Has anyone discovered that a 'priceless' family heirloom is actually worth very little?

MSE_Laura_F

Do you have a precious family heirloom that's been in the family for ages and which you always assumed was worth a heap? Only to have it valued or try to sell it, and discover that it's actually worth no more then a few quid?

I'm keen to hear your stories of disappointment.

Roxburgh_rose

Yes! My dad had a signet ring that had been his grandfathers. It was two intertwined gold snakes with diamond eyes, one with a ruby set in its head, the other with an emerald. He always said it would be worth a great deal and, following with tradition it would be left to my brother (who did not get on with our father). When dad died, mum tried to give my brother the ring, he very churlishly and rudely refused it. Anyway, it ended up with me but about 4 years later he asked me what had happened to the signet ring that 'should have been mine' (presumably he'd forgotten his rejection?). I had every intention of handing it over but prevaricated because I wanted to get the thing valued first, just to see. Well, it was worth a whopping £104 - the gold value only - because after three generations of daily wear the stones were so eroded they were worth absolutely nothing. I had a small twinge of delicious sibling badness as I gave it to him as I think he was imagining a house deposit coming his way.

Silvertabby

Not quite the same thing, but when we watched 'Antiques' Roadshow' and something with a fabulous valuation came on, my mum would say "We had one of those but your dad broke it" or "We had one of those but it got stolen when we moved house".

As a child, I couldn't understand how we could be so poor when my family had owned all these expensive treasures in the past - then I realised that my mum couldn't tell the difference between a piece of Lalique crystal and a glass model of Blackpool tower.

Grumpelstiltskin

On another forum I use someone put up a photo of the marks on a silver dish that was an heirloom and asked if they could be identified...........................   EPNS.

I think they were disappointed.

TripleH

Yes, we had what we thought was a Monet. Turns out it was only a Cezanne.

olgadapolga

My husband inherited a load of (what he was informed) silver. His mother made a huge thing of it, saying it had to be kept in the family, blah, blah, blah.

Turned out to be silver plated and pretty well worthless. Got rid of it when we moved house as DH didn't want it and didn't want to lumber anyone else with it. Just hope that the charity shop made a few quid from it.

elsien

Our family hasn’t the background for priceless family heirlooms. 

donnac2558

There was always a rumour in my family that a great-great-grandfather had shares in a diamond mine in South Africa.   Turns out he dumped great-great-great granny and children for another woman, ran off and managed a diamond mine, did not own it.  He came back some years later to his wife, totally broke, who told him to !!!!!! off.   He ended up in the workhouse.

onomatopoeia99

elsien said:

Our family hasn’t the background for priceless family heirlooms. 

Same, coming from the now demolished slums in Shepherd's Bush before WWI (as far back as I know) heirlooms are completely not a thing.

TripleH

The true priceless heirloom is the history behind your family.

This is worthless (in that it has little resale value to others).

We have no 'fiscally valuable heirlooms' that I am aware of. I am none-the-poorer for that.

Brie

Had an art auction house come to review what my mom has with a view to know whether some items should go into extra secure storage at some point.  We were fairly confident of there being a bit of £££ hanging on the walls as all the pieces are by very well known artists, are beautiful pieces and are in excellent condition.   Nope - nothing at all of interest.  Things that had cost thousands when purchased might be worth a hundred or two.  Completely out of fashion.