Antiques & Collectables

Collect the pastand  invest for your future

Taree Local Collectors Club is inviting new members to join this old and established organisation. They meet at the Church of Christ Hall, in Victoria Street, Taree, just next to Taree Camera House. Meetings are on the second Monday of each month at 2pm. Members are collectors of a wide range of interesting items. You wouldn’t believe what some people collect! Discussions, Show and Tell and afternoon tea are always enjoyed. The Collectors Club is in the process of discussing the 2017 fundraiser for local charity support – The Taree Collectors Club Fair. In recent years, this event has been held at the Taree Police Youth Club premises. Try to see if you can come along. Give me a ring if you need more information. Phone no. at the end of the column.

Sue, from Delinquent Funk – alluring and unique wares, is moving shop. Not far, three doors down Isabella Street in Wingham to larger premises. The shop will now be situated next door to Chapman and Woods Chemist.

Life is busy. At the moment, Jenny and I are busy carting, placing, emptying boxes (the contents of which haven’t been sighted for up to twenty years), numbering, photographing and organising advertising for our Sunday 18th September Clearance Auction at Taree Showground starting at 10am. It is always entertaining opening boxes and delving into covered items in the sheds we have, as we find treasures that often we had forgotten we had collected. The hard part is deciding what we can let go of. But it’s time.

The item pictured above is a very rare and unusual piece of history. Mystery item! Take a guess.

We were in Kempsey at an antique shop in the main street when I spotted this. I knew what it was straight away, as I had seen one very similar at the Wingham Museum. Anyway, the antique shop owner was unsure what it was and hadn’t priced this piece. We bargained and came up with an agreeable price, and I have now been the happy owner for about twenty-five years. Have you had a guess?

During the 1500s ,and up until the 1900s, Bubonic Plague (Black Death) ravaged Europe and was estimated to have killed over fifty million people, up to 60% of the then population. Bubonic plague is an infection of the lymphatic system, usually resulting from the bite of an infected flea. Big hint!

This item is a device invented to attract fleas to it rather than the person wearing it. It is made of carved bone and has a base that screws off. Inside is a place for wadding which was soaked in blood. The wearer would place this around their neck and wear it as a necklace. The idea was that fleas would be attracted to this blood and not the owners. This would have been for a well-to-do family member, rather than the common folk. Its effectiveness is unknown.

It wasn’t until the discovery of antibiotics that medicines have been able to cure the plague. The last outbreak in Australia was in the 1920’s!

It is amazing the items that can be found.

I recommend collecting to all. It’s a great hobby that can be enjoyed at all stages of life. Find the category that suits you or take the plunge and collect a wide variety of unique and interesting treasures.

 If you have items you are not sure of, I may be able to help with information and appraisals. I love looking at old and interesting items.

Ring Rex – 0427 880 546.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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