Antiques Roadshow is a very popular show on Public Television. I enjoy seeing lots of very interesting things and learning a little about the perceived value of those items. Value is fleeting and of course it is at least partially based on the subjective nature of the evaluator, although they do try to make it legitimate by having persons with experience in antiques doing the judging.
It is highly unlikely that I will ever take any antiques to be evaluated at an official Antiques Roadshow session, but it is possible that I could take things to be evaluated by a local or regional antique dealer here in Leavenworth. I have no idea what an evaluation would cost, but it is not likely to be for free.
Would you pay three dollars to have an antique evaluated here in Leavenworth? That will be the cost on Antiques Appraisal Day, Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Heritage Center; 109 Delaware. The event will run from noon until 5 p.m. and the Heritage Center is air-conditioned for your comfort.
The owners/operators of Ginny’s Antiques, Leavenworth Antique Mall, Overlooked Antiques, Reunions Antiques, and Stevie’s Antiques will spend the afternoon at the Heritage Center evaluating your treasures for that low cost. That is a really good deal and you should not pass this opportunity by if you have ever wondered about the value of some treasure that you have at home.
Leavenworth as the most antique city in Kansas would be one way to think about the oldest city in Kansas. I know that there are folks here with original solid walnut furniture made right here at the Abernathy Furniture Factory. I also know that some of that furniture, likely most of it, has never left the city.
I wonder what some of that furniture is worth since the plant closed in the early 1950s and operated since sometime in the 1800s. Some of the furniture that I have seen is really solid walnut, not veneer walnut over cottonwood or some other core composite wood of lesser value.
I am certainly not opposed to veneered furniture because veneer can be more stable than solid wood, but, if built properly and cared for, solid wood furniture can last hundreds of years. I saw plenty of solid walnut furniture made near Trenton, N.J., or Philadelphia that was hundreds of years old and is actually older than the United States.
There are some tables worth over $1 million just because of the history and the condition of the pieces. I always recommend that if you are interested in furniture, especially fine furniture, than you should shop the antique stores first.
You may find a table and chairs that suit your needs and that will continue to grow in value as long as you maintain it in good condition. I can almost guarantee that a new piece of furniture from a big box store will not have the same value as an antique piece in the next 10 to 20 years.
You know the antique is well built simply because it is still standing in good condition and has been for at least 75 years already.
Furniture is not the only type of item that you can bring for evaluation, of course. Things like old textiles and jewelry will be much simpler to carry. I am not really an antique collector myself so I am not sure what the dates are to qualify something as an antique.
The age requirement differs from genre to genre, but $3 per piece will be well worth your time and cost to discover how much value you have in antiques. I am looking forward to being there if for no other reason than to watch really beautiful things pass by for inspection.
By the way, all proceeds will go to the Heritage Center to help with maintenance and building costs, so this is a really good deal for everyone.
Matt Nowak lives in Lansing and works as a natural resources manager.
