"Show and Tell Friday"!

This is my first time for Show & Tell Friday and I am excited for the opportunity to share some family heirlooms. Today I would like to show you a pitcher in the shape of a moose.



This pitcher was part of my grandmother’s pitcher collection. When I was growing up, she displayed this collection in a corner cupboard and on some smaller shelves in her dining room. As a child, I loved to go into the dining room and just look at all the different pitchers she had on display. There were animal-shaped pitchers, like an orange-and-black striped tiger and this lifelike moose head. There were brightly painted Toby jugs and other pitchers made to look like people. There were small, shiny copper pitchers. In fact, her collection included almost every kind of pitcher imaginable. The ones that delighted me most were the miniatures. Some were no bigger than my fingernail, and they were beautifully detailed, painted with tiny flowers, rimmed with gold.

Inside many of the pitchers Gram had little slips of paper noting who gave her that pitcher, and when. In the moose pitcher, wrapped in plastic, is a brittle piece of paper -- a note from my wonderful Great-Aunt Mabel, who gave Gram this pitcher. Here’s what it says:

“I got this in Manchester [NH] for (10) [I assume she means 10¢; she could never have afforded $10 in those days!] in winter of 1921. Was the first time we went shopping in M. after we were married. Didn’t use car in winter in those days -- we went by train.
“I think it will look o.k. on your high shelf with the other animals. I don’t think you have one of the same.”

My mother inherited this particular pitcher from Gram, and several years ago she gave it to me. My mom always kept it boxed up and stored away, but I am displaying it. I see no sense in having lovely things if they are stashed away where no one can see them. And so I am sharing it with all of you!