Antiques Appraisal with Mark Moran

Join us at the library for an antiques and collectibles appraisal event featuring author and antiques expert Mark Moran! Bring an item to have appraised (registration required, see details below) or come have fun simply watching the process!

Moran bought and sold antiques for more than 30 years, specializing in vintage folk art, Americana, and fine art. He has been active as an appraiser of antiques and fine art for more than 20 years. He was formerly senior editor of Antiques and Collectibles Books for Krause Publications in Iola, WI and was a guest expert on the PBS program, Antiques Roadshow, for 9 seasons. His vast experience and knowledge makes the appraisal process entertaining for everyone, even if you don’t have an antique for appraisal!

To register for an appraisal spot, please call the library at 608-643-8346. Opinions of value are informal, and may not be used for insurance or charitable donations, which require a certified appraisal.

Categories of objects for appraisal may include:

Americana, including autographs and historical documents.
Fine art, including paintings, drawings, prints and statuary.
Furniture (usually smaller pieces are best).
Ceramics, including figural pottery, vases, dishes, kitchenware and stoneware. Glassware, including marbles and souvenir items. Vintage photographs, including snapshots, tintypes, ambrotypes and daguerreotypes. Advertising, including posters, lithographed tin, paper and figural objects.
Folk art, including carvings, quilts, weathervanes, windmill weights and "outsider" art.
Assorted toys, including dolls (bisque, composition and plastic), windups and mechanical banks. Metalware, including iron, bronze, brass, pot metal, silver, silver plate. Clocks, including mantel, hanging and figural.
Costume jewelry, including brooches, bracelets, earrings. Musical Instruments, including string, wind and reed instruments. Antique and vintage lighting of all kinds.
Books.
Sports Memorabilia.

Excluded items: all weapons, including swords and knives (though folding knives with advertising are accepted); traps (like leg-hold); Nazi memorabilia; coins and paper money; fine jewelry, including precious gems; Beanie Babies.

Questions about objects not covered here can be submitted to Moran in advance to determine if they are appropriate. Suggested categories for advance inquiry include, but are not limited to: Oriental, Native American and other tribal objects (African, Oceanic); ancient artifacts (Egyptian and other early cultures); fossils and minerals; automotive items; nautical and military-related objects; records; antique tools and technological objects (typewriters, cameras, assorted machinery or instruments for scientific measure, like sextants, telescopes, microscopes, etc.).