Nelson collector Gavin Peter with a picture of Samuel Kirkpatrick, part of his collection on the local business owner, at the National Antiques and Collectables Show on Sunday. Photo: Jessie Johnston.

Antiques put on show

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2027

Every piece on display at the National Antiques and Collectables Show had a story to tell, from bottles, advertising and breweriana, to militaria, local history and old china.

Last weekend it was Nelson’s turn to host the annual event, packing all manner of unusual items and collections into Trafalgar Centre for two days of swapping, selling and exploring.

Among those exhibiting was Gavin Peter with his collection on Nelsonian Samuel Kirkpatrick.
Samuel grew up in Ireland, moving to New Zealand in 1878 at the age of 24.

S. Kirkpatrick and Company began production in 1881, starting on Bridge St before expanding to the premises of the current Nelson New World supermarket.

Samuel was the biggest employer in Nelson at one stage, his company producing 15,000 to 20,000 tins of jam daily, using fruit from Motueka, Collingwood and Takaka.

The portion of Gavin’s collection on display at the show featured photographs, Samuel’s original dressing brushes (which were a 21st present) and his medals, awarded to S.Kirkpatrick and Company for their jams and jellies.

The rest of Gavin’s collection encompasses a range of bottles and boxes.

“A lot of this has come from local collections, it’s very much a Nelson-based item and it’s such a well-known brand.

“My father before me started the collection and so I’m a second-generation bottle collector. Dad was a founding member of the bottle club and I’ve just expanded on it,” says Gavin.

“I’m a collector really, or a hoarder as such, and so I’ve got various collections and various things and I can’t help it. You might wait 20 years to find one piece and that’s what collecting’s about, trying to refine your collection down to the most unique and interesting pieces.”

The National Antiques and Collectables Show featured both collector’s displays, including Gavin’s, which were judged, and sell and swap stalls, with antique and collectable owners attending from around the country, Australia, the UK and even from the Falkland’s.