Hunters and Collectors Antiques, Mittagong NSW

Carl likes to browse.

When we were staying at Oakvale in Mittagong, we went for a drive and along the main street Carl saw a few antique stores and old wares-type shops and second-hand traders and these are his favourite types of browsing experiences.  He stopped the car and out we got and the first shop we went into was Hunters and Collectors Antiques.  The thing is, we ended up being in there so long that by the time we walked back out onto the footpath, the other shops had closed.

Flared nostrils!

He doesn’t look happy


Oh well, never mind; this shop was fascinating.

One of the two owners, Kathy Kasz was there and she said customers are welcome to take photos inside the store but they would appreciate a donation to an animal shelter and there is a money box at the door for your gold coin donation.

The shop is full of interesting collectables

The shop is full of interesting collectables

Getting my money’s worth, this post has a lot of images but I wanted to show you some of the things I found that I thought were fascinating.

While a lot of the prices staggered me, I’d have to say the shop has the most interesting collection of antiques I’ve ever seen.  The first item I noticed when I walked into the store was the sculptured bust of Jesus.  This is a very rare Spanish polychrome torso of Jesus Christ with a double beard, typical to the late 15th and early 16th Century, circa 1490 – 1550.  It has a good original polychrome finish although there is some evidence of past woodworm activity.  $14,000.

Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ

A lot of the items for sale are not PC at all however, they stem from an era where these things were tolerated and even lawful.  For $28,000, you can have this fully mounted male Bengal tiger in attack mode.  The tiger wears a summer coat.  The taxidermy was by Knopp Bros in Washington in 1970. If you aspire to venture on a hunt for similar creatures, you must first be well-equipped with items like those hunting backpacks.

A Bengal tiger in attack mode

A Bengal tiger in attack mode

I’ve never seen so much taxidermy in my life; it’s not all that common in Australia.

So much taxidermy

A wall of heads

Amazing workmanship

Amazing workmanship

This is a French ‘New Map’ motorcycle.  The ‘New Map’ factory was founded in Lyon in 1898 and active in producing motorbikes from 1925 to the late 1950’s.  These motorcycles became very popular from 1927 due to the good-looking, sporty models.  Sales were excellent and the bikes carried high price tags.  This C1942 bike has a 125cc engine, is in full working order with original fittings $12,500. Looking to buy used motorcycles? Why not check out this yamaha rd400 for sale here for best preferences!

A French motorbike in working order

A French motorbike in working order

From the 1830’s there is a French granite folk art statue of Napoleon Bonaparte that’s in original condition.  Like the man himself, this is a very small statue.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte

This toy car was made in the Depression.  It’s a pull-along toy car in original condition.  C1930’s.  $950.00

A toy pull-along car made in the Depression

A toy pull-along car made in the Depression

This speed boat is from a 1960’s French carousel.  It’s made from fibreglass and has working lights.  $2,950.

A speed boat from a French carousel

A speed boat from a French carousel

‘Ballarat Bertie’ is very rare and in excellent original condition.  It’s C1930’s and was a shop display.  $4,850.

Ballarat Bertie

Ballarat Bertie

The least PC item I found was this Hitler Youth arm band that has the official stamps inside.  C1930’s it’s for sale for $450.  Lying on the Hitler Youth arm band is a German SS Officer’s miniature enamelled dagger sweetheart brooch.  C1936 $850.

A Hitler Youth arm band with a German SS Officer's brooch

A Hitler Youth arm band with a German SS Officer’s brooch

You'd have to be very brave to put this on display in your home!

I did a double-take when I saw this.  It’s hard to believe that this is the sort of thing that was done to what is now one of the world’s most endangered species.  But what’s done is done and it would be even more disrespectful to not care for these rare and unique items that have come from a time when the world was more ignorant.  This is a rhinoceros foot that has been turned into a humidor with a mahogany lid for cigars.  C1930’s $1,850.

A rhinoceros foot, now a humidor

A rhinoceros foot, now a humidor

And as we walked out of the shop, Carl said browsing in that store was better than being in a museum.

And as if we hadn’t been dazzled enough, just as we stepped out onto the footpath, right in front of us was a Batmobile.  The driver was very disappointing; he was sporting a baseball cap and I was rather hoping for my first run-in with the caped crusader.  The words, ‘Only in Hollywood’, sprang to mind, but here we were in Mittagong!

And now I've seen it all! But where is Batman?

And now I’ve seen it all! But where is Batman?

You’ll just never know what you’ll find in a country town.

Off purrs the Batmobile

Off purrs the Batmobile

Hunters and Collectors Antiques – Trading all things old, antique and collectable.

8 Bowral Road, Mittagong NSW 2575

Ph:  02 4872 1661

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Comments

  1. You weren’t kidding were you? That place has a lot of unique things. I wonder how the Nazi armband will sell?

  2. Danielle says:

    Fascinating place. I can see why you would spend so much time in there, but I wonder if they ever sell anything. I suppose one big sale (at those prices) keeps them going for a while.

  3. Wow. What a place! How funny (but rather nice) that they have so much taxidermy on display but invite donations to animal shelters. It sounds like a museum as much as a shop!

  4. What a shop, it seems to have a little something for every collector. I wonder how a stuffed tiger made his way from Washington to Australia.

  5. Oh, my, that’s a lot of taxidermied animals and I don’t particularly like seeing these. But what an interesting shop with quite steep prices.

    I love poking around these kinds of place, too.

    And that Batmobile, what a bonus. I have a matchbox sized Batmobile. I didn’t know these cars were actually manufactured/built in real driveable size.

  6. What a unique experience! Looks like they had some beautiful pieces of furniture as well (at high prices I’m sure). I love to wander places like that too!

  7. Wow! That is one wild collection of antiques. I can see why you spent so much time in there. Mr. N would have been in heaven. He loves browsing those types of shops as well and no doubt would have stayed as long as he could. And the bat mobile is quite a bonus! Very cool.

  8. Wow! What a place! So many different things…I cannot believe you saw the batmobile! How cool is that?!?!?! That rhino foot makes my heart sad. They are one of my favorite animals! That one moose looks pretty happy, though! 😉 Anywho….I have given you an award on my blog, please don’t feel the need to reciprocate or anything, just wanted you to know I appreciate you!! xoxo Check it out here: http://foodgurly.com/2014/04/28/low-glycemic-gluten-free-sugar-free-brownies-wbuttercream-frosting-and-an-award/

  9. What are the odds? We window-browsed at that shop on Friday! I was dying to go in but the fish and chip shop a few doors down was calling our name. It looked like a fascinating place, although I’m not sure how I feel about the Nazi memorabilia.

    • That’s amazing! I was there the day before you. Well…as you didn’t get to step inside, I’ve covered it for you! I hope the fish and chips were good.

  10. My! What a spooky place to be honest….those glassy eyes are enough to turn me off sleep for a week….those poor creatures 🙁 The Rhino legs are the worst. Even though they are old and rare, they should not be up for sale, it only excourages poaching for people who still want to ‘own’ such things, and there are plenty of sickos in the world.

    As they say, if you sell, they will buy…..the very fact that there is stil someone who will shell money to but a Hitler armband speaks volumes. Loved the batman car though.

  11. Wow! You have to wonder who buys that stuff though don’t you? What a fascinating place. How disappointing that batman was in his civilian clothes.

  12. Goodness, what an interesting place. Thanks for showing us around Charlie. Not sure I’m all that keen to visit, to be honest, some seriously cringeworthy stuff in there..

  13. Wow. I have to say, so much taxidermy would give me the creeps, but very interesting.

  14. An interesting place, I too wonder how many people just browse and how many buy.

  15. Wow hahaha so interesting a lot of things here that I haven’t seen before 🙂

  16. Mittagong was rocking last weekend. I’m with Carl on the browsing in old shops thing. It’s a splendid way to spend a few hours. Love it. Thanks for bringing all those pieces of interest to us via your blog.
    Carolyn

  17. I agree with Kari’s comment–how delightful to see that they encourage donations to an animal shelter. They obviously feel much as you do–what’s done is done, and these examples of using animals as “art” were at one time examples of fine and exquisite taste, although it’s almost impossible for me to even imagine. I love to browse through shops similar to this, but I have never seen a collection like you’ve shared. It really is a museum! I have seen a “Batmobile” on the streets of Los Angeles, but I guess you never know where the Caped Crusader is going to show up. He must have been needed in Mittagong!

  18. What an interesting store! Do people really spend that kind of money buying that stuff though? I guess so, look at the bat mobile guy! My hubby isn’t a browser…he hates these kind of shops. He much prefers a shoe shop….I am not kidding.

  19. Awesome stuff indeed Charlie! That tiger is amazing, but I’d like it to look like it was curled up asleep so I could give it cuddles without being freaked out 🙂 littlej has her own ‘museum’ in her room, but the various animal skins were roughly cured by my dad and are certainly not as pretty (or as nice smelling) as those ones xox

  20. What a fascinating collection of antiques although I suspect you would need a very deep pocket to shop there!

  21. No wonder you guys never made it elsewhere, Charlie. They would have had to ask me to leave because they wanted to go home. That’s the kind of place I could get lost in for hours and there’s no telling what you’ll find. You sure did show us an eclectic assortment. The Batmobile? Well that puts the cherry on top of that sundae, doesn’t it?

  22. Oh boy! All those animals, they all look terrified. These surely are pieces one looks at, but never buys.

  23. You find the niftiest things, Charlie!

  24. Those sort of shops are interesting, but sometimes a little bit creepy. None of it would fit in my house although I quite like the French motorbike.

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