7. This Week's Stories and Requests for Help We try to post stories and
comments from our readers each week. Send your story to newsletter@tias.com. 
With everyone enjoying the outdoors and vacations, we're a little short on new
stories. For now, we'll republish some interesting stories from past issues,
but we sure would love to hear new stories!

Here's a nice story from one of our readers. Thank you for sharing!

"When I was about 15 years old, my parents took my sister and me to a large
antique place that use to be a general store.  It was packed with all sorts of
interesting objects.  One thing that caught my eye was a pin with a photograph
of a beautiful baby. I asked the owner of the store about it, being young and
with no experience, and she told me that it was most likely a mourning pin. 
Probably the baby died and the mother wore this as a reminder of the child
whom she lost.  I remember that it cost
$16, a huge sum to me at the time but I bought it and wore it
often.  I couldn't imagine how this got out of a family's possession.  That
was the beginning of my mourning jewelry collection that now numbers over one
hundred pieces."

What inspired your collection? Drop us a note at newsletter@tias.com.


Another reader needs help finding out what some metal objects were used for. 
Here's the post:

I have a 6' piece of black metal, joined in the center...one end has a hole in
it like it could be hooked to something, the other end has two looped
hooks....any idea what it is...I have two of them.  They are about 36-40
inches long with no identifying marks, numbers or letters on them.  Would
anyone happen to know what they were used for?

You can view the pictures here:

https://www.facebook.com/TIASAntiques/posts/10154452641403656


Another reader presents a mystery object:

Another reader has a small metal item that is a mystery. It's oval middle is 3
inch +ù 4 inch and the handle is 7 inches.  The ..."little lip 1/2 inch with
13 rolls of pocky things..." Any ideas out there?

You can view the pictures here:
https://www.facebook.com/TIASAntiques/posts/10154452849653656

If you can help either of these readers, feel free to post on Facebook, or
send an email to newsletter@tias.com.
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--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Dada-2
 * Origin: Prism bbs (1:261/38)