THE STORY...
Neil has always been deeply affected by the emotion of nostalgia, and has very fond childhood memories of Granpa and Granma’s old workers cottage at Scarness in Hervey Bay in the early 1950s. It had a big wood stove beside which he and his cousins used to sit as small children to watch Granpa, wearing an old leather pilot’s cap to keep his head warm and chewing a smelly and noisy old pipe, feed the wood that he had just chopped out the back, into the firebox of the stove.
He recalls that after dinner his Dad Colin and Aunts Doris and Jessie played old-time tunes on the honky-tonk piano for the family sing-song in the lounge. Aunt Jessie used to play piano accompaniment in silent picture theatres in the bush before the coming of the "Talkies”.
There could have been a game of Bobs on the dining room table, or perhaps making tinsel Christmas decorations from saved-up aluminium milk-bottle tops all joined together.
Conversations often included family memories of life on the farm near Kingaroy before World War 2, where Granpa built the family home and a community hall from timber that he and Colin and his brother Mel felled and milled at the family sawmill. Occasionally there were jokes about the races that they used to have on steam traction engines thru the scrub at frightening speeds of about 3 or 4 miles per hour.
It’s easy to understand how Neil had a Passion for collecting items of historical interest, reminding him of his childhood. He has been a licensed antiques and collectables dealer for over 30 years, trading at Paddington Antiques Centre (Now called Empire Revival), in Latrobe Terrace Paddington Brisbane for 25 years.
Sharing his passion is Neil's wife Debra (a Brisbane Flight Attendant) who contributes her organisational skills, creative flair and enthusiasm to the business.
For personal shoppers Neil has now opened a new shop (called of course “My Mother Had One of Those”) in OLD PETRIE TOWN, a wonderful early settler-themed 50-acre tourist complex located just north of Brisbane at 901 Dayboro Rd, Whiteside QLD 4503 (2 kilometres from Petrie roundabout heading towards Dayboro).
"My Mother Had One of Those" shop is open only during the Sunday Morning Markets, where he will be displaying fine estate jewellery, antique oddments, rare blokey stuff, vintage valuables, interesting old collectibles etc.
(Please note that no cash, jewellery or valuables are left on the premises outside market hours)
The building in which “My Mother Had One of Those” is located is called The Mumford Barn, which is in the middle of the Old Petrie Town complex, next to the world class Steam Engine Museum and the wonderful Fire Brigade Museum. The Mumford Barn has an old bush shed look and houses a diverse cluttery of stalls including various Asian food sellers, an Aussie tucker cafe, the brass polishers, a specialist book seller, the Belgian waffle shop, face painter, an ice creamery, a poffertjes shop, the German sausage man, and the leatherworker among others. There are plenty of tables and chairs available (including under-cover) where you may rest, dine and admire your purchases. It is wheelchair accessible and dog friendly. PLEASE NOTE.....Charlie, our Dalmatian-in-Residence, is a frequent attendee and offers light relief and entertainment by greeting customers with a friendly smile and tail wagging. (Everybody loves Charlie)
For further information contact Neil on 0412 233 523 or email andersonsantiques@yahoo.com.au or goodies@mymotherhadoneofthose.com
Neil is always interested in buying unwanted gold items (of any age or condition) or old valuables and curios and is happy to come to your place to view items and offer advice.
