My husband Bill and I inherited a lot of stuff from our parents. 'Inherit' is probably not exactly the right word. It's more like we became caretakers of family items our parents had received when their parents died. Family pictures, of course. A Hickey family Bible. Trunks that came from Sweden in the late 1800s. Dishes. I doubt any of our stuff has much monetary value. Nonetheless, we've been loathe to dispose of anything.

My recent research about depression glass led me to look in a cabinet where we're storing old dishes from my husband's family. One of the things that likely came to us from Bill's grandparents was a slightly-chipped calendar plate from 1908. It says:

Merry Christmas

Arian and Gudal,

2903 No. Wash. Ave.

According to Kovels.com, calendar plates were very popular in the U.S. from 1906 to 1929. Merchants gave them to customers as gifts or promotions.

Bill's grandparents were married in 1906 and always lived in North Minneapolis. Their address was 2627 Dupont Ave N., just a few blocks away from 2903 N. Washington Ave.

So who were Arian and Gudal? According to the 1909 Minneapolis City Directory, John B. Arian and Lars M. Gudal were grocers located at 2903 North Washington Ave. Looking at the plate one can imagine Bill's grandparents going to the grocery store in December, 1907. They had a new baby boy, born 8 Nov 1907. How pleased they must have been to receive a plate stamped with calendars for each month of 1908, their son's first year! The plate was special to them and remained among their prized possessions.

A quick Ancestry query indicates the two grocers were brothers-in-law. Lars Gudal married John Arian's sister, Caroline, in 1900.  Several children were born to the Gudals during that first decade of the 20th century. I wonder if there are any Gudal descendants who might be interested in this old plate?