You may have read about items I have been fortunate to receive and care for as part of my family history. This small glass creamer is one of those pieces.
It belonged to my grandmother, Daisy Fredricks, and it is the only item I have from her.
My grandmother came from very humble beginnings, and this creamer reflects that. It is simple pressed glass with a scalloped edge, the kind of everyday piece found in many homes in the early 20th century. Pieces like this were affordable and meant to be used. Today, they are often associated with what collectors call Depression-era glass.
I remember this creamer from visits to her home.
She would make coffee for my mom and set the creamer on the table. There was always a plate of cookies, and for me, a glass of milk.
I can still picture myself sitting at that table.
I do not remember exactly what kind of cookies she served, only that there was always a plate on the table. A few years ago, I shared my grandmother’s oatmeal cookie recipe, written in her own hand. I often wonder if those were the cookies she made when we visited.
I am emotional just writing this. I did not think of these moments as anything special at the time. They were simply part of visiting Grandma. Now, I realize how much those small moments mattered especially since we didn't visit often as we lived hours away from her.
When I look at this creamer today, I think about her hands setting it on the table. I think about the conversations between her and my mom. I think about being included, even as a child, in those quiet visits.
As family historians, we spend a lot of time looking for records and documenting facts. But sometimes it is the everyday items that tell us the most.
This creamer is simple, but it represents something much larger.
It represents a place at the table.
