But in this recent publication he taps into the rich vein of New Zealand society - collectors.
It is fitting that among the first words are those recorded above the old main doors to the North Otago Museum in Oamaru: ''Where there are riches there are people; and where there are people, stories flow''.
And flow indeed, as Elliott captures stories of people as much as the collections themselves. Travelling the length and breadth of the country researching his book, Elliott was intrigued by the passion his characters had for their collections.
One such character is University of Otago executant lecturer in contemporary music Dr Ian Chapman, whose interests extend way beyond his job title.
As a teenager in the 1970s, Chapman discovered glam rock, and what began as a invasion of his bedroom of fashionable wall posters of the time such as Slade, Marc Bolan and David Bowie has now transformed his office at the university into a time warp identifiable as of the era.
Fashion accessories such as flared trousers, platform shoes and boots and brightly coloured clothing are intermingled with all the toys and games from popular television programmes of the time before computers, cellphones, CDs and the like.
''Dr Glam'' to those who know him, Chapman has travelled the world for his collection addiction while also under the influence of other pop icons of the era such as Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper.
From Leon Searle, a collector of fishing floats, to Richie Gould, a collector of shearing clippers, and from Bill Williams, a collector of clocks to the author himself, a collector of comedy albums, Elliott's collection of collectors is a treasury of New Zealand treasures, fantastically brought to life in an easy-to-read format complemented by glossy photographs of the collectors and some of their collections.
Truly a New Zealand book about New Zealanders.
Wayne Parsons is an ODT editorial and production assistant.
