Antique appraisal draws a crowd

Richard Axtell of Deposit, N.Y., appraises a limited edition pedal car at the Antique Appraisal Night, a fundraiser for the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library. STAFF PHOTO/PAT FARNELLI

BY PAT FARNELLI

Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association hosted an Antiques Appraisal Night  Friday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Montrose.

Richard Axtell of Deposit, N.Y., returned as the appraiser, and Bob Smith of Bob Smith’s Antiques in Montrose provided assistance.

Axtell selected items in random order, put them in an historical context, and then determined its monetary value.

Seven 1939 World’s Fair Scrapbooks, compiled by Catherine Zeffer of New Milford, were remarkable for their fine craftsmanship and condition, and due to renewed interest in World’s Fair items, were valued at $1,500.

“The lady who made those scrapbooks had a season pass to the World’s Fair, and she made those when she was 20. She’s here tonight, and she is only 91 now,” announced a family member in the audience.

Mrs. Zeffer, a former Rockette, was a dancer for the “Court of Peace” show at the fair’s pavilion. Then a resident of Long Island, N.Y., she was a Rockette. Several of her children accompanied her to the appraisal night, and were pleased with the crowd’s reaction as well as the appraisal.

The highest value assigned to an item belonged to a piece of needlework showing a family farm, embroidered by Mrs. O.H. Estes from East Rush, and entitled “home of my childhood.” The piece of cross stitch resembling needlepoint on coarse linen was valued at $12,500. “It’s the best thing here: it’s a discovery,” said Axtell.

The needlework has been enjoyed by five generations of family, said the owner of the piece. There is a mill with a waterfall made of cascading silk thread, as well as a home, barns, trees, and gardens.

Several small, somewhat primitive looking wooden boxes had high value, one appraised at $2500. Three tiny, splinted wood buttocks baskets were valued at $350-750 each. “The smallest one is the gem, because it is the most accentuated,:” he said.

Several items were worth less than the owners hoped, with many appraising at $10, $25, or even without value. Usually, this was due to condition.

A limited edition, red airplane pedal car, however, bought at an Acre Lake yard sale for $50, was appraised at $3,800.

A carved wooden chair, bought for $3 at the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Binghamton, was appraised at $450.

A retired teacher brought a signature quilt made by her students in a learning support class. The schoolchildren had written to more than one hundred celebrities asking them to sign a square patch for the quilt, and received responses from more than 80. Signatures included OJ Simpson, William Shatner, George Burns, Frank Sinatra, Ray Bolger, Charles M. Shultz, Kirk Douglas, and Neil Armstrong.

Two wooden decoys were valued at $150 for the pair. “These were working decoys, and one has been shot. Poor things, they are entirely defenseless,” said Axtell.

He was favorably impressed by a calligraphy horse executed by Frank Tewksbury. “This was drawn in one long stroke, a single flourish of the pen,” Axtell said. “It has very fine movement, which is what you look for in a drawing of a horse.” He said that the backboard of the framed drawing had been detrimental, however.

 “In this condition, it is worth $1,500, but if conserved, its value would have been $3,500. Take off the wooden back, and replace it with acid free paper and foam board.”

Axtell gave several caveats along with appraisals. Several items were solid pewter, including a cocktail set. “I would value this at $60, but do not use it. It has a very high lead content, about 80 percent. It’s as bad as asbestos.”

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