Show 'n Tell

I’ve always been disappointed that there weren’t more “heirlooms” or even simple possessions of our historical family members than there exists.  Sure, we have some photos, and those are perhaps the greatest tokens of our past that we could ask for.  But sometimes you just want to hold something in your hands that was also in the hands of our ancestor.  It doesn’t have to be particularly valuable, maybe a shaving razor of my grandfather’s or a rolling pin of a grandmother that was fond of baking goodies.  I think my Aunt Yvonne was of a similar disposition, given her penchant for antique shopping.

This section, then, will be devoted to such objects, and I hope in time readers will submit photos of their own family objects and associated stories.

Just a few years ago, I came to learn of one such object through one of my many “feelers” for all things Miranne on the internet.  At this point, I can say for sure that the object did not belong to a Miranne that was directly related to any of the North American Mirannes, but I’m pretty sure that the individual was still related, especially when you realize how few Mirannes there are/were in France.

The object I’m referring to is a sterling silver match box of sorts, gifted to Monsieur Jacques Miranne who was documented as becoming the Chef d’ Orchestra, or conductor, of Paris’s  l ’Opera Comique, in 1906.  

The “Boite a Allumettes” appears to have been a welcoming gift to him from “Les freres Pollain” or the Pollain brothers upon gaining his new post.  The “M.” you see before “Miranne” typically denotes “Monsieur” rather than an individual’s forename.  Just who the Pollain brothers were is a mystery at this time, but they were likely existing members of the organization.  Based on the hallmark delicately stamped into the silver, we can learn that the gift was made by Sampson Mordan & Co., a well-established London silversmith (and co-inventor of the first patented mechanical pencil) of the time.  Perhaps not a tremendously valuable gift, but a thoughtful token of their esteem, as the French are apt to provide to those they regard highly.

I think my Aunt Yvonne would have bought it on the spot as well.

So what do we know of Monsieur Jacques?  Joseph-Jacques Miranne was born in Marseilles, France on February 10, 1857, some 37 years after Casimir was born.  Though certainly not a direct descendant, Jacques could very well be a cousin.  His first post was as “first conductor” at the Nantes Theater from 1893 to 1896.  At the Nantes conservatory, he was in charge of the orchestra class and the accompaniment class.  He then succeeded Alexandre Luigini in Lyon as first conductor from 1897 to 1898, and then returned to Marseille for a time.  His work as a conductor culminated in his last assignment at the Opera Comique in Paris in 1906 and 1907.  I can’t say I’m a big opera fan, but I know of the Opera Comique, and I know such a position was nothing to sneeze at!

So this is just one example of several I expect to put here.  I already have an idea of the next item...if I can find it.