Celine Loop on her grandmother’s collection of thimbles and silver spoon
My paternal grandmother just passed away a few months ago, she was 98 years old and she had five children and 10 grandchildren, and 18 great grandchildren. She had two major collections. My most recent memories of her are as an old woman, so I have to dig deep to remember if I have seen her using them. I may have seen her using it a few times. I have some flashes.
One was the thimble, it’s an object that you put on your finger so that you don't hurt your finger while sewing. I guess at that time she was sewing a lot. What I remember from my childhood is that she was not sewing anymore at that time. She was crocheting for which you don't really need a thimble. I've seen her collection being displayed in the living room in a glass cupboard and there were hundreds of them, in all sizes, in different materials, in ceramic, porcelain, glass, metal, some gold and silver and from all around the world. The collection has been divided among the grandchildren and I have inherited some 30-40 of them. I have them here with me in Goa because my father visited me just recently and he came with my part of the collection.
She also had a silver spoon collection, but of course they were fewer in number. They were usually displayed and some were stolen as well. I inherited 2-3 of those. Growing up it was interesting to look at. One would look at it like one would look at an aquarium - from across the glass. She loved her collection and she would dust it very often. And we were not allowed to touch what’s behind the glass. We were allowed to look, but not touch. So there was definitely a strong sentimentality attached to the connection.
I don't even have jewelry from my grandmother. This is really all that I have. I think for me, it will serve as a storytelling tool to my children and their children. So maybe not 30 or 40 of them but I want to pass a few of them to my children too, as something from their great grandmother. And it's nice actually that they are small objects, because they are way easier to pass on.