Is Crown Lynn collecting a new trend?
Collecting Crown Lynn pottery is cooler than you may think.
Curator of Te Toi Uku Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum in New Lynn, Finn McCahon-Jones, says they’re expecting a younger demographic of collectors at their upcoming swap meet on March 12.
He says younger people are interested in collecting the famed Kiwi pottery brand because Crown Lynn is New Zealand made.
Millennials and younger generations are fiercely proud of living in New Zealand and things made here. They’re supporting that in a way by collecting, he says.
Over weekends at the museum they draw a crowd aged between 20 and 40 years-old, McCahonJones says.
Crown Lynn is accessible to collect because of how much was produced - with more than 15 million Crown Lynn pieces made in New Zealand in 1979, he says.
He says collecting has a sense of nostalgia and pride. It’s also practical because you can use it, it looks pretty, flowers can be displayed and the pottery functions as it was meant to.
One of the magic things when people come to the museum is the memories Crown Lynn holds for people.
He says 90-year old ladies want to keep their Crown Lynn, rather than cabinet china, because it’s where the memories are.
It’s amazing how much personal history simple every day
‘‘ "you never know what you're going to see"’’
Te Toi Uku Crown Lynn Museum in New Lynn curator, Finn McCahonJones
crockery can hold.
People don’t come in and say ‘that’s a prime example of 1950’s design’, they say ‘we had that, mum had that, auntie had that’, McCahon-Jones says.
McCahon-Jones says it will be a traditional swap meet with stalls on tables and blankets.
Seventeen stalls holder will come from Thames, Whangarei, Hamilton, Rotorua and across Auckland and he expects around 150 people at the event, he says.
He says he thought it would be cool to have everyone come to one place, say hello and swap. The real fun part is ‘‘you never know what you’re going to see’’, McCahon-Jones says.
He says he encourages people who don’t have stalls to ‘‘rock up on the day’’ with crockery they’re keen to swap and that people can also bring cash.
The event runs from 10am-2pm outside Te Toi Uku Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum.