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Monday, February 29, 2016

February 29, 2016 ~ Family Love Tokens

Every time you smile at someone, 
it is an action love,
 a gift to that person, 
a beautiful thing.”
~Mother Teresa


One of my FAVORITE pieces of jewelry is a necklace I had a silversmith friend of mine make for me from my daddy’s family’s love tokens.  During the 1800’s,  people would deface one side of a coin - mine happen to be dimes - and engrave initials, dates, and pictures on the that side. They also placed engravings on rounded pieces of silver.  I have been struggling for years trying to identify the initials and have been successful in some cases.  All of them come from my father’s side of the family. The Hornot’s were French and lived in New Orleans.  A number of years ago  - before Katrina - I spent a week in the genealogy section of the NOLA Pubic Library researching family history, and that is where I was finally able to identify some of the dates and initials. This necklace is another one of my Hornet family “treasures.”



 The following are the pieces that “responded positively” to being photographed!  Many of the tokens are inscribed on both sides. In other words, I couldn’t get the other shots to come out clearly enough to post. I am still having trouble with the silver. At least these will give you an idea of why this necklace is so full of meaning and sentimentality for me.













I am adding one more NEW treasure to this post, and it is a picture done by my granddaughter, Eloise, for her art journal. I gave her one for Christmas 2014, and ever since I started mine I’ve been sharing with her my sketches hoping that she would catch the bug and start sending me some she has done. Well, Saturday she sent me her first and I about flipped out I was so thrilled. I do not know if her mother took a photo of her or she was sitting with her back to the hall closet mirror, but this is of the back of her with her LONG hair that she will cut in June for Locks of Love. Since it is going to continue being a treasure to me - especially since it is her first sketch she has shared - I thought it would be OK to post it here. Oh, I asked her if it would be alright if I posted it on my blog and she said “yes” and  was thrilled to death. It made her so happy...and me, too. She is now 10 years old, and I am smiling at her now.


This post is linked with Tom’s Tuesday’s Treasures.

20 comments:

  1. That is very cool. I love the history of it and that you cherish it so much.

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  2. I'm not surprised of her talents because of you. I love the picture. She is such a special girl.
    I can't tell you how happy it is for me to see you blogging again.
    I thought your family would wonder why I sent the Ohio things, hah. Just remember you have a friend in Ohio when you use them. Hugs

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  3. Hello Genie
    This necklace is really a small treasure, each coin with its own engraving, very special.
    Beautifully the image of the little Eloise.
    Sadie

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  4. Your necklace is indeed a priceless treasure. Eloise is a very talented girl.

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  5. These are both very nice - but part of me knows I'd be taking great care of that picture if it was mine.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  6. Lovely treasures on the necklace. Your granddaughter has certainly inherited some talents from you!

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  7. This was a double treasure post. The history behind your necklace is fascinating. (I didn't know people did that with coins.) And your granddaughter has a good heart, to cut her beautiful hair for Locks of Love.

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  8. I have never heard of those kinds of coins. Neat that you could find out more about who made them. And your granddaughter has talent! Wow!

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  9. That necklace is a real treasure and your Eloise shows real talent. What a great idea to get her started so young. Someone will also Treasure her locks of love!

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  10. Your necklace is priceless. I had never heard of this custom.

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  11. What a fabulous treasure that necklace is and what a great idea to put all those coins, silver pieces on a necklace chain. Glad your grand took your prompt to sketch!

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  12. What a rare and gorgeous necklace, it must be such a treasure for you and your family to own these special things from your forefathers.

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  13. Genie, now this is a wonderful family treasure. I wish that more things “responded positively” to being photographed for me! Oh well. Thanks so much for sharing this week and please keep those treasures coming.

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  14. Really treasures, wow!
    Never heard about family neclaces (by the way, my gradfather was a goldsmith and made coin neclaces for the rectors of universities, that is such an use in Germany)
    Nice drawning, she's very talented.
    Have a joy in your day

    (I've answered you at last tuesday via email, dont know, you get it?)

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  15. Oh my what a treasure! The necklace is wonderful with so much history attached! Lovely Genie!

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  16. Such treasures you have! Will you pass the necklace on to Eloise?

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  17. Oh what a beautiful and special necklace! LOVE all the tokens. What a wonderful treasure. And I absolutely love the drawing done by your grand-daughter.

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  18. So wonderful -- Genie I caught up on all of your posts and loved everything, don't want to inundate you with comments. I don't get to visit my favorite blogs every day, but when I have time I do read all the posts. You always make me smile!!

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