Vintage gift comes tied in a bow

ANNA PEARSON

FAN MAIL: Dudley Benson fans Halfdan Hansen, left, and Juliette Fox, gave Benson, centre, a vintage bow tie at Founders Heritage Park yesterday.

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Dudley Benson gathers new fans – or "friends" – wherever he goes, but yesterday was the first time any of them had given him a bow tie.

The former Christ Church Cathedral choirboy, turned "indie chamber-pop choirboy", was given a vintage bow tie by Nelson fans Halfdan Hansen and Juliette Fox.

The pair saw the bow tie during a family holiday in California this year, where a house on the street they were staying in was having an estate sale.

The owner had been a Hollywood actor in his day, and had died with no heirs. His personal effects represented decades of a life well lived. Everything was for sale.

Mr Hansen and Ms Fox saw the vintage bow tie and immediately thought of Benson. The tie is by A Sulka & Company, a venerated Madison Avenue clothing store that went out of business in 2002.

Benson said it was the first time a fan – "although I prefer the term friends" – had given him a bow tie.

"I love it. Juliette and Halfdan managed to encapsulate my style in one simple piece of clothing."

The critically acclaimed songwriter performs as part of the Nelson Arts Festival at the Suter Theatre tonight and tomorrow, juxtaposing his vocal quartet – the Dawn Chorus – with vocal percussion by Australian-based beatboxer Hopey One.Dudley Benson and the Dawn Chorus, Suter Theatre, 7pm tonight and tomorrow.

- © Fairfax NZ News