Hairdresser's quirky collection on show
From a curling tongs heated over fire to vintage hairdryers and a shaving and teeth-pulling bowl with spare teeth, a range of hairdressing memorabilia over the centuries is on show in Christchurch.
Hairdresser Michael Turner has been collecting hairdressing tools for more than 25 years, building the biggest private collection in the Southern Hemisphere, including thousand-year-old Roman-era blades.
Other items dating back to the 1800s are on public display at Ferrymead Heritage Park.
Turner's favourite object was a 19th century gentleman's metal shaving bowl with a scooped edge that fits under the chin and came with pliers for teeth removal and several real teeth.
"This shaving bowl, placed under your chin like so, and you would be shaved or you'd have your teeth pulled out.
"The only other one I know of of this particular type is in Durham Museum in England. They are very, very rare and difficult to come with but really simple," he said.
Turner had also collected several large hairdryers, including devices built into a chair, free-standing and bonnet-style with shoulder straps.
"You have a strap that goes over your shoulder and then a little plastic tube that goes from the end of the hairdryer on to the plastic bonnet and goes over the head - that's got air holes in it so the heat can escape. You can crank it up if it is too cold or turn it down if its too hot," he said.
The collection includes a number of historical curling tongs, including a Smart Cousins Perfect Wave set heated by fire, and a slightly later invention that could be plugged into a light socket.
"This Smart Cousins Perfect Wave you put into the hair to give yourself finger waves. First of all, you heat it over a open flame or some form of heat, then get a towel or cloth and wipe it so you have moisture on there as well," he said.
"Once you have moist heat you place that into the hair, close it down, pull the device that moves it up or down depending on which way you want your waves to be."Turner said his growing collection had taken over his garage, so his wife was pleased that the items had found another home. He hoped people could have fun playing with them.
"It's interactive, they can put it over their heads, stick their heads in it, open it, close it, pull it out play with it, see how it was put together in the olden days."
Ferrymead Heritage Park general manager Ian France said staff were thrilled to have such a carefully curated collection on public display.
"It fits really well with what the rest of the park shows off. We are looking after a lot of things that are of that age for people to see and enjoy. Looking after something that has been looked after and curated for so long."
The collection will be on display in two parts of the park, with modern items in the "hall of wheels" and others in the barber shop and tobacconist on the main street.
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