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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Mansons2005, post: 88048, member: 121&quot;]In the late 1960s we (my family) started the process to donate our country house and remaining property to a national historical society.............what a process THAT was...........there were &quot;choices&quot; regarding the furnishings and clothing, etc. that were to be included, the final decision being that anything from 1600 up to December 7, 1941 would be included, and no updates or alterations to could be made to the fabric of the house while we retained residency until my father&#039;s death. So until the mid 1980s we had a constant stream of historians, curators, and others in and out counting spoons and making sure that the taps in the scullery still dripped. And twice a year the public was admitted to view the house in situ When my father died I had 30 days to vacate - and was supplied with a list of what not only what I COULD take,but what I MUST remove from the house and outbuildings.............</p><p><br /></p><p>I have also donated a piece of Tiffany presentation silver to the Museum of NY, and literally hundreds of pounds of photos and documents to them and other historical societies. Publications and historical writers have purchase many photos from me and my family as well. Some nautical/sailing ship related things went to a related historical society, and I allowed some docents/curators to use the remaining material (including photos) at no charge. </p><p><br /></p><p>On my mother&#039;s side, we donated a Meissen dinner service to a noted charity auction (more for the tax write off than for altruistic reasons, I admit), and many of the documents and photos from her family made the journey to German societies and museums after reunification (some property was returned to the family after reunification, some of which we also donated - to the families who had been living in the house since the end of the war).</p><p><br /></p><p>Even now, in my poverty, I tend to donate or at least make inquiries regarding donation, to appropriate venues when I come across something historically relevant while browsing through some of the trunks and boxes of stuff I still have to dispose of.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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