This has been a very interesting discussion. I share some of Candace
Perry's discomfort, and, on my part, I suspect it's a non-renewable Cultural
Resources training thing that museums should not promote emphasis on
monetary value, but rather on historic significance or other non-monetary
value, and that to emphasize monetary value leads to loss to the marketplace
(where they may lose their historic connections) of historically important
artifacts. I wonder if that could be mitigated by simultaneously having
someone from the museum provide 'verbal comment' on what the artifact
represents culturally / historically.
On the other side of my argument, of course, is that there are lots of
duplicate items out there, and museums can't and shouldn't try to collect
them all, so for many items, providing valuation assistance to the public
isn't inappropriate at all.
Lucy Sperlin
Butte County Historical Society
Oroville, CA
_____
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Heidi Campbell-Shoaf
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 7:48 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Appraisal Day
We've been doing an event like this for going on nine years. It is one of
our more successful fundraisers. We avoid using the word appraisal in any of
our literature since technically speaking the appraiser should have done
research into the market value of each item and provide a written report.
Instead we call them "verbal statements of value."
In the past we have tried the local collector exhibits and also some hands
on techniques (such as gilding) but found that most people were more
interested in the experts (we don't call the appraisers because most of them
are not trained in appraising but are dealers or affiliated with auction
houses) are saying and what others have brought in.
We set up our bookstore at the event and the local conservator's guild has a
booth that is staffed by conservators that can provide information on caring
for and preserving items. We have the event in the courtyard of a local mall
which has been very good for access and for spontaneous participation
(people see the event, go home and bring things back). We average about
15-17 "experts" in various fields including some generalists so it is very
much like the Antiques Roadshow. We don't have the room to hold it at our
museum and I like the fact that it is separate so people don't think they
can bring their things in anytime and get a statement of value from us -
which we don't do for any reason at any time.
We see the event mainly as a fundraiser and not necessarily a method of
getting people to join or visit our museum or research center. What ever new
members or visitors we get we see as a nice byproduct plus it is another way
to get our name out into the community.
Heidi Campbell-Shoaf, Curator
Historical Society of Frederick County
24 East Church Street
Frederick, Md. 21701
www.hsfcinfo.org
_____
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Susan English
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 9:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Appraisal Day
We have done an Appraisal Day for the last four years. The first two years
it was just a fundraising special event. The appraisers donated their time
and we charged for the appraisals which were for insurance value only. The
past two years we have added a Collector's Showcase component to the
appraisals, where we invite local collectors to display their collections
and share their collections with the public. This is more educational than
the appraisals and has been quite popular with our attendees.
We have found the Collector's Showcase and Appraisal Fair attracts people
who have never been to the museum before.
Susan English
Executive Director
Joliet Area Historical Museum
204 N. Ottawa St.
Joliet, Illinois 60432
(815) 723-5201 ext. 222
<http://www.jolietmuseum.org> www.jolietmuseum.org
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