Thrifting can be a great way to save money and help the environment while capturing the aesthetic of vintage styles. It can also provide an intimate window into past lives.
One Redditor made just such a discovery with a collection of decades-old purses that contained notes from the previous owner.
Posting to the r/FoundPaper subreddit, the original poster shared a photo of four purses. Each had a typed note explaining the item's heritage.
"I love thrifting especially when I find something uniquely weird," the original poster wrote in the photo's caption. "I've found notes in books, boxes, pockets, purses, etc but these are my favorite because they came as a set."
The notes explained the intimate connection that each purse had to the previous owner.
"Handmade by my mother," read one of the notes. "It was during WWII and she had to use a plastic chain and an old, used zipper. 1940's."
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"This was owned by my mother's half-sister Cordelia, or 'Cordie,'" said another note. "Very fine and soft leather. Very, very old."
Fellow Redditors jumped into the comments to express their awe over the OP's find.
"This is making me emotional," wrote one. "I hope this person feels the love and admiration of all us internet strangers wherever she is."
"That's incredible," said another. "Must not be any sentimental family left to hand it down to. That multicolor one is beautiful."
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Cheaper clothes 🤑 "I love OP's sentiment toward these items," chimed in a third Redditor. "I wish the daughter knew they ended up in loving hands."
The post highlighted the way that thrifting can build an intimate connection across time and even among strangers who likely will never meet.
Other thrifters have shared similar experiences. One woman posted a TikTok revealing how she discovered a decades-old family portrait hidden behind a framed photo of a horse from a thrift shop. The find left internet sleuths hunting for clues that could help reunite the photo with the family.
Sometimes, thrifting can lead to other kinds of hidden treasures. One Redditor shared how they purchased a used jewelry armoire and found a nine-karat gold ring concealed inside.
All of these stories highlight how thrifting not only helps to save money and prevent still-useful goods from ending up in landfills. Thrifting can also reveal heartwarming glimpses into the past.
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