My great great grandfathers union belt and buckle, discharge papers and a pair of hand forged pliers he purportedly traded moldy bacon for while in Andersonville.

I have a lamp made from a Japanese bronze vase with a dragon wrapped around it. It is on the gift registry of my great grandparents wedding in 1903. The patina is a dark aubergine The shade is as cool as the lamp.

Among other things:

^^^^OK, that's cool, but what is it? Ashtray, soup bowl, pre-Columbian skull cap?

My grandfather’s flight school “Yearbook”.

I also have a coffee mug from my father’s Pilot Training class.

And yes, I did become a third-generation AAF/AF pilot.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
^^^^OK, that's cool, but what is it? Ashtray, soup bowl, pre-Columbian skull cap?

Tibetan skull cup (kapala).

I guess it counts but I own the house my great grandfather built in 1927 and the 23 acres it sits on. It is the house where my grandfather grew up in.

If you are referring to an item, while likely only cool to me and hopefully some day my son when he is older.
But I have the game used 3rd base from the game between the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals from the day my oldest boy was born.

^^^^^^ skull cap, very cool.

5 pieces of furniture that my moms dad made in his wood shop , in the 30's

My dad gave to me a set of three prayer books that his family owned for several generations, one of them being the Torah.

These books are written in all-hebrew, and originated out of Poland and brought to the USA by those that were able to get out in time.

To me, what is most fascinating are the handwritten notes in the margins of the books. Some are in Hebrew, some in Polish, some in Yiddush and I believe there are some in German. These note are written by different hands, and some appear to have been written by younger children (not scribble though).

So there it is, ancestor's of generations old, unknown to me, were praying, studying and whatever else one thinks of when practicing their religion, with the very same books that I can now hold in my hands and try to read.
__________

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
^^^^OK, that's cool, but what is it? Ashtray, soup bowl, pre-Columbian skull cap?

I have a jersey autographed by Mario Lemieux. Not just any autographed jersey purchased with a COA. He personalized this one to me. The pen he used is on the back of the frame.

Untitled by John Lutz, on Flickr

I bought some dry ice last week, so that while it lasted.

I have a mastodon tooth. My grandfather was a school teacher in southern Kansas, and one of his students dug it up in the school yard and gave it to him. He sent it to a museum to be identified, and the museum said it came from a mastodon.

Most treasured gift - My grandfathers service ring from Gulf Oil. I will pass it to my son, his namesake.

Most interesting item - My wife's grandfather had a rifle confiscated during WWII (he was a German immigrant in 33) by the Columbus PD. It was tagged with a manila and twine label and placed in an armory. After the way the PD returned them all. He never touched it again. It still has the tag on it.

Coolest thing I own (Bought)

Has to be my FLIR.

As much as I hate the Penguins, for a Pens fan that Lemieux jersey is awesome.

I would have to go with my 1953 Dodge. I'm 2 months older than the truck.

Probably my African taxidermy. Each piece stirs such vivid memories.

for me, several things but the one that brings back the most memories is I have my grandmothers rocking chair - i its over 100 years old and I can remember rocking in it when I was a kid - its in a lot of old photographs

I also have some of their china dishes and tea cups (she was a tea drinker - morning, noon and night)

none of that stuff means anything to anyone except me and my dad

for cool stuff, I have a few 'toys' - a Ferrari, a nice telescope and observatory, a nice collection of pistols and rifles, a record player, an open reel tape deck and a growing collection of record albums.

Both my grandmother's and grandfather's diaries from 1938, the year they started dating and became engaged.

1991 Ryder Cup Flags - American Flag, Union Jack, St George Flag.

Land Deed that was sold during Andrew Jackson's Presidency…. Has the President Seal on it.

I'm sure there are other things... but these are two unique things that come to mind.

Andrew