Ask the experts
Qualified antiques dealers will be available to appraise items during the "White Elephant: Treasure or Trinket?" event Saturday at the Maridon Museum, 322 N. McKean St.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., six experts will offer verbal appraisals of items for $5 per item, with a limit of 10 items per person. Anyone having an item appraised will receive free same-day admission to the museum.
On hand to give their expert opinions will be six qualified antiques dealers from southwestern Pennsylvania. The dealers will relate historical information and discuss the marketability of items from toys to glassware, china, pottery, household items and jewelry, among other things, according to Nancy Hile, the museum's administrative director. For large items, take a photo.
Conducting the appraisals will be antiques dealers Bill Smith, Cynthia Marshall, Ellen King, Denny Mangold, Tim Sweet and Norah Christ.
More than 100 items were appraised at last year's event.
While these are not written appraisals for insurance purposes, the dealers will be able to give attendees an idea whether an item is a treasure or trinket, she noted.
Visitors can also discover the treasures in the museum, especially in an exhibit of ivory items created to accompany the "White Elephant" event.
"Two ivory elephants plus different ivory pieces showing how the Chinese and Japanese used ivory will be displayed," Hile said.
The fundraising "White Elephant" event and accompanying exhibit were conceived and implemented by the GFWC Butler County Circle of Presidents Club, a federated women's club whose members are all past presidents of Butler County Women's Clubs, of which museum founder Mary Phillips is a member."When we started, it was just going to be a social club, then we decided we wanted to help with community events," said club president Cyndy Sweeney.Of course the event has drawn volunteers from all parts of the county. "We're always happy to have people who want to help out," said club member Anne Miller.Pieces in the exhibit range from large tusks intricately carved into birds to small beads that would have been made from leftover scraps of ivory."I've always loved elephants and there are some beautiful ones here in the museum," Sweeney said. "Some haven't been displayed before."A pamphlet describing the "Legend of the White Elephant" accompanies the exhibit.More elephants can be found throughout the museum, and visitors are encouraged to complete a scavenger hunt for them."It's kind of a fun thing to find them. Look for them," Sweeney said.The Maridon Museum is home to more than 800 treasures of Asian Art-ivory and jade sculptures, paintings, tapestries, artifacts, Meissen porcelain and a newly exhibited Samurai doll collection. The museum is Western Pennsylvania's only one with a specific focus on Chinese and Japanese art and culture with objects ranging in age from 5 to 5,000 years.Proceeds from the "White Elephant" event benefit the museum. For more information, call 724-282-0123 or visit the Web site, www.maridon.org.Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays.Regular admission is $4 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and students. Children younger than 8 are admitted free and must be accompanied by an adult. Appointments for special docent tours can be arranged.
