Manning Valley collector Rex and his wife Jenny share their home with thousands of interesting and quirky items.
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Each piece has been sourced personally over 35 years with Rex spending most days out and about on the hunt.
It all started when Rex admired a bowl at a local market.
He showed his mum, who was involved in the markets, expecting a positive response.
“She said it was ugly!” Rex admits.
Undeterred Rex paid the 50 cents asking price and took it home to clean up.
It was sometime later that Rex discovered a name imprinted on the bottom and he showed the bowl to a local authority on such matters.
She not only admired the bowl, she offered Rex $60 for it.
He has been hooked ever since.
Now he has glass display cases (and sheds) full of an eclectic mix of items including old Australian pottery and packaging from the 1930s and 40s.
“I just pick up things here and there,” he said.
“There’s always something interesting to be found.”
Over the years Rex has researched his collections extensively and now he is considered somewhat of an expert. He is called upon to do appraisals and is also a member of the Taree Collector’s Club.
It is the items, their history and their stories that most appeal to Rex. Not to mention the people he gets to meet along the way.
“You meet some great old characters who are full of stories,” he said.
While Jenny doesn’t share her husband’s passion to such an extent, she does have her own collection of little monks to treasure.
And she is dedicated to supporting Rex and his passion.
Dusting their entire collection can take “a few days” and we won’t even talk about the amount of work required to clear the decks when a new carpet had to be laid!
Rex will never stop collecting. He loves it too much. But Jenny has had to set a rule.
If something new comes in, something has got to leave.
Taree Collector’s Club meets on the second Monday of the month at 2pm in the Church of Christ Hall (Nr The Camera House) Taree. New members always welcome.