Antique Appraisal fair set for Saturday
Those wondering what grandma Ethel’s hand-me-down lamp is worth have a chance to have it – or anything else – appraised for just a few bucks Saturday at the Cape Coral Italian American Club.
An Antique Appraisal Fair and Show is planned from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the club, at 4725 Vincennes Blvd. The event will feature a panel of professional appraisers, as well as at least a dozen vendors.
“We have five appraisers,” Lois Murray, organizer and owner of The Red Barn, said Thursday.
The panel will be able to appraise fine silver and gold jewelry, vintage costume jewelry, dolls, ceramics, china and dishes, plated items, paintings, antique home dcor, toys and more.
“There is a cost of $5 per item,” she said, adding that it is verbal appraisal, not a written one.
“They’re not going to do a complete write-up on an item,” Murray said.
A written appraisal takes time and research and can cost between $100 and $150.
“This gives them kind of an idea of what they need to do next. If it’s worth going further,” she said.
People can pay the appraisal fee at the door when they register their items.
“We have people there that will decide which category they will be appraised in,” Murray said.
“It ran very smoothly last time,” she added.
In November, the club hosted its first-ever Antique Appraisal Fair and Show.
“We appraised over 200 items,” Murray said, adding that about 600 people stopped by.
“We had a super good turnout,” she said.
Organizers hope to have the same success at the second event.
“There’s no charge for them to come to the antique show or to sit and watch,” Murray said.
Those who want to have an item appraised that is too heavy to transport to the event, like a piece of furniture, are welcome to bring in five or six good photos of the item for appraisers to look at.
“They can take good pictures, up close,” she said.
As of Thursday, about 11 vendors had signed up to take part in the event.
“They’re coming from cities all around,” Murray said.
They are traveling from Arcadia, Port Charlotte, Naples, Sarasota, Punta Gorda and Fort Myers.
“Some are actually snowbirds that do shows when they come here in the winter,” she said.
Ten vendors participated in the November show.
“All the vendors that were here in November requested a spot for this show,” Murray said.
Items brought by the vendors can range from dishes, china, silver, dolls and quilts, to small furniture, home dcor, antique jewelry, prints, paintings and more.
“Usually, we have vendors that are going to bring a variety of items because you never know what’s going to be of demand,” she said. “It’s really a rounded out variety of things.”
Vendors interested in taking part in the event have until the end of today to sign up.
The cost is $20 for a 10-by-10 vendor space.
“They can have their own tables, or they can rent tables,” Murray said.
The rental cost is $10 per table for the show.
According to Murray, the success of the November event inspired the club to do another show.
“People loved the show and enjoyed themselves,” she said, adding that the vendors liked that it was indoors so they could avoid the weather. “It just turned out to be a great venue for this thing.”
Murray encouraged the public to come out and support the event.
“It’s a family thing – you can bring your children,” she said. “It’s good for Cape Coral.”
Food and drinks will be available on site.
To sign up as a vendor, call (239) 542-6515.
For more information about the Antique Appraisal Fair and Show, call Murray at (239) 542-4949 or visit online at: capecoralitalianamericanclub.com or www.redbarncapecoral.com.