Wondering what that keepsake from Great Granddad or that garage sale find is really worth? North Thompson Valley residents will have their chance to find the answers to such questions April 28 and 29, 2012, at the third annual Antique Appraisal Weekend in Little Fort.
Sponsored by the North Thompson Valley Hospice House Society (NTVHHS), the weekend brings Vernon-based independent art and antiques appraiser Peter S. Blundell to the Little Fort Hall for two full days. Not a sale or show, the event offers area residents the opportunity to confer with Blundell regarding the value of their treasures. During past visits the appraiser has expressed great pleasure in the quality and variety of items submitted at the Little Fort event. He said last year that those items presented for appraisal compared favorably with what he is accustomed to seeing at much larger venues.
Last year’s two-day event was booked virtually solid, all but a handful of appointments made well in advance. Those wishing to participate in this year’s Antique Appraisal Weekend may book appointments by calling Pat at 250-672-5660 or Elsie at 250-677-4287. For a $40 fee (tax included), each 15-minute appointment provides an opportunity for Blundell to examine up to three items. The event runs from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., both Saturday, April 28, and Sunday, April 29.
Spectators will be able to hear and see proceedings via a video feed and sound projection; in past years the event has drawn an enthusiastic audience each day. After expenses, proceeds go toward the NTVHHS’s ultimate goal of construction and operation of a hospice house for valley residents. The society has a paid membership of more than 150 valley residents, and holds regular general meetings.
Along with the antique weekend, the NTVHHS also sponsors and organizes an annual “Bike Challenge,” each September. In the Bike Challenge two teams, one each from Barriere and Clearwater, depart their hometowns at an appointed hour on a September Sunday and bike up/down Highway 5 to see where on the highway the two contingents meet — and therefore which team manages to travel farther during that time. Hospice house volunteers at Clearwater, Little Fort and Barriere invite valley residents to guess (for a small fee) where along the highway the two teams will meet.