$1600 raised for St John Whanganui at retro and vintage collectors fair

Steve Larson has got the bug for collecting, but had to sell some of his items at the retro and vintage collectors fair to make space at home. Photo / Stuart Munro

More than 300 people visited the St John Training Room on Saturday where they purchased all sorts of old school products.

The room on Tawa St was full of china, cutlery, glassware, nicknacks, jewellery, pottery, art, antiques, collectables and more.

The occasion was the retro and vintage collectors fair, hosted by the St John Opportunity Shop in Whanganui. A total of $1600 was raised for the organisation.

One stallholder was Whanganui local Steve Larson, who said he was basically forced into getting on board with the fair.

Jenny Halligan also had a stall full of her collections for sale at the fair. Photo / Stuart Munro

"I've got too much stuff, so basically, I have to sell it," Larson said.

"It's about making room back home and I'm happy with the prices that I've got here. My wife will be relieved now that there's actually a little bit of space left in the shed."

Larson works as an IT project manager in Wellington, but collecting and selling vintage items is his hobby. He has been doing it for 20 years.

"I've just got a bug for it, I like going to garage sales and op shops," he said.

"My mother was actually into it as well, she used to work at the DIC china department."

This is the third event of its type hosted by St John in Whanganui and Larson has been to two of them. Saturday's event was the third time he has been a stallholder.

Visitors came from New Plymouth, Lower Hutt, Gisborne and Palmerston North to see what treasures they could find. Two stallholders came from Hawera and Marton.

Larson said plenty of items for sale caught his eye, but he had to keep the right balance between what he sold and purchased.

'It's silly if you're selling stuff and then buying more than you sell. I did actually buy a piece of jewellery from a lady, though.

"We do tend to trade between each other, but I'm being quite constrained with what I'm buying."

The event continued inside on Sunday from 9am until 1pm. The cost of entry was a gold coin.