April 18 Appraisal Fair at Lotz House will provide answers to items’ worth
By Mindy Tate. Williamson Herald Editor
mtate@williamsonherald.com
Ever wondered the value of the painting given to you by your great uncle or that piece of jewelry that has been handed down from generation to generation? Then this weekend’s Appraisal Fair at the Lotz House on Columbia Avenue is a great opportunity to find out.
The inaugural Antiques Appraisal Fair is set for Saturday, April 18 at the Civil War house museum located at 1111 Columbia Ave. across from The Carter House.
“We have been conducting Antique Appraisal Fairs across the state of Tennessee and into Alabama for more than five years. Now that the Lotz House is open, we plan on hosting periodic fairs at the house for Franklin residents so they can learn the value of their antiques and collectibles,” said Lotz House Executive Director J.T. Thompson.
For the past six years Thompson and his mother Sue Armstrong Thompson have been featured at various Antique Appraisal Fairs throughout Tennessee and the Southeast including events for the Tennessee Backroads and the Jack Daniels Distillery to name a few. They have teamed up again for this event to benefit the Lotz House Foundation, a non-profit organization.
Similar to the popular PBS “Antiques Road Show” program, this appraisal fair is open to the public and will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Guests are invited to bring their antiques to learn its value. The cost is $20 for the appraisal of one item, $25 for two items or $30 for three items. There is a maximum of three allowed at a time. For each appraisal, guests will receive one free admission and guided tour of the Lotz House Museum.
The duo never knows what they might see at a fair, Thompson said, given Middle Tennessee’s wide range of nationalities and heritages.
“We never know what we're going to see, and it's always just as exciting for us as it is for the guests because we may get to see a Tiffany lamp, a complete Civil War uniform or a missing treasure that the antique world would be enamored with,” J.T. Thompson said. “In previous fairs in Lynchburg, Shelbyville and Hohenwald, we've looked at everything from a Grand Ole Opry member's 25-piece guitar collection to antique Russian enameled silver.”
Those attending are limited to three items and proper care in transporting them is encouraged.
“Many times people have a tendency to pack breakable items poorly.” Sue Thompson said. “We encourage guests to carefully pack breakables or items that could be damaged in transport.
“It's difficult to appraise furniture based on a photograph. We can provide some general information based on photographs, but it's best if we are able to personally inspect the carpentry, design, patina, craftsmanship and possible damage,” she said.
Sue Thompson has been appraising antiques for more than 40 years and her expertise is wide ranging from textiles, fabrics and dolls to antique porcelain and fine art. J.T. Thompson specializes in antique furniture, sterling silver and military items. All items are welcome except for coins and stamps.
While items often have great sentimental value that doesn’t always translate to great monetary value.
“Everything has a value,” J.T. said. “Provenance is critical in establishing value and history and more often times than not, increases the value of any item. This may include letters, photographs of documentation that has direct impact on the specific item being appraised.”
For those looking to sell their items during these tough economic times, that is not a service provided at this fair.
“We have found many antique owners are surfacing who are in a position to sell their antiques or collectibles,” J.T. Thompson said. “We strongly caution against working with ‘antique appraisers’ who also handle the sale of the piece.
“This is a conflict of interest whereby the seller may be given a deflated appraisal in order that the appraiser can possibly buy the item from the seller at a grossly reduced rate,” he said. “We have very strict guidelines and will not handle the sale of an item if we appraise it. That way, the seller gets accurate advice and knows how to set the price of the item through a dealer, e-Bay or consignment shop.
The Thompsons are able to advise the seller on the best dealer for various items, since many dealers have specialty areas such as silver, furnishings, artwork, military items, etc., he said
The other opportunity of participating in the Appraisal Fair is a chance to see the Lotz House, which Wendell Garrett, editor at large of The Magazine Antiques said contains “by far the finest private collection of American Victorian furniture in the Southeast."
While on the guided tour of the Lotz House visitors will learn about the history of many of the antiques and furnishings. Some of the most exquisite examples of John Henry Belter and Prudent Mallard furniture from the 1820s-1860s will be on display. An extraordinary collection of Old Paris porcelain pieces including an historic peach and Cream-colored formal set of dishes from which three U.S. presidents used at The Bedford Springs Hotel in Bedford Pennsylvania.
While visitors may be familiar with Audubon paintings and prints, they may not be aware that John James Audubon actually painted from birds he captured and mounted to examine them in their more natural form. The Lotz House features an incredible display of Audubon's stuffed birds placed under their original glass dome. The Lotz House is currently not aware of any other surviving examples of his taxidermy work.
J.T. Thompson is certified in Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and Advisory Opinions (USPAP) and trained as a certified Personal Property Appraiser. He is also a member of the International Association of R.S. Prussia Collectors and The Society of Inkwell Collectors.
Sue Armstrong Thompson is often called the “One Woman Road Show,” as she has conducted numerous antique appraisal fairs for many years. As an independent appraiser, she has been involved in the art and antiques appraisal business for more than 45 years. She has been retained to do appraisals throughout the U.S., England and Germany. In the past, she has also been an art instructor in the Western Pacific Islands of Guam and Saipan.
Her international work and travel have enabled her to understand art on a global level. She is a noted antiquarian who works as a consultant to individuals and corporations and lectures on the subject of collecting as investment.
She is avid collector of American furniture and decorative arts. In fact, she was instrumental in finding and collecting many of the furnishings and decorative arts you see at the Lotz House today.
She has also been involved in the restoration of many of Middle Tennessee’s historical homes including Mooreland, Longview, Belmont Mansion, Belle Meade Mansion, Clover Bottom, White Hall and of course, the Lotz House.
Posted on: 4/16/2009
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