Grandad-of-three Derek Payne has been amassing his amazing treasure trove of sci-fi toys for 20 years.
The 58-year-old has scoured the world looking for unique sci-fi toys, models and pieces of memorabilia from comics, films and TV shows, building up thousands of items.
Taking pride-of-pace at the centre of his collection is his stellar Star Wars merchandise.
But Derek reveals he’s had to ban his grandchildren from getting their hands on the tantalising toys.
He’s placed many items in glass display cabinets to stop them from getting marked or broken.
The antiques dealer, from Carrutherstown, Dumfries & Galloway, laughed: “They are very appealing for kids but these aren’t ordinary toys they are part of a collection it has taken years to get.
“I have three young grandkids who would love to get their hands on them. I keep it all in glass cupboards so they can look but not touch!”
Derek has hundreds of Star Wars figures popular presents for children in the 1970s and ’80s and memorabilia from films including The Black Hole and Dune.
One of his favourite items is a Dan Dare watch worth around £600.
His collection has grown to such a Death Star-like scale, he’s had to move it to a room of its own above his antiques business in Moffat. It now regularly attracts visitors willing to pay to see the out-of-this-world collection.
“My wife, Linda, wasn’t happy I had taken over so much room so asked me to move it,” he said. “I thought why not convert it into a toy museum for people to visit.
“There’s no set entrance fee to get in. Visitors can make a small donation to support its upkeep but I’m not bothered.”
All of Derek’s toys date from 1890 to 1990 because “after that I think the quality went downhill”.
And he refuses to put a price on it.
“I couldn’t tell you how much it is worth or would want to,” he said. He said “it’s a passion” that was ignited by his love of old black and white movies.
“It’s just kept going from there,” he added.
Derek, who’s expecting a visitor bonanza to mark Star Wars Day May the fourth plans to keep on collecting,
“My children used to tell me to grow up but they’ve pretty much given up on that,” said Derek. “I don’t think I’m ever going to grow up.”
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