'Don't take it to the dump'

Just about everyone must have an intriguing item that was in their parents' home the whole time they were growing up that they never thought much of. But, as an adult, they look at it and ask themselves, "I wonder what it's worth?"

They think to themselves, "It could just be a hunk of junk - or maybe not."

If you pursue an appraisal, you never know what you're going to hear, and how you'll feel about the item in the end.

Last week, I decided I wanted to know about a picture my mom has had ever since I can remember.

I found out later that a friend of hers gave her this oriental artwork in the mid '50s and I was born in the late '50s.

The piece is a rectangular-shaped horizontal panel, black in color, accented in gold paint, with large carvings of various shades of green and white stone depicting Chinese people. There are three men, one woman and a child, four of them with handcarved faces. They look as though they are on a journey, three by boat. The picture has seen better days, as some of the stone pieces are missing and the corners are a little banged up. This much I knew.

I began my investigation by asking my mother, now in her early 80s, what she knows about the picture. She said it had been hanging in a friend's house when she was living in Southern California. My mom had always admired it and her friend gave it to her when they moved to Chicago in about 1955. The friend told her that it had belonged to her aunt, and said it had originally been a table that was purchased in Shanghai. She estimated that it was made in about the mid-1800s.

I took it home on Friday and wrapped it loosely in a garbage bag, mainly to catch any pieces that might fall off in the below freezing temperatures (what poor protection; shame on me!) in preparation for traveling to the Genoa Antique Show and Sale on Saturday at the Genoa Town Hall, hosted by Martha Williams of Antiques Plus. The sale took place on both Saturday and Sunday, and when I arrived at about noon on Saturday it was packed with antiques, dealers and their customers.

"They're all individual vendors," said Williams. "Most of them are from California this year, but I try to hire Nevada vendors first to keep the money in the state."

Williams and another Genoa antique dealer, Lisa Bommarito, were the appraisers. Williams said she doesn't do appraisals in her shop, but during the show she offers verbal appraisals for a nominal fee, $5 per item. She also tries to keep the entry fee down.

"I charge $1.50 to get in," said Williams. "Most shows charge $5 now. We're smaller, but we're in a historic building. We've got the charm, and all of us are friendly."

The conductor of the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra, Danny Yale, began playing his violin as he mingled with the crowd. His wife, Cecilia Yale, was also there preparing to play her violin, and her mother Georgette Twain was getting out her banjo.

Williams and I talked about how antique appreciation and appraisals could be increasing in popularity, with TV shows like the "Antiques Roadshow."

People looked on, waiting their turns, as Williams began looking at my piece.

"I do appraisals here because it's a fundraiser for Carson Valley Pops," said Williams. "It helps the community, it helps bring business to the rest of the stores in town."

Williams explained that she is self-taught through experience she acquired being in the antique business for 26 years.

I told her that my mom had mentioned that the picture could be from the Ming Dynasty, but Williams automatically discounted that theory, since the Ming Dynasty period was from 1368-1644 A.D.

"It was probably a folding table," she said, "so it couldn't be as old as the Ming Dynasty."

She said actual pieces from the Ming Dynasty were rare, and she could think of one she had, which had taken years to prove it was from that time. It was a carved elephant censor, sort of an incense burner. Williams said you can't assume things are from a certain time period before getting them thoroughly checked out. She had taken the censor to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and it was two years before the Chinese language on the item was deciphered and the censor's date was verified.

"Ming would have been much more detailed," Williams said as she examined the picture, with its black wood decorated with gold paint that is wearing off.

"The difference in quality is between a Rolls Royce and a Honda," she said. "It was probably made for exporting. If it was to be kept in the country, it would have been more detailed."

However, Williams was impressed with the carvings.

"This one is very well executed," she said, as she ran her fingers over the uneven stone. "This is jade. This translucent jade you don't see anymore. The faces are handcarved ivory."

She identified the shiny white-colored stone as mother of pearl. She pointed out that several pieces are missing. She said it was definitely Chinese, whether it was made in China or not, and figured it was possibly from the late 19th century. She suggested taking it to a framer and having it preserved behind glass before it became more damaged.

"This type of thing is very difficult to say what it's worth," she said, giving it an estimated worth of about $195-200. "If it had everything still in it and it was still a table, it would be worth a lot more."

She called Bommarito over to see what she thought.

Bommarito verified the price, when she said she had seen similar "mint condition" panels at a show in Reno going for about $300.

"I might have priced it high," said Williams.

I asked if the stones would be worth more if they were removed from the picture.

"You would have to look at it individually, when looking at the condition," said Bommarito. "Sometimes the value of the parts is more. The finely carved ivory faces, when put in a bracelet, would sell for a lot more."

She said she had seen a bracelet with the same type of ivory carved faces set in it selling in the thousand dollar range. She also said that in Asia, the dark-colored jade in the picture was more desirable than in America where people generally prefer lighter colored green.

"Hmmm," I thought. I hadn't really been interested in making money on the picture, I just wanted to "know" about it.

I looked at it as only someone could who had stared at it for years. Those little carved faces all at once felt like friends. I probably had looked up at it from my walker, thinking it was very mysterious.

But, at that moment, the picture that had always been so familiar suddenly looked very old and tired.

Since then I have had more time to consider it. As I described the piece of art to a co-worker, Sheila Gardner, telling her how it was worth more taken apart, she said she wouldn't do it.

Then it occurred to me that 100 years from now my grandchildren could be getting the jewelry made from the stones appraised and find out it would have been worth more if it had been left intact.

I knew what I was going to do. On Tuesday morning before work, I hung it back on the wall.

What I learned from this experience is that it's worth having things checked out. I would highly suggest that if you have something old, especially if it has been in the family a long time, take it to an antique appraiser before getting rid of it or selling it. After finding out about it, you may just decide its value is more in the memories than in the price. And, you never know how your children will feel about it. Maybe they'll love it too, or maybe they'll want to get rid of it, but then you wouldn't be around to know about it.

Even collectibles can be valued by someone, if you believe in the old adage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

Or, in the words of Williams, an antique "purist," who only collects items which are at least 100 years old: "Don't take it to the dump until you have it checked out."

n Jo Rafferty is People editor at The Record-Courier. She can be reached at jrafferty@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 210.