Let's Go Antique Hunting in the Family Tree!
The JustaJoy.com Family Heirloom Exchange is an indexed artifact matching service designed for families who are searching for original authentic items that belonged to their ancestors. We advertise directly to antique dealers and others who are in possession of antiques and other items that have a family connection. We also advertise to genealogists and family researchers to make them aware of our service. A good portion of all fees generated by the website are used for this purpose.
We are different than other genealogy sites because we are not specifically in the business of offering information or other digitally prepared images. We are selling actual and original artifacts such as pictures, documents, etc. These items usually have value in their own right with collectors but, presumably, are much more valuable to the families with which they connect. Family information, can, however, often be gleaned from the descriptions of the items. Pictures can also be printed without a purchase of the item - an added value to the site.
Items can be separated from families in a number of ways. Often, an individual in charge of distributing an estate does not regard family items as significant and sells them to others who value them. This usually comes at the expense of a different family member who would cherish those items. Ultimately, the items end up in the hands of collectors or antique dealers, who, until now, have not had a convenient way to make families aware of the existence of the heirlooms.
The JustaJoy.com Family Heirloom Exchange offers a win/win situation by providing a haven for these misplaced heirlooms. Antique dealers can have the satisfaction of doing a good deed as well as making money and family researchers have the opportunity to recover the items important to the family.