Expert Appraises Old Treasures In Amherst

How much are your antiques worth?

Local antique-lovers intended to find out at the Antique Roadshow event hosted at the Amherst Town Library on Tuesday. Licensed auctioneer and certified appraiser Ron Wackowski stopped by to look into the historical and monetary value of the audience’s antique items.

Wackowski said he defines an antique as anything over 100 years old, but it also has to be pleasing to the eye, well-built and something you want to own.

“If I had a piece of garbage and it is a hundred years old, it is still a piece of garbage,” said Wackowski to his audience.

Ron, who has more than 40 years of experience with the antique trade and holds professional memberships in several organizations including the Certified Appraisers Guild of America, the National Auctioneers Association, and the New Hampshire Auctioneers Association. He is also the co-host of 'Let's Talk Antiques,' a radio talk show.

His eagle eye for antiques was apparent as he scanned each item. His first pick was a set of bowls made in Germany, and he could tell they were from the 1930’s within seconds. He explained that this was the time that countries began stamping the country of origin on their goods, and they were not made after the world war. 

The bowls were appraised at $150.

One local antique collector brought in an old stereoscope that introduced 3D pictures to the world. Wackowski value the item at between $75-100, but the picture cards used could hold more value depending on their content.

Another interesting item was a small black umbrella inherited by a young audience member that she kept in mint condition. Wackowski concluded that the umbrella was used for mourning ceremonies and was from Civil War times. He valued the umbrella at about $100.

One highly valuable item was a very ornate jar that was decorated with sterling silver and was apparently a gift from a count in the 1700’s. It turned out to be valued between $1,500-2,000. 

The antique market has also been hit by the recent economic downturn, but more so for low-end items, according to Wackowski. Antique furniture sales have also gone down since less houses are being bought or built, and many antique businesses have closed. However, the higher-end market of valuable antiques is still stable in this economy.

This swing in the antique market is nothing new and it will come back up eventually said Wackowski. For those looking to sell their antiques online on Craigslist, Wackowski suggested making sure to put all of your items in the garage before an interested buyer comes over and get their phone number.

Ron Wackowski certainly knows his history, and it the joy he gets from looking over each piece of it is obvious.

“This is fun,” he said as he held another antique. “It is like Christmas to me.”