A quirky collection of 1980s school rubbers are set for auction after unleashing a tidal-wave of childhood nostalgia.
Hansons Auctioneers was blown away by the impact on staff when a Nottinghamshire client brought in her collection of more than 100 quirky retro rubbers in a kaleidoscope of colours for valuation.
Despite never seeing anything like it before, and more usually handling fine silver, porcelain and paintings, the Derbyshire saleroom has decided to offer the collection to their database of tens of thousands of global bidders at auction in September.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “Nostalgia, particularly childhood nostalgia, is very powerful in the world of antiques and collectibles. People like sentimental objects that connect them to happy memories, hence the buoyant toy market. It may seem crazily quirky but these rubbers fit the nostalgia category too.
“Faces lit up in our Etwall saleroom, near Derby, when the collection came in, and the smell of the old rubbers took me back to my school days in 1985. They sparked childhood memories of summer trips to stationery shops to choose pens, pencils – and rubbers – for those back-to-school pencil cases.
“The rubber was an all-important staple of school life, not only to rub out mistakes but to lend to friends and display a dash of personal style. As children go back to the classroom, history is no doubt repeating itself. Life and technology has moved on but most pupils, and people, still own a rubber.”
The set coming to auction includes rubbers in the shape of cats, dogs, dinosaurs, ice creams, cherries, cheese, a padlock, an octopus, lollies, balls, hearts, a clover, dice, an orange slice, hot dog, strawberry, Pepsi bottle and musical note. There are also pencil-top rubbers and examples made to advertise washing powders Persil, Tide, Daz and Fairy Snow.
Charles said: “The history of the rubber is interesting. People made mistakes and tried to correct them long before the eraser was invented. Rough bits of sandstone or pumice were utilised to remove ink from parchment or papyrus. In Japan, they used soft bread.
“But a chance event in England did much to pave the way to the rubbers we know today. Around 1770 English optician and scientific instrument maker Edward Nairne (1726-1806) inadvertently picked up a piece of natural rubber instead of breadcrumbs, which at that time were used to erase marks. He found the rubber did the job better. He started selling rubbers at his shop at 20 Cornhill, London, for what was then a high price – three shillings per half-inch cube.
“However, this type of rubber crumbled easily, was sensitive to weather and didn’t smell good either. In 1839 an American chemist called Charles Goodyear invented a method of curing rubber called vulcanization. This made the commercial production of erasers viable.
“I hope we can unite this collection with a new owner who appreciates the retro style and nostalgia of the 1980s. The collectors’ market is ever-changing so who knows what they may make. I am guiding the collection at £70-£100. They might just rub bidders up the right way.”
Auction: The rubbers will be offered in Hansons Auctioneers’ September 19-24 Antiques and Collectors Auction.
Auction entries invited: [email protected] | 01283 733988
