Tucked away in the spare bedroom of a terrace in Sydney's Inner West lies an extraordinary collection.

It's a treasure trove of priceless Australian nostalgia that almost certainly would have been thrown out if it weren't for one man's passion for the past.

Marcus Taft with his impressive collection. (9NEWS)

For more than 30 years, Marcus Taft has been collecting household staples like cereal, chocolate, washing powder and boot polish.

Mr Taft has slowly accumulated more than 600 pieces, although he says it's hard to estimate exactly how many items he has.

"When my Grandmother died in 1981, she had a whole lot of things in her pantry, and I thought, what a shame to throw that out. And then I found the other things, and it's just grown over the years," he said.

Inside the small bedroom the air is thick and it smells a little damp, but the brilliance of colour hasn't dulled despite the years. The stunning illustrative detail in the packaging is all about catching the buyer's eye.

"I think the best thing about it is it's almost like an artwork," Adam McDonald, star of the show "Aussie Pickers," said.

(9NEWS/Lara Vella)

(9NEWS/Lara Vella)

"Back in the day... Your product would sell only because of how good it looks on the shelf, and that's why you get all these beautiful bright colours, and the big pictures."

From Vegemite, to Weet-Bix and even a so-called women's tonic - which Marcus says was mainly alcohol - stepping inside the tiny spare bedroom feels like a brief glimpse into a time long past.

One item in particular caught professional bargain hunter Lucas Callaghan's eye.

"I love the old Smiths tins. Before potato chips were put in bags, they came in a metal tin," he said.

Mr Taft recalled having them delivered to the doorstep in the 1950s.

Although he had no idea his collection would grow so much, Mr Taft said he's more than happy to be a custodian of Aussie history.