The 5 Most Unique Items Found At Nicol S

The 5 Most Unique Items Found At Nicol Street Pawnbrokers

Jul 4, 2019 | 8:11 AM

NANAIMO — Have you ever been bargain hunting at an antique store or pawn shop and stumbled across an interesting or unique item you just had to learn more about? Like, where did it come from? Who did it belong do? And how on earth did it end up in Nanaimo? Over their more than 25 years in business, you can bet there have been a lot of one of a kind items that have crossed the counter at Nicol Street Pawnbrokers.

Here are the 5 most unique nitems you won’t believe were found at Nicol Street Pawnbrokers!

1. Paintings by Norval Morrisseau

Norval Morrisseau, also known as ‘Copper Thunderbird’ or the ‘Picasso of the North’, was an indigenous Canadian artist from the Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek First Nation. He was born in 1931 and his art often depicted the legends of his people, including the tensions between European and Native Canadian cultures, and is characterized by thick black lines and bright colours. Morrisseau’s work has been featured at the famous Pomidou Gallery in Paris, he founded the Woodlands School Of Canadian Art, and was a member of the ‘Indian Group Of Seven’.

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2. George S. Pearson’s Cane

So, who is George S. Pearson, you might be wondering? He was an English born wholesale grocer and politician. He was an M-L-A from 1928-1952, representing both Nanaimo and Nanaimo-Alberni within that time period. The cane was presented to him upon his retirement from the B-C Legislature. Both Pearson Bridge and Pearson Park, adjacent to Maffeo Sutton Park, are named after him. And, with it’s gold-inscribed dedication plaque, one thing for sure is that this cane is pimpin’.

3. Bling Bling, Check Out This Ring

In the history of the club, the Nanaimo Timberman men’s Lacrosse team have won one championship. It was back in 1956. No rings were presented that year, so the team gave the players the option to have their own rings made to commemorate the championship. It is estimated that only 6 were made, and of those, this particular ring is the only one known to still be around. It was donated to the Nanaimo Timberman organization by Nicol Street Pawnbrokers for the team to decide where it will end up – maybe even the Canadian Sports Hall Of Fame!

4. Got the time?

Check out this silver pair case verge fuse pocket watch, crafted by Windmill and Bennet – one of the finest clockmakers in 17^th century London. This watch was likely made between 1725 and 1737. At the time, these watches were considered a luxury item for the affluent members of high society in London and beyond. A very rare find, these timepieces typically sell for between two and five thousand dollars. And yes, it still works beautifully!

5. C’mon, get to the point.

There’s no denying it. Swords are just straight up cool. Military collectable swords are even cooler. Here we have a German Third Reich era Alcoso naval officer’s sword AND an antique French Napoleonic heavy cavalry cuirassier word from the late 1700’s. Most historical military items are highly collectable, especially swords, but Nicol Street sees lots of other military collectables, from war medals to flight logs, helmets and more.

While Nanaimo has its fair share of great stores and fun shopping, there are not many places you’ll be able to haggle for a chance to own a literal piece of history, like a naval officer’s sword, or a handmade time piece from the 17^th century.  If you’re intrigued by this list, then make sure you visit Nicol Street Pawnbrokers to see what new and exciting items have arrived since this article was written. It’s always changing, so you never know what you’ll find! Nicol Street Pawnbrokers is located on Nicol Street, and you can learn more at Nicol Street Pawnbrokers.