CLEVELAND, OH – From Bakelite jewelry, to dusty bikes or political posters, every day, regular people are discovering value in something they found around the house. On Saturday, April 26, The Western Reserve Historical Society presents Antique Appraisal Day with Wes Cowan. As experts in American antiques and collectibles, the Ohio-based team of appraisers from Cowan’s Auctions will evaluate books, manuscripts, photographs, decorative arts, paintings, political ephemera, and jewelry.
“Sometimes the value of an object can exceed expectations. The anticipation is part of the fun. When you come to Antiques Appraisal Day on April 26, you not only get an appraisal, but admission to the History Center. So whether you end up thrilled with the value of your item or not, you are welcome to tour our other exhibits, or to shop in our beautiful Museum Store,” said Kelly Falcone-Hall, Interim CEO, Western Reserve Historical Society.
Appraisals for WRHS Members begin at 9:00 a.m., with $5 for first item and $10 for the second. For the general public, appraisals will start at 10:00 a.m. with $15 for first item and $10 for second. There is a limit of two hand-carried items per person. Appraisals will take place on a first-come, first-served basis so guests are advised to arrive as early as possible. Admission can be secured online in advance of the April 26 event.
Wes Cowan, founder, owner, and principal auctioneer of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio, travels all over the country appraising heirlooms on the PBS show Antiques Roadshow and digging up clues on the hit show History Detectives, also on PBS. Appraisers from Cowan’s Auctions will also be present at the event, and include Diane Wachs, Graydon Sikes, and Brad Wanstrath.
“Trends change as to what we see at appraisal events,” said Wes Cowan. “There is a renewed interest in ‘mid-century’ items. We see more decorative arts, posters, and jewelry now from that period than we have in the past. There is a market for it.” He continued, “We are in the process of opening an office in the Cleveland area. This is a big step for us. This will be our first office beyond our Cincinnati office. We are looking forward to this Antique Appraisal Day event to reacquaint ourselves with many friends and clients in the Cleveland-area. And, if you haven’t met our team yet, we encourage you to bring a couple of items of yours that you are curious about to the History Center on Saturday, April 26.”
Schedule and pricing:
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Exclusively for WRHS Members:
$5 for first item; $10 for second item. Limit two items
10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
General Admission, including members:
$15 for first item; $10 for second item. Limit two items
Parking is available in the lot off Magnolia Drive. A Special Event parking fee of $8.00 is in effect. There is additional limited street parking.
The Western Reserve Historical Society History Center is located in Cleveland’s University Circle at 10825 East Boulevard. Museum hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm and Sunday, Noon – 5:00pm. Western Reserve Historical Society members and children two and under are free of charge. The research library is open Thursday – Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $10 and $5 for children 3-12. Group rates are available. Parking lot fees are paid at the admission desk during museum hours.