001.

By-the-by:

I mean literally underground. That is they way the museum is structured.

Best Wishes,,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 26, 2001.

Sic 'em cin.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), December 27, 2001.

Z, have you tried ebay? It sounds like an interesting dilemma.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), December 28, 2001.

Maria:

We really aren't tryling to sell this stuff. We just want to move it to museums where people can see it. We have worked our way through the Jefferson administration. We have a, relatively, calm period until the civil war. Then we have all kinds of stuff. That will be a pain. We should have started this at an earlier time in our lives. Well, at some time, you confront your mortality. ;o))

Best Wishes,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), December 28, 2001.

I'm having a flashback to 'There's Something About Mary".

-- So (cr@t.es), December 28, 2001.

Z,

If you can't afford to have your things appraised, I would suggest putting them up for auction at Christie's or Sotheby's. They will appraise it for you, sell it, and take a commission, then you could donate the money to your favorite charities.

-- (not@that.difficult), December 28, 2001.

Just rent a big dumpster Z. Not only will you be unburdened but you'll be able forever tell tales about what was.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), December 29, 2001.

Z,

We should talk sometime. My family has documents from Colonial Mass, as well. One deed to land ajoining the Boston Common, a letter appointing an ancestor as tax collector (very interesting), and a lot of marriage/death records. Several "Hastings" and "Lawrence", although my lineage were named "Greene" (somehow tied to Nathaniel, of Revolutionary fame).

Anyhow, it's been years since I saw most of it. Even though I was the only one interested in any of the stuff, I wasn't my mother's favorite, so I got almost nothing. Just as well, though, since now I would just face some of the problem you've got.

------------------------

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), December 29, 2001.

Z, Suggest that you do not throw/give away any old books until you know their value.It is surprising what is valuable & what is commonplace in the different centuries.We have quite a few contacts in the US museum/library/conservation world.May be able to help with book appraisal & rehoming through informal networking. Contact me if interested.

-- Chris (enquiries@griffenmill.com), December 30, 2001.

I'm having a flashback to 'There's Something About Mary".

Now you have piqued my curiosity. What scene comes to mind? The only scene I remember from that movie is the hair 'gel' scene.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), December 31, 2001.