FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - Erstwilder

Q. Do you ship to international collectors?

A. Absolutely!  While we are located in New Norfolk, Tasmania, the majority of our collectors are based in mainland Australia, the USA, Europe and the UK.   All prices are listed in AUD (Australian Dollars), and shipping is calculated at checkout based on your location.   We use Australia Post Express for all domestic orders to ensure your items jump the Bass Strait as quickly as possible!

Q.  Can I come to your store to look at the brooches?

A.   You are welcome to visit the store but the brooches are packed away in a dark storeroom to protect the boxes from fading.   Also with over 1,000 different items it is impossible to display them instore.   If you browse the website and send me your pick list, I can locate the brooches and have them ready for you to inspect.

Q.   Can I pick up my brooches in person?

A.   Sure, no problem.   

Q.   How often do you ship?

A.   We try to dispatch all orders within 2 to 3 business days, though during busy periods or after a major release, this can extend up to 7 business days.   We send all Australian orders via Express Post, so once your parcel is with Australia Post, it should arrive within 2 business days.

Q.   Are all your brooches new and perfect?

A.   99% of the Erstwilder items on this site are brand new.   Most of the older brooches (pre-2015), are pre-loved.   

If an item has flaws, it is marked as imperfect.   If there are no other details, an imperfect brooch will have little specks and/or bubbles in the resin.   If a brooch is seriously flawed I will include a photo.   

If it is not marked imperfect or pre-loved, it is new in the original packaging.

Q.   Some of my brooches have tarnish on the pins - is this normal?

A.   From the Erstwilder home page:  "Due to the use of high quality silver-plating in our brooch clasps, tarnishing and oxidisation can occur, producing black and gold discolouration.   As with all silver products, you can simply restore it using a silver cloth."

Q.   Why don't you sell your Erstwilder stock at RRP?

A.   At 20th Century Artifacts, we have been specialist dealers in collectables for over 20 years.   We curate rare stock from across the globe.   Once an item is no longer in general production or becomes a global rarity, its value is determined by the collector market.   This approach allows us to continue to stock "impossible-to-find" pieces for our customers long after other shops have sold out.

Q.   Why do you increase the prices on release day, for items that have sold out on the Erstwilder retail site?

A.   We don't - that is a social media myth.   The Release Window begins at the time and date a new range is released on the official Erstwilder retail site.   It ends at the time and date of the following release.   We offer initial allocations during the release window at RRP.   Most of our collections are for everyone, with plenty of stock available at RRP.   Any items held beyond the release window are re-valued to reflect their current market rarity.   As specialist dealers, our pricing reflects market rarity and the costs associated with sourcing and preserving "backstock" items for collectors.

Q.   Why do you tell people items are "Sold Out" even if there is stock available?

A.   We prioritise our loyal, regular customers.   When a piece sells out globally in minutes, we believe the remaining units should go to those who support our shop year-round.   We often reserve these final pieces for our community of collectors rather than cold callers, one-off buyers or "flippers."   We reserve the right to manage our stock to ensure our community of collectors is looked after first.

Q.   Why does your stock sell out so fast after a social media mention?

A.   We are lucky to have a very vocal community!   Whenever 20th Century Artifacts is mentioned on social media - whether by fans or critics - it creates a significant spike in global traffic.   Our rare pieces are highly sought after, and we appreciate the word-of-mouth that helps our small Tasmanian shop reach collectors from London to Los Angeles.

The Reliquary & "Runaway Unicorns"

Q.   What is a "Runaway Unicorn"?

A.   In the world of collectables, a "Runaway Unicorn" is a piece that becomes an instant sensation.   While most designs in a collection are produced in higher volumes (up to 1,500 units), there is often one specific design produced in a much smaller quantity - sometimes fewer than 300 units worldwide.   If the community falls in love with one of these low-quantity designs, it "runs away" and becomes nearly impossible to find.   We don't decide what they are - the global community does!   Predicting them is about 80% experience and 30% luck, and we estimate they only appear in about a quarter of releases.   Our role is to protect our small allocation of those rare pieces so they can be used to reward our most loyal customers.

Q.   What is "The Reliquary" and how does it work?

A.   The Reliquary holds our remaining stock of these ultra-rare Unicorns.   In the event of a lightning-fast sell-out, our final units are allocated as loyalty rewards for our high-value transactions.   This is a standard practice in boutique retail and is a thank you to those who support our shop's sustainability.   

Please Note:  These pieces are not official Erstwilder promotional items; they are from our own paid retail stock. They are made available exclusively as a 20th Century Artifacts Gift with Purchase (GWP) for orders over $500 AUD.   This ensures the most coveted items go to dedicated supporters who shop deeply across our range, rather than being snapped up by resellers.   We’ve traded "first-come, first-served" for "loyalty-first," ensuring our most precious pieces go to the homes they deserve.

Real-Time Activation:  We monitor the market manually.   A piece may move from general sale to The Reliquary the moment its 'Runaway Unicorn' status is confirmed by market demand.   These are often only available for a very brief window before they are gone forever.   We operate on a "first-to-qualify" basis - once our Reliquary stock for a release is exhausted, it cannot be restocked.

Loyalty Rewards & Shipping

Q.   How do your Gift with Purchase (GWP) tiers work?

A.   We love rewarding our community at different levels:

  • The Collector Tier ($150 AUD spend):   Choose a retired or vintage Official GWP brooch from our archive.

  • The Reliquary Tier ($500 AUD spend):   Secure the current "Runaway Unicorn" (sourced from our own paid stock).

Note:   We have been part of the Erstwilder collector community for over a decade.   We believe in transparency.   We do not sell on any online marketplaces other than this owner-operated website, or from our bricks and mortar store in New Norfolk, Tasmania.   Official Erstwilder GWPs are always passed on to our customers as intended - we never "flip" official promotional items on online marketplaces.   Every official GWP is passed directly to our customers.   It’s about building a community, not just making a quick sale.

Roz Chapman Proprietor, 20th Century Artifacts www.c20artifacts.com