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| Collectors' Paradise |
| Our House has seen some interesting collections, but nothing quite like this one. |
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Our House has seen some interesting collections, but nothing quite like this one. It's a three-storey home full to the brim with stuff. Teddy bears, shaving mugs, pencil sharpeners and china horses — you name it, they've got it. In fact, about the only thing these housemates don't collect is cars.
In 1982, Jim, Neil and Phil bought a two-storey deceased estate in the shape of a cuckoo clock. They moved in and added an extra storey into the attic space. Today, the third level houses Jim's electric jug collection and Neil's teddy bears. Jim keeps his 'kitchenalia' collection of toasters, glass bottles, detergent bottles, fly spray bottles — anything associated with the kitchen from a bygone era, in the laundry just off the kitchen.
The boys have nicknamed the loo, the "railway toilet." And with good reason. Soon after moving in, they discovered the toilet seat rocked whenever someone sat on it. This reminded them of sitting on a train and the nickname stuck. To add to the train theme, Phil (an antique dealer) brought home an old railway wash basin. Historical photos that used to hang in the trains and an old luggage rack add the finishing touch. The luggage rack doubles as a storage unit for the toilet paper.
Jim has always had a fascination for all things old and started collecting about 40 years ago. An electrician by trade, his first purchase was an electric jug. Today, his collection has grown to include about 250 jugs, most of which he has personally repaired — in fact 99% are in working order.
From a young age, Jim had his eye on his eye on a mantel clock that belonged to his grandmother's neighbour. He watched it pass through three generations and 40 years of abuse — including a coat of orange paint and black smoke from a fireplace. Nine years ago he finally got his hands on it.
Crazy collections in this house of hoards include:- 12 working gramophones
- Approx. 35 bakelite radios from the 40's and 50's
- 50 — 60 china horses
- 80 teddy bears (the bears' area resembles a teddy bear picnic, with a dolls house and kids picnic setting)
- 50 vacuum cleaners
- 100 pencil sharpeners
- 50 Mickey Mouse items
- Videos
- Shaving mugs
- Working roll playing organ
Jim and his friends pick up many of their pieces from garage sales and auctions. Jim remembers waiting eight hours at an auction to buy a jug. He says most people think they're mad, while others don't bat an eye.
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