Antique appraisal event June 3 at the High School

• Ellsworth's 150th

Ellsworth's 150th

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The next event in Ellsworth's 150th birthday celebration will be an antique and collectible appraisal show June 3 at the High School Cafetorium.

The event is also coordinated by the Ellsworth Public Library.

“There won’t be any charge for the appraisals,” Library Director Shelley Anderson said, earlier this month. “The library and the sesquicentennial committee will pay the fees.”

A free will donation will be asked, however, during the appearance by appraiser Mark Moran of Iola, Anderson said. Moran, an antique and fine art appraiser for over 20 years, has also served as a guest expert on PBS-TV’s “Antiques Roadshow.” He’s the former senior editor of “Antiques and Collectibles Books” and has been a contributing editor for “Antique Trader” magazine.

The guest appraiser will conduct two sessions at EHS on June 3—one from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the other from 2 to 5 p.m. During each, he’ll assess items from 40 owners, so there are a total of 80 slots to fill. Thus, the appointments are four minutes long.

Moran has indicated he’s willing to appraise fine art (paintings, drawings, prints and statuary), furniture (usually smaller pieces are best), ceramics (figural pottery, vases, dishes, kitchenware and stoneware), glassware (lighting, marbles and souvenir items), vintage photographs (snapshots, tintypes, ambrotypes and daguerreotypes), advertising (posters, lithographed tin, paper and figural objects), folk art (carvings, quilts, weathervanes, windmill weights and “outsider art”), assorted toys (dolls—bisque, composition and plastic—windups and mechanical banks), metalware (iron, bronze, brass, pot metal, silver, silver plate), clocks (mantel, hanging and figural) and costume jewelry (brooches, bracelets and earrings).

Among the items he’s excluded are all weapons, including swords and knives (though folding knives with advertising are accepted); coins and paper money; Beanie Babies; fine jewelry, including precious gems, pocket and wristwatches; and musical instruments, including violins and wind/reed instruments (though some acoustic and early electric guitars are accepted).

Questions about objects not covered here can be submitted to Moran in advance to determine if they’re appropriate. Inquiries should be e-mailed to moranm1953@gmail.com.

Anderson said event organizers wanted a venue like the EHS cafetorium with its stadium seating to accommodate not only the participants, but spectators, whom she emphasized are welcome. They’re invited to come and observe the fun event.

“We’ll be distributing cards with numbers so people will know when to come up,” she said about others directly involved.

For more information, call (715) 273-3209.

Tags: announcements, ellsworth, wisconsin