Cherished Heirlooms

I have several cherished pieces, including a plate upon which Mama served my birthday cake each year, Fenton vases that were wedding gifts to her and Daddy, and their silver salt and pepper shakers, also a wedding gift. But I suppose my most prized keepsake is a cameo that my parents purchased from an antiques shop in Charleston, South Carolina, on their honeymoon and gifted to my maternal grandmother, for whom I am named. It has been determined to be more than two centuries old. My grandmother wore it every day. I have a picture of her holding me as an infant, and she was wearing the cameo. I wear it quite often. It reminds me of all of them. Regardless of whether it’s in style, the cameo is part of who I am, and I absolutely love it.

ROSE BEASON

Greer, South Carolina

My father loved his old clock, which was passed down from his father. As a child,