This P.E.I. teen's passion for history led to a massive memorabilia collection

Cameron Ralph isn't your average 18-year-old. Most of his spare time outside classes at Holland College isspent antiquing or bidding on historical artifacts online.

As a precocious seven-year-old, Ralph stumbled across several aged bottles andquickly identified their potential value. Hemade hisfirst sale of manyat a flea marketjust one week later.

"I'm never not on the hunt. Whenever I'm online I've always got an auction on in the background," Ralph toldCBCRadio: Island Morning's Matt Rainnie.

Started with a couple of autographs

Starting from the basement and spilling into the rest of the house, the Ralph family home has become a museum of sorts.

It all started with a couple of autographs on the wall, said Ralph. As he began to accumulate artifacts he decided to re-paint the basement and move things around to better display his treasures.

Among these historical pieces can be found signed cards and items by the greats like Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr and Wendel Clark, just to name a few.

First-hand stories

A DIY mannequin put together from pipes, affectionately referred to by the family as "mannequin man," stands in the basement, displayinghockey gear through the decades going back as early as the 1920s.

As a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, Ralph and family members travel to Toronto to watch games but before they leave Ralph is always sure to scout out possible deals in the area.

If I can help tell that story by displaying my artifacts then that's what I'll do. Cameron Ralph

"If there's an antique store in the area I've got to hit it up. I can't afford thechance of missing something that could be that next piece," he said.

But his interest in history goes well beyond the world of sports.

As you make your way up into the Ralph familyhome you will find gems from both the First andSecond World War.

Ralph'spassion for military history grew from hearing first-hand stories from family members.

Much of his immediate family, including his sister, is either retired or currently serving in the military. It's even how his parents met.

Preserving crucial moments

His father served as a combat engineer and his mother was a mechanic.

"I grew up hearing those stories and hearing what they went through. And then I found my ancestors artifacts from the war and I felt really passionate about that," he said.

Ralph spends on average about one or two hours daily cataloguing and hunting for new items to add to his collection.

"A lot of terrible things had to transpire for us to get to where we are today. If I can help tell that story by displaying my artifacts then that's what I'll do," Ralph said.

A lot of the items come from auctions around the Maritimes. But it's hit or miss, Ralph says you can find a rare item at one auction and then not again for months.

"To me, it's about preserving crucial moments in history. There's letters here that were sent home during World War Two that tell a story like no other," he said.

A piece of history

Ralph had the opportunity to attend the 100th anniversary ceremony of the First World War at Vimy Ridge and managed to bring back a piece of historyto the Island.

During the ceremony, old boots used by soldiers who fought in the war were lined up as a symbolic gesture.

After the ceremony Ralph asked what would happen to them, andlearned they would be returned to storage but was told he could take a pair home.

"Although they are nowhere near the most valuable item I have, that trip was huge to me," he said.

Upstairs in his old room, Ralph has transformed the space into what looks like aturn-of-the-century general store.

Walking into a different time

The room is home to children's toys from the 1930s, oil lamps, old licence plates and an 1896 Edisonphonograph he refurbished himself.

"It's cool, because we don't fix things. We're a throw-away society. Preserving the time before all of that is really important to me," Ralph said.

"To get something that was worth nothing and now, it's worth a small fortune it works perfectly now. I've got different songs that play and when I'm up here I can get that kind of atmosphere," he said.

Ralph also collects different furniture pieces. The young historian is looking to one day acquire enough space to be able display all his treasures for the public to view.

For now, adding the finishing touches tothe general store in his old bedroom was thrilling enough.

"It's almost like you've been a part of all the decades that have gone by," he said."In a way, it's a form of time travelling."

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With files from Matt Rainnie