A few months ago, my nan passed away. She was old and pretty sick, but we weren't really expecting it to happen. We certainly didn't expect what kind of impact it would have on my family.
Together, my aunts and my cousin sifted through her things and came up with a box of her trinkets and junk jewellery that she had collected from all over the world over the past fifty years or so. I say 'junk' but it's not the kind of typical 'Nan' jewellery, the kind of necklaces that are made of plastic beads, globbed together, paint peeling off the spheres, twine turning brown and brittle as paper or, if your family is Catholic like mine, a tangled rats nest of rosary beads from different pilgrimage points around the country.
Until today, it was left in a box that I keep beside my bed near a stack of books, a packet of Nurofen and a shotglass that I bought in Egypt that is now full of buttons. It comes down to me to pass some of these on to my sisters and keep some for myself.
 |
| Left - rhinestone necklace c late 50's/early 60's. Right - Christian Dior costume pendant c 1970's |
 |
| Left - Necklace and bracelet set (half the opals have fallen out of their mounts, but it looks nice that way). Right - One of a set of enamelled clip-on earrings |
 |
| Right - Amber bug brooch, Left - Andre Piaso watch with interchangeable faces |
