Photo gallery: Inside the quirky finds at Toowoomba Antique Fair
Antique collectors and dealers travelled from all over the country to find unique treasures from a bygone era at the weekend. See all the photos from the big event here.
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Antique enthusiasts seeking a nostalgic rush stormed the Founder’s Pavilion at the Toowoomba Showgrounds in search for unique treasures from a bygone era.
Among the stallholders of the annual Toowoomba Antique Collectable Fair and Car Show were husband and wife Keith and Louise Aggett.
The avid collectors, who have travelled from their Kyogle home in Northern NSW to showcase their pieces for the past five years, said they loved visiting Toowoomba.
“This weekend has been magical, and the crowds have been full of wonderful people,” Mr Aggett said.
“Toowoomba is a great place … as long as the wind dies off.”
Ms Aggett has an eye for English china while her husband is fascinated by vintage tin or battery-operated toys and clockwork train sets.
Among his favourite pieces are a rare Robilt train which was part of a limited edition release for Christmas in 1956.
“I bought it from a man in Lismore who remembered his dad coming home wearing his army uniform and carrying the box on his shoulder,” Mr Aggett said.
“Another quirky one is the Peeing Pup from the UK – he walks along, he wags his tail and then he cocks his leg and has a pee.”
The couple, who have been building their collection since 1978 when Ms Aggett’s mother started the first antique fair in Coffs Harbour, said they loved seeing people’s faces light up when coming across their stall.
While the pair are technically retired, they said their hobby had quickly become a full-time gig and they were travelling to nearly 30 fairs across Australia up until two years ago.
“A lot of hard work, packing and travelling is involved, but we just love it,” Mr Aggett said.
“When I was a young boy living in Devon (in southwest England), I didn’t have a few quid to buy these toys so this allows me to be a big kid now.
“Toy makers used things like tin plates 50 or 60 years ago, and people would store their toys in their original boxes so they last forever, whereas these days everything is made from throwaway plastic.”
Meanwhile, Ms Aggett made a bittersweet sale at the weekend – selling her most prized possession – a large cheese platter hand decorated in navy and gold, made in England in 1890.
See our photo gallery from the event online at thechronicle.com.au
Photo gallery
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