(Editor’s note: DeeDee Wood is the owner of Black Cat Curiosities, an online antiques research and sales venue.)

Vintage and antique dolls and doll accessories, such as a dollhouse or dollhouse items and furniture, toy tea sets and porcelain European dolls are a great reminder to a mother’s childhood.

Mother’s Day was established in the United States in 1914. Ann Jarvis, a social activist, conceived the holiday to honor her mother, and all women who served in that role.
President Woodrow Wilson made it a national holiday, declaring the second Sunday in May as officially Mother’s Day. Gift giving followed suit after the holiday was declared, to celebrate all mothers on the holiday. Antiques are now a great way to still celebrate the woman who holds a central role in so many lives.
Ideas for antique gift giving for mom, of course, follow the taste of an individual. Mother has to like historic objects, things that tell a history, or useful items that can still be used today, but are beautiful to regard and at the same time utilize. Antiques are often thought of as a perfect gift for the central female in anyone’s life, because they tell a story, and celebrate, perhaps, her childhood or past as well.
Sterling or silverplated objects give a nod to yesterday, and have a classy, timeless appearance when unwrapped. A useful fruit bowl, spoon, flatware set or chalice for flowers would certainly receive an approving nod from the matriarch, as a thoughtful, tasteful gift.
Ideas range from silver tea sets, spoons, cups, vessels of many kinds for kitchen service, or a simple silver flower vase. Remember to add the silver polishing crème to a silver gift, as some polishing will be required down the road.
Objects that fit onto a vanity or bedroom dresser top are a feminine gift with much appeal.
Objects that can be procured in an antique store for Mom in this genre would include brush and comb sets, perfume bottles that spray with an atomizer, antique handheld mirrors, compacts, gilded picture frames with a picture of her children inserted, and a variety of other objects, such as jewelry boxes, cosmetic containers and statuary, just to name a few.
Vanity sets are always a beautiful addition to this area of the home, and can often have multiple parts to them, such as bottles with lids, sitting on a mirrored stand on the vanity.
Antique jewelry, of course, is a great gift for Mother, and there is such a wide variety of types, they are impossible to completely list. One could go high end with gold, sterling, gemstones and diamonds, or more conventional and sentimental, such as vintage jewelry from the 1940s and 50s,
Mid-century to modern designs of atomic clusters, clip on earrings, statements necklaces and other beautiful rhinestone creations. Mom unwrapping a beautiful piece of historic or vintage jewelry always brings joy to the eyes of all involved.
Vintage or antique household objects are always a hit for a Mother’s Day gift. Decoration of the home is still important, no matter what time period, and even in modern times, a touch of the old can tie everything together in a decoration scheme.
Ideas for mom in this genre include tasteful antique vases that can be utilized for flowers or just to decorate. Paintings and wall art are always a hit, if tasteful and matching to the existing décor.
Small antique clocks that tick time away through the day, kitchen antiques like old kitchen cooking tools, antique mixers, copper molds for the wall-they all add a touch of elegance and interest, even in a modern home.
Observing what is already in mother’s home helps dictate how to find a matching antique for usefulness or beautiful décor.
Last but not least, vintage and antique dolls and doll accessories, such as a dollhouse or dollhouse items and furniture, toy tea sets and porcelain European dolls are a great reminder to a mother’s childhood, or her mother’s journey, and she might already have a few to add her new addition to on a guest bed.
They could be tucked away on a shelf, dresser, or perhaps even on the mantel, along with other mementos of memory.
Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate the central matriarchal figure in the lives of those who celebrate her. Giving the gift of antiques, along with a tasteful vintage card, tells her that her family cares about her past, as well as her sentiments of childhood, youth and memories.
Wrapping a stunning antique that was hand selected by the giver is always a way to make Mother feel special on her special day.