Ted Sole and his found object collection

Introducing Ted Sole, aged 6 from Tawera, and his collection

'I love finding special things and collecting them. The riverbed near our house is a good place to go, and Kaitorete Spit.'

'You can sometimes spot agates on Kaitorete Spit, like when they’re wet from rain. When they’re dry they don’t look so good. My favourite is the big creamy one polished by the ocean.'

'Some things get washed up in the riverbed when the river floods, like the old tobacco tin. Dad thinks it’s from the 1940s.'

'I like the bullet case from deer-hunting. You can see where the hammer hit to fire the bullet. I tried polishing it, but that made a mark so I stopped.'

'My biggest thing is a mystery object made of rusty metal. The smallest is a wee bit of very red jasper.'

Ted (left) examining the washed-out riverbed where he found his tobacco tin lid, 2021.