At our June meeting of Collectors we had as a guest speaker Mr Graydon Johnston  from W B Gadd of Avenel and Chiltern. 
 
W B Gadd is an antique shop which also sells a range of possum and merino knitwear from New Zealand.
 
Graydon spoke of how he first became interested in antiques at about aged 7 when he rescued his grandfather’s clock which was unwanted by family members and in danger of being thrown in a dam.   

He still has the clock - which he treasures  - and it still goes. 
 
Graydon also spoke of his younger days as an industrial chemist who also played in a band.  When the band was offered the chance to be back up group to Johnny O’Keefe they jumped at the chance and toured with Johnny O’Keefe for two years.  He said he could tell some stores about that, but he didn’t.  Eventually Graydon opened the W B Gadd store in Avenel and retained the name of the original business which had existed at the site for many years.
 
We were privileged to see Graydon’s personal collection of Carlton Ware antiques some of which were very valuable and very old and he spoke about each.  He also brought along a range of knitwear from his shop which caused a lot of interest.
 
Following morning tea Graydon looked at items brought along by members of the group and gave an approximate valuation on each.
 
Our July meeting will follow the usual lines of members bringing along some of their collection to ‘show and tell’.

​Once again we had a wide variety of items including fountain pens, dolls, jugs, painted rocks, hats, a brass camel, black wedgwood and peg dolls.  The stories attached to these collections are sometimes as interesting as the collection themselves.
 
Shirley brought along scales which she bought at an auction in a very old and mouldy cardboard box containing lots of black objects which she recognised as scales.  Now beautifully polished, with a missing part they make a lovely display.
 
The scales came from Mrs. Sherwill’s Fruit Shop in Carrier Street, Benalla.  Some members’ were able to remember this shop in the 1950’s which was next door to Rossmore Private Hospital which is now occupied by Edspace. 
 
We were pleased to welcome Bev’s sister Janette who brought along their mother’s toy electric stove, complete with a tiny oven in which she remembered cooking cup-cakes as a child.
 
Next month guest speaker Graydon Johnson from GW Gadd Antiques of Avenel and Chiltern will attend.