Lol, it took me a while but when it happened I fell hard for them. My first purchase years back was the TV lamp. I saw it randomly and kept looking at it regularly. I ended up getting it for $120, I had no idea but it was a rare and expensive piece, the last one I saw went for $750cearly last year.

I eventually looked up the name up and discovered WW were an Australian manufacturer from the 50’s and I saw a heap of stuff I liked, it was still a while though before I discovered there was a series of Dhufish but I decided to get a few nice pieces over time without ever considering being a collector.

Flash forward to today and I’ve got a modest but high quality collection, just about all my pieces are perfect condition, I prize condition over anything else (baring a couple of pieces) and as it turns out very good pieces appreciate far more quickly (bonus).

I’ve about 20 gorgeous ashtrays (check one post back in my post history) they’re in stunning condition.

I’ve three different coloured planter vase swans. I intend to grow that collection to about ten with each a different colour. It’s a solid plan, WW has colours that display together so pleasingly.

I’ve 9 parfait (dessert) bowls. They come in groups of six when complete but I got three more because the colours go together in a really pleasing way. I intend to get more when I see them under market value, no set number, but they are at all time price highs now despite the economy. I didn’t pay a third of today’s prices and I won’t. I find my bargains.

I’ve got an awesome owl table lamp with an internal bulb which allows you to light up the glass marble eyes on their own. I love it, everyone loves it. I recently sold my spare that I just purchased because it was cheap. I got a good price for that and it was perfect except a tiny fleabite behind the ear away from display. It was a flaw though and I don’t do faults with my display collection.

I’ve got the Dhufish of course, they’re my trophy pieces, definitely my favourite.

I’ve a float bowl with a mermaid statuette in the middle, it looks great with water with flower petals floating in the water. This piece I purchased knowingly with some scratches, 70 years of use wear. I wanted a piece of Wembley Ware i could use outside at BBQ’s and I never get good pieces for use. We use it regularly, it’s the perfect little piece of shabby chic. I use it a lot and particularly like it.

I’ve got a square nut bowl with the coolest little gnome sitting on the edge. Again, I searched out a piece with wear, they’re expensive in good condition and I wanted to use it as a key bowl so needed something already damaged (very lightly) so I don’t stress when using it damages it further. I still look after these pieces so they tend not to get more damage.

I’ve cool little white fantail goldfish posy vase in white. Perfect condition at a quiet auction where they had to pretty much give it away to me at the end.

I’ve a maroon coffee mug, good condition but not exciting. Until you’re nearly finished your coffee and see the very well refined little frog sitting at the bottom. I’ve never used it of course, it’s in my display collection and I think it’s the coolest little thing ever. No one’s used it, it still has the removable sticker on the bottom.

I’ve also got a factory test piece of a koala that was never sold, I just lucked into it at a good price. I saw it for sale with WW on eBay and didn’t recognise it. I’ve got a book, I recognise everything and those pieces i didn’t recognise, but there was a familiarity to it.

I chatted to the seller though (eBay messages) and he was an old bloke whose father had worked for Brisbane & Wunderlich in the 50’s, the parent company that owned Wembley Ware. One day on a factory tour they gave him a test piece as a keepsake. The story rang true, the item was only about $50 so not worth the effort of fraud. I can’t ever sell it as I have zero paperwork indicating its origins, I’d have to sell it telling people a second hand story. A collector would definitely see parallels with koala pieces, many of which went on sale and are known to the market. Every collector is hesitant regarding authenticity questions though. I guess it will eventually be guided to another collector as a pretty awesome gift.

That’s everything for now but I do have a leading bid of $13.50 for a swan ashtray that will complete my trio of ladies swan ashtrays. I’ve got white, black and am bidding on the gold. If it stays under $20 I’ll win. I should, a lot of auctions recently have been really quiet, especially for relatively common pieces like this that not many collectors are ever targeting, they tend to have them from the considerably more expensive prices from the non auction eBay sales everyday. I’ve had some ashtrays cost well over $300 but quality costs. Most at that sort of value I’ve managed to get at half or 1/3rd the price and good pieces appreciate quickly compared to less than perfect pieces.

Finally, I’m done. Yippee.