Source: Radio New Zealand
The museum’s collection was a labour of love for Geoffrey Ernst, who died in 2023. Supplied / Emma Faire
Hundreds of pieces of New Zealand history are set to be sold next month, as exhibits from the Tirau Museum go up for auction in the Waikato town.
The collection was a labour of love for local man Geoffrey Ernst, who died in 2023 – and was dedicated to preserving New Zealand’s rural and social history.
The collection comprises of and estimated 5000 items, including vintage signage, machinery, farm equipment, bottles, vehicles and even an aeroplane propellor.
Auctioneer charged with selling the collection William Britton told Morning Report the museum had been Ernst’s lifelong passion.
Ernst had been gathering the items since he was nine years old, and the collection had grown to cover some 13,000 square feet, he said.
“It covers everything that you can think of. You can find anything in there.”
The collection includes countless items of petrol station signage, William Britton said. Supplied / William Britton
One of the most prized items in the collection – an Indian motorcycle from 1941 – had been a service vehicle during WWII, he said.
“This bike’s very much complete and it’s not been restored which is quite rare these days.
“This one would have come over from America during World War Two and would’ve done service here. It’s missing a few pieces but it’s all there and it’s ready for someone to love again.”
The 1941 Indian motorcycle was brought over from the US as a service vehicle during WWII. Supplied / William Britton
Other interesting and rare lots included an antique ginger beer filling machine, the oldest tractor in the Waikato district and countess vintage petrol signs.
There was even an old TVNZ camera, which was one of six brought into the country in 1955, he said.
“It is very much a New Zealand collection.”
The collection included a rare antique ginger beer filling machine. Supplied / William Britton
The auction comprised of 350 lots, amounting to about 1500 individual items, Britton said.
There had been lots of interest in the auction “from all walks of life”, he added.
Pre-bidding has opened online, but the auction itself will be held in Tirau on 12 April at 10am.
Britton said he was expecting strong bidding, but with auctions like these it was impossible to say which lots would garner the most interest.
“Sometimes we get surprises.”
‘It feels bittersweet’
Ernst’s daughter Emma Faire said throughout his life, Ernst had been many things to many people.
“Many of our memories of dad are of him either working hard at our family business, Tui Apiaries, or collecting all sorts of ‘things’ for his beloved museum,” she said.
“So many family outings ended in detours to wonderful places, searching for the next piece.”
“Mum often said he loved the hunt for anything old with a story. She remembers going out with him bottle digging, anywhere there was an old historic dump, he’d be there! It was so exciting, especially when you’d find a nice, whole bottle.”
Ernst had loved giving things a place where they would be appreciated, she said.
Even later in life, Ernst was never far from the museum, Emma Faire said. Supplied / Emma Faire
“A lot of our childhood was spent helping keep the museum spick and span. We spent hours playing and keeping things clean. Looking back, we probably took it for granted.”
Even later in life, Ernst was never far from the museum, she said.
“We all knew this day would come. Dad didn’t have the heart to close the doors and sell his collection. Now, as it goes up for auction, it feels bittersweet for our family.
“If we had it our way, it would stay just as it is forever. But we know that if it had to go, dad would have wanted it to go to people who will appreciate the stories, the passion, and the little pieces of his and our heart that each item holds.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
