Nate Robson / The Citizen

For anyone who has ever wondered if that old lamp in the back corner of their attic was a piece of junk or a valuable treasure, now is the time to dust it off and find out.

Louise Wilson, the director of alumni affairs at Cayuga Community College, said her organization will hold its sixth annual Antique Appraisal Fair to help raise money for some of its upcoming events.

“It's a day that people can come and bring antiques and collectibles like china, coins, furniture, lamps and jewelry,” Wilson said. “It will be similar to ‘The Antiques Roadshow,' and we will have two appraisers available to look at people's stuff.”

But people should remain realistic when they arrive, said Mike McCormick, owner of King's Settlement Antiques in Port Byron, who will be one of the appraisers.

“Not everyone who comes has a treasure,” McCormick said. “‘The Antiques Roadshow' doesn't always show the people at the end of the show who are standing next to the dumpster saying this thing is a piece of (junk). I do hope we can tell people they have something though and that they should go talk to a museum, that would be perfect.”

While Judy Campanella, a co-chair for the fair, said she wants to see someone walk away from the fair with a rare item, she believes the main attraction of the event is just to have fun. To add to the relaxed atmosphere, the event will feature food and beverages for guests while they wait to meet with the appraisers.

“The appraisers will just give you some basic information and maybe a ballpark range on the item,” Campanella said. “But this event is meant for people of all ages to come out and have a good time while helping the alumni association. We encourage everyone to come out and bring their antiques. The appraisers will bring some of their own antiques to put on display while they look at people's stuff.”

Nate Robson

253-5311 ext. 248

nathan.robson@lee.net