Kiwis splash out on royal wedding curios

The Moorcroft wedding vase has proved popular with many Kiwis. Photo / Supplied

New Zealanders are spending thousands on high-end royal wedding memorabilia, setting tills jingling for British retailers and helping to keep some afloat.

It's not the tacky tea towels or mugs that are flying off the shelves, but a $1011 vase. One Kiwi has even bought a $1298 paperweight.

The UK Gift Company has made online sales worth tens of thousands to New Zealand since Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement.

Wedding memorabilia has helped the owner of the company, which has a retail outlet in Northampton, to move to bigger premises.

Stephen Church had planned to close Church's China in October after 153 years in the east Midlands town.

But he said: "Our stats show the percentage of sales coming from New Zealand is disproportionately high, when you consider population. There seems to be a lot of interest.

"For New Zealand, we're not at $100,000 but it's not far off, it's heading that way."

The most popular item has been a 20cm vase by British company Moorcroft, which also has retailers all over New Zealand.

"There have been some designs especially for the New Zealand market," Mr Church said.

"I can't think of any other reason other than Kiwis have exquisite taste."

The vase has painted on it a sprig of myrtle - a flower included in the royal bouquet since Prince Albert's marriage to Queen Victoria in 1840 - lilies, Kate Middleton's favourite flower, and daffodils, the national flower of Wales.

Quirky items on the site include a £37.95 ($80) replica of her engagement ring and a £24.95 ($52) Bible with a royal wedding-inspired sleeve.

But porcelain maker Royal Crown Derby may have one of the most expensive commemorative items on offer - a £12,000 ($25,000) gold-plated clock.

No Kiwis have bought the timepiece, but they have splurged on $910 fine bone china trays and $480 plates.

Shona Addison, marketing manager for Auckland importer John Raine, which sells the items, said one New Zealander had even bought a $1298 Welsh dragon paperweight, one of 950 made.

The collection, checked by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall during a recent visit to Derby, has enabled the 261-year-old company to stay afloat.

Two years ago, production was run down to a four-day week but a sudden rush of business since the royal engagement has put the 150 production staff back on full-time schedules.

The official range of royal wedding china, approved by the couple and produced by the Royal Collection, has also proved popular with Kiwis. But a spokeswoman for the monarch's art collection said it did not disclose sales figures.

The eight items appear to be more reasonably priced with the most expensive a £125 ($263) "Loving Cup" with the couple's initials entwined.

But with so many commemorative items on the market, bargain-hunting Kiwis may struggle to find any with investment value.

The BBC's Antiques Roadshow expert, Eric Knowles, told the Daily Mirror: "The majority of memorabilia will be worthless. It's not something you invest in. It's for a day in your life you want to remember."