How two Perth sisters are selling the largest toy car collection in the southern hemisphere

Inheritances can take many forms, but for two Perth sisters, their grandfather’s gift came in the form of tiny model cars – 10,000 of them.

Prominent Perth architect Ralph Drexel once owned the largest collection of model cars in the southern hemisphere.

Entire rooms of his downtown home were devoted to housing his hidden collection, filling every corner with unsorted boxes.

A group of vintage model cars sitting on their boxes.

Ralph Drexel owned the largest collection of model cars in the Southern Hemisphere.(ABC News: Grace Burmas)

When he died earlier this year, his collection was passed to his granddaughters Sophie and Rosie Bates.

Two young women smile in a room filled with boxes.

Sophie (left) and Rosie Bates sell their grandfather’s model car collection. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

“We don’t know anything about cars, we don’t know anything about model cars, because it was such a hidden passion of his,” Sophie said.

Boxes of model cars on shelves.

Cataloging the cars turned out to be a lengthy process. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

“We didn’t know where to start or what to do.

“We didn’t know it was going to become a full-time job for us.”

In his will, Ralph made the condition that if the sisters sold his collection, the proceeds would go to his great-grandchildren.

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