Things Passed Down
Heirlooms, memories and the gifts that stay
There’s no perfect formula for a gift, but we’ve always felt the best ones are the ones that stay. The ones that find a place in your home—on a wall, on a shelf—and never quite leave. Over time, they begin to hold a story: who gave them, and why it mattered.
As Mother’s Day draws near, we asked a few members of the Looms family to share the pieces they’ve received from their mothers—and the ones they’re already saving for their daughters.
The best gifts are the ones that stay—the ones that find a place in your home and begin to hold a story.
Bess
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John Austen has long been one of my favorite painters. Bill and Andy, the original owners of Nantucket Looms, had several of his works in their home. John once gifted my mother a painting of my childhood home on Hummock Pond. It is the only image I have of that house from a time when both of my parents were living there with me in the early 1980s. That painting holds some of my earliest memories—of my parents, of home, and of a quieter Nantucket. Today, it hangs in my living room.
Becky
Back in the late 1980s, when my parents, brother, and I would visit the island for a week each summer, my mother purchased this painting at a local gallery by an artist we cannot determine. I always loved it—it reminded me of Nantucket, a place I hoped to one day call home. She gifted it to me when I purchased my first home on West York Lane. Now, after more than thirty years of living on the island and spending countless weekends at Nobadeer Beach with my own family, the painting hangs in my hallway. The scene it captures could easily be one of the paths leading to “Nobs,” which makes me wonder: is it a coincidence, or did this painting subtly shape my life?
Stephanie
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My love of collecting really began in the late 1990s, when I started going on buying trips for the Looms. I found myself drawn to the antique and folk art markets—Brimfield, Nashville, Paris—where I fell in love with the hunt for things that felt special and full of history. At first, I was looking for our customers and design clients, but it didn’t take long before it became something more personal.
Over time, I started putting together a collection for my daughter, Morgan—miniature mugs and small boxes, some creamware, others lusterware. I’ve always loved the idea of passing down pieces that reflect real craftsmanship, objects that have already lived in other homes.
I’ve given Morgan many of these pieces over the years to mark special occasions. Each one feels meaningful in its own way. I like to think that someday she might pass them along to her own daughter, continuing that story.
Thayer
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My mom always had great style. When I was little, she stood out from the other moms in our small New Jersey town—big hoops, chunky bracelets, a clever pendant peeking out from her bandana.
It took me until my teenage years to realize my grandmother was similar, in that she didn’t dress like other grandmothers—her scarves collected from travels, oversized dark sunglasses, and a bold mix of jewelry gifted by my grandfather, each piece as full of personality as she was.
My favorite is the charm bracelet that started it all—passed from her to my mom, then to me.
My favorite is the charm bracelet that started it all—passed from her to my mom, then to me. My grandfather picked each charm over the years, beginning with their high school days and adding pieces to mark their life together—Cambridge, marriage, kids, country living, and all the memories in between.
Explore meaningful gifts from Nantucket Looms—pieces made, collected, and chosen to be part of a home for years to come.
