Selling your family history

[firefighter]

Could you just sell off your families history?

I for one think it's despicable. How can you sell your grandfathers medals etc? I actually find it really disrespectful , and what will you tell your children?! "oh yeah, your grandfather earned a lot of medals, but you ca'nt wear them here this ANZAC day and honor him because I sold them for $100 and brought some crap I no-longer have........"

Out of pure desperation, it's maybe excuseable, but to me personally, you do'nt deserve possession of things like this if all you can think about is their monetary value, and not what was sacrificed in order to gain them.

I actually do'nt talk to my cousin over her selling my grandfathers medals, in fact, if it was'nt a she, I'd have thumped her one. Hell i'd have bought them off the stupid bitch to keep them in the family if i'd known she was going to sell them. I think she spent the money on clothes.

Every time I see these auctions I get really pissed, but due to tardmes bloody "cool auction" thingee putting this in my face everytime I log on, I figured i'd whine to all of you about it!

So, are you happy to just sell off your family's history and achievements?

What do you think about it?

Here is the auction in question http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=278763076

It's a bible with a bullet stuck in it. It's pretty cool, but I fight tooth and nail to keep it in the family if it was mine.

[jim.cox]

according to Stuff, , Mr Harris, the seller, is is an only child, with no children, so I should think he can do what the feck he likes

http://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/3511398/Bullet-in-a-bible-for-sale

[Maha]

And here is was thinking of selling a Firestone ashtray thats been in our family for nearly 50 years....

[firefighter]

Wow. No family at all then? Of course he can do what he likes, everyone can. I just have a little more respect for my families achievements. Maybe i'm just weird and should catch up with the rest of the "who gives a flying fuck about any other cunt" generation.

Besides, this thread is'nt really just about that one auction, although that is obviously what inspired it. It's about the whole idea of it.

[Crasherfromwayback]

I don't know enough about projectiles...but I would've thought it would've mushroomed out like fuck upong connecting with the bible!

[Big Dave]

History?!? There's members of my family I would sell.

[Pussy]

Right with you, Firefighter.
Those medals weren't given out, they were earnt.
Immense disrespect, in my book, to sell them

[munster]

It looks like it was at the end of it's trajectory maybe, so would have spent nearly all it's energy. Also as a military full metal jacket, they don't tend to mushroom much anyway. There is rifling showing on the projectile and looks to be a typical large German calibre (7.92 x 57 in WWI).

Hopefuly a museum is bidding. These sort of things should ideally stay in public hands.

[Crasherfromwayback]

It looks like it was at the end of it's trajectory maybe, so would have spent nearly all it's energy. Also as a military full metal jacket, they don't tend to mushroom much anyway. There is rifling showing on the projectile and looks to be a typical large German calibre (7.92 x 57 in WWI).

Hopefuly a museum is bidding. These sort of things should ideally stay in public hands.

Nice work 99! And I agree...shouldn't go offshore.

[FJRider]

It has only been in the last ten years or so, that the wearing of medals of family members, has been P.C. Those that
did (previously) were accused of being war-mongers . And with the numbers growing at ANZAC parades... the wearing of family medals will be even more popular. Thus their value will grow. Not just in monetary value either.

Few soldiers go to a war for the express purpose of getting medals. Most of the recipients of bravery medals were reluctant to tell of their award. Even in (after) later conflicts... (I know personally several who refused to wear their medals ... from the older ... and more recent conflicts )

How those veterans viewed their medals will be reflected in their familys view of them. The familys right to sell them came with the reasons those guy's and girl's went in the first place ... the freedom to make their/OUR own choices.

Remember what they did ... do not dwell on it ... but they went ... for us all. To give US the freedom. Use it wisely ...

[sunhuntin]

i dont understand selling family history. im adopted, so i dont have any knowledge of where my roots are from or anything, so the mementos i do have from my adoptive family members are very important. sadly, neither of my parents got much when their parents died... siblings basically took the lot, and in one case the "new" wife got it all. shes finally died, and theres nothing left heirloom wise. i do have a few small things from my great aunt, and i treasure those. the best is a crochet rug for my bed... i was the only non direct descendent of hers to get one.
im not planning on having kids, so anything special enough, i will try and pass on to my neice and nephews, providing they will look after them. if they wont, then i will split the lot up and donate to museums or give to friends for their collections.

a guy i used to work with is in the business of buying and wearing medals... he claims them as his own, and reckons hes been in all the great wars. hes in his late 40s at the very oldest. complete cunt. i hate him and was so relieved when he was a casulty of redundancies last year, despite the fact he was so far up the bosses ass that a crowbar would have been needed to pry him out.

a couple of months ago, i bought an RSA badge from savemart. i bought it to keep it out of the hands of someone like the guy mentioned. some people on trademe managed to track down the name of the recipient. unfortunately, he has since died. i made contact with the palmy RSA, and they emailed back with details of someone who could be a son. he hasnt replied to any messages. so, i will keep the badge safe until i know what to do with it. they may not want their history, so i will look after it for them.

[firefighter]

It has only been in the last ten years or so, that the wearing of medals of family members, has been P.C. Those that
did (previously) were accused of being war-mongers . And with the numbers growing at ANZAC parades... the wearing of family medals will be even more popular. Thus their value will grow. Not just in monetary value either.

Few soldiers go to a war for the express purpose of getting medals. Most of the recipients of bravery medals were reluctant to tell of their award. Even in (after) later conflicts... (I know personally several who refused to wear their medals ... from the older ... and more recent conflicts )

How those veterans viewed their medals will be reflected in their familys view of them. The familys right to sell them came with the reasons those guy's and girl's went in the first place ... the freedom to make their/OUR own choices.

Remember what they did ... do not dwell on it ... but they went ... for us all. To give US the freedom. Use it wisely ...

Comeon, a lot more than 10 years! It was PC in the 80's to wear the medals....... I remember walking up the top of Mt Maunganui wearing my grandads medals on the right of my chest, fro the dawn ceremony on ANZAC Day.

I never suggested to make it illegal to sell them. Yep, i'm all for freedom. But to me, the greatest way to show we remember and respect what was done, is to pass on to our family members the stories, the medals etc. Not sell them off for a penny, then tell your kids when they ask, "oh yes he was a hero and got some medals for something or other". "where are the medals?" "Oh I sold them and bought some stuff". Everyone to their own obviously, but to me, it's disrespectful, and I believe you rob your descendants of their family history.

[Pussy]

A few months ago, my Mum gave me one of my late Dad's diaries, it covers his last 3 or so months of his service in Korea.
It is priceless to me.
I will make sure a younger member of the family gets it when I fall off the perch

[Mully]

I agree with you FF - I would have thought there was someone in the family could keep it - or permanent loan to Te Papa (or the Army museum, as long as they don't lose it).

Some people have no sentiment with that stuff though. My Grandad gave Mrs Mully and I his parent's wedding present for our wedding last year. They are brass candle holders and his parents were married in 1909 (and they don't think they were new then). They have special meaning, moreso because he died three weeks ago.

I'd never sell them (they are going to our firstborn on their wedding day) but he openly admitted that if he had desperately needed the money, he would have sold them. He just had no sentiment for inanimate objects.

[Laava]

One of the comments was that it was a MkVII .303 British round stuck in the bible. ie Friendly fire. Why does it have to go to a museum? If you were the last in the line of that family then you get to make the decision. From what I have seen of museums, it is way better off with a private collector. But can't for the life of me see why it would be worth 100K plus

[MadDuck]

Could you just sell off your families history?

Short answer is NO!

I have a box full of family photos especially relating to war time. I often asked my mum to write on who they are and what relation they were to us. Sadly she didnt do this before she passed away so now I have a box full of photos of family members in uniform with medals and I have no idea who they are. How sad is that? So what do I do with them?

[pete376403]

When my dad died, there was an NZ flag on the coffin as he was ex-serviceman (WWII). Without really thinking about what I was doing, I placed his medals on the flag. With the benefit of hindsight, I now realise they were either 1/ sold by the funeral director or 2/ put in a bin. It seemed (to me) a nice gesture and mark of respect, but with the benefit of hindsight I should have just kept them. I still have the miniature set and will pass them to my kids if I can explain to them the significance of them.
“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”

[FJRider]

Or buried WITH him. Nothing wrong with that.

[Laava]

How sad is that? So what do I do with them?

Hard one isn't it? If you can't even pass them on to family, it seems like a real shame huh? Thanks for the birthday wishes by the way.

[GOONR]

Could you just sell off your families history?

No fucking way.

Unfortunately I have nothing from my grandparents, not even photo's, that is something that really gets to me. On the wife's side, her grandmother is still going strong and has her late husbands medals. I very much doubt that they would be off loaded but I would be gutted if they left the family. That man put his life on the line for his country, that shit just shouldn't be palmed off to the highest bidder.

[MadDuck]

it seems like a real shame huh? .

Yeah it is. A Lost generation. I am the last in line.

[pete376403]

Or buried WITH him. Nothing wrong with that.
One would hope... but undertakers profit from death, can't see them being that altrusic.

[Forest]

I actually do'nt talk to my cousin over her selling my grandfathers medals, in fact, if it was'nt a she, I'd have thumped her one. Hell i'd have bought them off the stupid bitch to keep them in the family if i'd known she was going to sell them. I think she spent the money on clothes.

Medals mean nothing.

Talk to any soldier - they will tell you the same.

The only family history that matters in the long run are the positive actions that family members do for each other. Everything else is just a meaningless trinket.

[Forest]

But can't for the life of me see why it would be worth 100K plus

It isn't worth 100k plus.

I guarantee that there isn't a single genuine bid on that auction.

[peasea]

And here is was thinking of selling a Firestone ashtray thats been in our family for nearly 50 years....

You have a Firestone ashtray? Excellent, post a pic.

Here's my V8 ashtray, which reads;
"The sun never sets on the British Empire"

"With the compliments of Geo. Smith and Sons Ltd, Ford Dealers, Huntly"

My nephew found it in an inorganic collection when he was a nipper and sold it to me for about five bucks. My brother thought I'd been ripped off by his erstwhile son but I still say it was a bargain.

An ashtray thread, just what I'd been waiting for!

[Dave Lobster]

Medals mean nothing.

Talk to any soldier - they will tell you the same.



True.. Mine don't mean all that much to me. They hang in the garage.. My grandfather didn't even apply for any of his (campaign ones, not gallantry ones).
They're just souvenirs to me. No more or less valuable than the photos/records I got at the time. I don't wear them on ANZAC day. I know where I've been and what I've done. No need to discuss it with the REMFs that wear a chest full for completing five minutes of basic training.

[Mully]

One would hope... but undertakers profit from death, can't see them being that altrusic.

I'm not sure they'd be allowed to just sell them. Did you ask them what happened to them?


True.. Mine don't mean all that much to me.

But then they might mean something to your kids/grandkids/great grandkids.

[Maha]

You have a Firestone ashtray? Excellent, post a pic.

Here's my V8 ashtray, which reads;
"The sun never sets on the British Empire"

"With the compliments of Geo. Smith and Sons Ltd, Ford Dealers, Huntly"

My nephew found it in an inorganic collection when he was a nipper and sold it to me for about five bucks. My brother thought I'd been ripped off by his erstwhile son but I still say it was a bargain.

An ashtray thread, just what I'd been waiting for!

As a non smoker, I still could not sell this ashtray.

[peasea]

As a non smoker, I still could not sell this ashtray.

I don't smoke either, grubby habit.
Did Bridgestone do a similar thing?

[Maha]

I don't smoke either, grubby habit.
Did Bridgestone do a similar thing?

Yeah, have a look on trademe, theres alot on there.
The one I have got, my father picked it up in about 1960-61.
He worked a second job at a Servo in Palmerston North at nights.

[peasea]

Yeah, have a look on trademe, theres alot on there.
The one I have got, my father picked it up in about 1960-61.
He worked a second job at a Servo in Palmerston North at nights.

TradeMe; now there's a dangerous place. I have enough shite lying around as it is.
Cheers.

[Skyryder]

History?!? There's members of my family I would sell.



Now that would be interesting. Post up a pic on TradeMe and go halves with them.


Skyryder

[firefighter]

Medals mean nothing.

Talk to any soldier - they will tell you the same.

The only family history that matters in the long run are the positive actions that family members do for each other. Everything else is just a meaningless trinket.

Really?! They mean nothing at all? I'd be seriously pissed at my grandchildren selling off MY medals, and yes they are worn on my left side on ANZAC Day. I did'nt do diddly to get them in comparison to the ones really earnt by the vets before, but i'd be truely let down if my family thought so little of me and what i've done as to just sell them off.

[SPman]

It has only been in the last ten years or so, that the wearing of medals of family members, has been P.C. My great Aunts used to religiously wear the medals of their brothers who were killed in WW1, from the first Anzac day parades in Auckland in 1918 or '19 (I have the program somewhere)- but then, they needed something, having lost 75% of their fiances, friends and brothers.....I've still got them, including MM's, DCM's and one of the sister's MBE, notebooks and diaries (those that aren't in the Alexander Turnbull Library) - I also have german shell fragments.....chunks, with attached uniform threads, they removed from my grandfathers leg after he was blown up by a shell and wounded - and his service medals - I have family paraphenalia, letters and photos, going back to the 1830's - they go on down the line to my sons, but from there....??? Well, I'll cease to worry - I won't be around!

Dad refused to apply for his medals after WW2 - reckoned if they couldn't be bothered sending them to him as earned - he wasn't going to apply for the f**king things! A lot of his mates felt the same way..........

I'd need to be desperate to sell any, though!

[Big Dave]

All good being sanctimonious if you are travelling well. What If you need the money to put food on the table?

[Big Dave]

Now that would be interesting. Post up a pic on TradeMe and go halves with them.
Skyryder

I was thinking more Blues Bros scenario, 'Sell me your Cheeeldren'.

[pete376403]

As a non smoker, I still could not sell this ashtray.


Getting right off topic, sorry, but - I saw an absolutely neat model landrover, complete with 4 cylinder petrol engine, that was built using ashtray tyres. The size of the tyres dictated the scale of the model.
As you were.