Trending
From staff reports
REEDSVILLE -- Four years had passed since Dr. Lori Verderame had last appraised an item in Mifflin County. But her return to the area on April 22 yielded some of the highest appraisals she had ever given when visiting the Juniata Valley Home and Garden Show. The owners of a 19th century clock, some rock and roll memorabilia and a framed movie poster all left the event with high appraisals. Which one would be the top appraisal of the day? Read on to find out.
Dr. Lori, as she's commonly known, made her sixth appearance during the home show in Reedsville at the Youth Park building. The presentation area was once again filled with local residents eager to have Dr. Lori examine their antiques and collectibles. As a YouTube and television personality, Dr. Lori has made appearances on The History channel's The Curse of Oak Island and Pawn Stars, Discovery channel's Auction Kings as well as FOX Business Network's Strange Inheritance. Her credibility as an appraiser comes, not from her celebrity television appearances, but from her Ph.D. in art history and the over 20,000 appraisals she does annually.
Dr. Lori started her most recent show in Reedsville by asking the attendees who had received a free appraisal certificate to carefully bring their items up to the tables in the presentation area. She then examined, moved and sorted items while one of her staff filmed the proceedings, including leading the audience in some cheers and a 'We Are Penn State' chant. Then it was time for the show to really begin, as she went through each item one by one in a fast-paced two-hour program. Dr. Lori would ask each audience member some background on the item they brought to the show and then she would provide some background on the history of the piece before giving her appraisal. She was quick to point out that her appraisals were retail value and were based on actual sales records of similar items.
The first item of the program was a framed movie poster from the iconic film Gone With the Wind that was brought by a family that had traveled to the event from New Jersey. Dr. Lori noted some of the unique features of the piece before valuing it in the $2,000 to $3,000 range. Other items that she appraised during the early part of the program included jewelry, glassware, framed art and even a heavy knight's helmet desk set with clock and inkwell from the late 1800's.
Dr. Lori then examined a record from the British band, The Who, along with some papers and documents that were included with the record. Some of the documents appeared to be correspondence from the band's manager regarding concerts and other matters. Dr. Lori stressed the need to obtain the provenance on the items, which would be of interest to music collectors. With the proper origin of the documents in place, she valued the potential on the collection at $10,000 to $15,000.
Throughout the second half of the program, she looked at items including a straw hat, a doll, a Princess Di book and a Beanie Baby. But one of the last items appraised was one that would be very memorable. Dr. Lori examined a wooden clock that she noted was made by a clockmaker from the 19th century by the name of Eli Terry. The owner said the clock had been in his family for generations but he didn't know the value. Dr. Lori explained that she had only ever valued four or five of this type of Eli Terry clock in all her years of appraising. Based on the working condition of the clock, its paintwork and overall condition, Dr. Lori appraised the item at $60,000!
As with every antiques appraisal program that Dr. Lori performs, some attendees went away a little disappointed and some had a smile on their face. But everyone was definitely entertained by her quick wit and educated by her amazing knowledge of antiques and collectibles.