Durban - Believe it or not – Ripley’s is coming to Durban. The US franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items, will be showcasing some of its artefacts at the Galleria Mall in eManzimtoti, on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast on June 3.
This represents more than 95 years of collecting by Ripley and his corporate heirs. The 25 000 pieces were gathered and assembled by Ripley himself, on his travels around the world.
Ripley’s South African link dates back to the 1930s.
“In 1933, Ripley undertook one of his longest trips from Cairo to South Africa. It was a two month trip, highly publicised, and people flocked to him with their oddities,” said Edward Meyer, vice president of archives and exhibits for Ripley’s. “Ripley’s is looking forward to bringing our brand back to South Africa and its people, in the form of a travelling show at malls, filled with 100 oddities from the Ripley collection, including five original pen and ink cartoon panels, drawn by Ripley on location in Africa, in the 1930s.”
At the mall, some of the artefacts on display will include the world’s fattest man, seen above, and a scale on which visitors will be able to weigh themselves against Walter Hudson 543kg.
An artefact from Ghana called the fertility guard statue will also be on show. It is believed women who touch the statue will fall pregnant shortly after touching it.
Admission to view the artefacts will be free.
Sunday Tribune