Nostalgic Photography Props – Help Me Choose

When I was writing and photographing Learning to Bake Allergen-Free, I included a prop that my grandmother (Memere) had given to me in one of the pictures. It wasn’t a deliberate choice, I simply needed a small pitcher to pour Chocolate Maple Syrup onto a stack of pancakes.

(The full photo is on page 245 of the book.)

Memere had an eclectic collection of knick-knacks. Every time I look at this pitcher, it reminds me of sleepovers at my grandparents’ house. Each of my sisters and I had our own pitcher, used only at her house for pouring milk over cereal. This was mine:

Now, as I am taking photos for my second book (have I mentioned that I am writing another book?) I want to make sure to include another meaningful piece from my grandparents, and I’d love your help to decide which one. Here are the choices:

1. I don’t recall this tiny china pitcher ever making it out of Mem’s curio cabinet. The curio was where she kept the “special” pieces – the ones that didn’t get used. But my sisters and I would ooh and aah over the special pieces. Memere would take them out and tell us where she had gotten them – a gift from a friend brought back from a trip, something she bargained for from the antique dealer around the corner, or (as in this case) a bargain picked up at a yard sale. Despite the fact that Mem didn’t use it, this piece often makes it onto my dinner table for gravy or salad dressing:

2. This next piece actually reminds me more of my grandfather (Pep) than my grandmother. When I would visit them on trips home from college, my grandparents always treated me like a guest (even thought they lived next door). That meant snacks on fancy plates, and something to drink. The “something” was always ginger ale. It was Pep’s job to get my drink, and for some reason he always asked which glass I would like it in. In retrospect, I’m not sure why he asked which glass. (Is that a thing?) Nevertheless, this is the glass I always chose to sip my ginger ale from as we “visited:”

Help me decide which to use! Leave a comment below with your choice.