Elaine Bell with the rock-solid cane bassinet. Photo / Andy Taylor
Elaine Bell with the rock-solid cane bassinet. Photo / Andy Taylor
Conrad Smith’s old bassinet is up for sale on Trade Me for a worthy cause.
All Black Conrad Smith's aunt Elaine Bell is selling the player's old bassinet on Trade Me with a reserve of $200. But if she gets another zero on the end of that figure she'll be pretty pleased.
Mrs Bell, 78, is auctioning the cane basket to raise money for Whakatane Hospice, near her home in Waimana.
The bassinet has been used by Smith and his siblings as well as Mrs Bell's children and grandchildren. She said it was still in great nick and came with a letter of authenticity from her nephew.
"They were built like war tanks in the early 60s. I really thought perhaps a collector might be interested - it's got a brand new mattress."
She's particularly proud of the veteran All Black centre. "He's given me this lovely card that says, 'I spent many happy hours sleeping in this bassinet as a baby dreaming of becoming an All Black.'"
Smith was mad on everything All Blacks as a child growing up in Taranaki, Mrs Bell said. "When I looked after him as a teenager, his mother very strictly told me, 'Don't go near Conrad's room.' When I had a peep in there one day, all the Weet-Bix characters of the All Blacks were lined up along the dressing table - he's just always admired them."
As well as being an All Black, Smith is a fully qualified lawyer.
"My brother-in-law says, 'That bloody kid, if he fell face-first into a cow shit, he'd come up with a gold nugget between his teeth.'"
Annabelle Smith has not yet had a chance to see her dad play live. Photo / Otago Daily Times
Little Annabelle Smith has plenty of reasons to get up early over the next seven weeks.
Six-month-old Annabelle is the daughter of All Black back Ben and his wife Katie Smith.
Born in March, she has not yet been to a game live but will get that experience next month, when she heads to England for the business end of the World Cup.
Katie Smith said that until then she and Annabelle will watch the games on television and enjoy watching their husband and dad play.
Mr Smith phones every day, sometimes morning and night, and Mrs Smith said Annabelle recognises the voice of her father.
Mrs Smith said though her husband was often away she always had family or friends to stay so the house was always busy.
Not a great sleeper, Annabelle would have the excuse of getting up to watch her dad play over the next few weeks.
She had yet to see her dad play in the flesh as she was too young when her dad was helping the Highlanders to Super Rugby glory.
Both sets of Annabelle's grandparents were heading to the tournament in England while Mrs Smith and daughter will arrive at the quarter-final stage.
