Collect the past and invest for your future. Invest for history, invest for your own knowledge, invest for keeping stories and items from the past for future generations to appreciate and invest for pleasure.
We live in times that are changing. We live in times of materialism and we live in times of worldwide greed. Thank heavens we live in Australia where some reality still exists. Wonderful people are volunteering to help their fellows. I was reading recently practitioners believe that if you want to lift yourself up, you do so by lifting someone else.
It is great to see Australians helping each other!
Well, not much to report on upcoming events. Restrictions seem to be slowly lifting and hopefully fairs, markets, auctions and general collecting life will come back to normality.
I had a phone call recently from a gentleman from Kendall who wanted an idea of the value of many of the items in his beautiful, original old 1900s cottage. It was a wonderful experience to see such an iconic cottage with many wonderful features. One of my lasting memories will be an original photograph of the cottage with a bullock team of twenty – two beasts harnessed and completing a days work by pulling an enormous log with the original cottage in the background. I estimate the photograph would have been taken around the 1900s. What a privilege to see and discuss this unique part of our local history.
For many Australians, our perceptions of the first world war and the foreign lands on which that war was fought have been shaped by our family’s war mementos: medals, uniforms, cigar cases, and other souvenirs brought home by our ancestors and brought out on family occasions to be viewed by the children. The war was “over there”, and it was through the trinkets they brought home that a younger generation could better understand the sacrifices of their forebears.
Many people with a military background or an interest in militaria have a passion for collecting Trench Art. Trench Art is a term given to a wide variety of decorative items, sometimes functional, produced during or soon after the First World War (though the term is also applied to products of both earlier and more recent wars). They were made in all the countries engaged in combat. Ashtrays, matchbox holders, letter knives, model tanks and planes are typically found. Often, they are re-purposed lead bullets, brass recovered from spent canon shells, and copper from shell driving bands, although carved wooden and bone pieces, and embroideries are also seen. Few examples were fashioned literally in the trenches, many being made while soldiers had downtime or were recuperating (as a form of therapy), nor were all made by soldiers. Many museums have collections of Trench Art that are very popular exhibits. Items turn up for sale in antique shops, markets and even garage sales.
If you have items with a “history” make sure the family is aware of them and know their story. Otherwise the story ends with you. Keep our history alive. Talk to your parents and grandparents. Ask questions!
If you have interesting antique items you are not sure of, I may be able to help with information, appraisals and/or sales. I am still collecting and I love the history and stories of old and unique items (from old shed goods to household gems).
Take care and stay safe. Happy collecting!
Phone Rex – 0427 880 546