Storytelling Sunday September Edition: The Silver Box

It’s time for Sian’s Storytelling Sunday.  This year it’s about precious things. Here’s Sian:

Pick Your Precious is about celebrating the little things you love: those souvenirs, bits and pieces, things from your past you can’t bear to throw out. You know, the special little something you have tucked away in a drawer or up on a shelf? Or the thing you love most in a room? Or the object you would save if you knew you had to leave the country? Your favourite things.

I didn’t have something particular in mind for this month’s
Storytelling Sunday nor was I prepared early with my story. For once, that was
a good thing. Earlier this week, I gathered up a lot of very tarnished silver
that I inherited. We are unlikely to ever use any of it, and neither of my
children would be the least bit interested. I thought perhaps we might sell it
and use the money for something we would use. Sadly, it all turned out to be
silver plate, so there was no selling, and I still have the box of very tarnished
silver in my basement. 

I did, however, find a lovely small platter and some
beautiful spoons that I will use. I have cleaned them and put them away for
some night when we are entertaining. But the subject of this “precious” post is
a box that clearly belonged to my paternal grandmother, Mame Griffith. Mame
died before my parents were married, and to my knowledge the only item I’ve
ever owned that was hers was the doomed opal ring of last month’s Storytelling
Sunday post. 

Here’s the box in the condition I found it this week.

After half an hour of rubbing vigorously with two different
silver polishes, I got this far. 

I was about to give up for the day, but found a third metal cleaner in a
box in the basement which worked a bit better. I’m not done, but it’s
presentable, and you can see it’s potential.

And the inside, which clearly needs some work:

I’m planning on relining or cleaning the inside and using it to keep
some of my “precious” jewelry in it on top of my dresser. It turned out that gathering up the silver, monetary value or not, was a worthwhile endeavor! I’ve found a precious thing I didn’t even know I had.