It's weird because I was telling my g/f the other day about this big Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparents house back when I was 7 or 8 years old. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, the whole works were there. Now I've never really liked most of these people because they all claim to be Christian and lead two faced lives.
Anyway, we all sat around the dinner table and one of them brought up "I want this table when you die." (saying this to my Grandmother). So then it got really weird and everyone took a turn going around the table saying what they "called dibs on" when the grandparents died. I got a little upset because I thought they knew something I didn't and that my Grandparents were dying very soon. So the turns progressed down the line until it got to me and I said "Grandma are you dying?". She said "Not for a very long time if I can help it.". I felt relieved, but then she actually said "So what do you want when I die?". I said "Nothing." and was very uncomfortable with it all. My mom just put her hand on my shoulder as my Grandma said again "Well honey, there must be something you want when we die.". It got really really quiet and everyone looked at me.
Finally I said, "Well I really like your brand new stereo, but it will be too old to use by the time you die.". Truth be told the only thing I really wanted to remember them by was the actual dinner table we all sat at. I loved that thing. I used to play under it and hide under it when I was a little kid. It's a solid oak deal that has the legs curve out from the middle into chinese dragon head carving at the end of the legs.
It's really sad though, because that was the mentality of that side of my family and it won't change. I see them once every 5 years or so now and even then I don't care to. It really sucks.
When they die I know my Mom will ask for nothing, but her brother and sister will split everything up in a heartbeat and still call themselves good christians.
Sorry OP, I hope you get your matter resolved. Just stand up for yourself and say you'd like to have whatever it is you want. If they dispute it then you just say "We need to come up with a fair solution to decide then.". If they refuse that then just be the bigger man and let it go, they'll get theirs in the end.
Also, if it means that much to you, and you can afford to do so, then just offer to buy it. Sounds like that's the language they speak anyway, so you should get what you want.