Woodbury Historians plan Kirk scholarship antique appraisal show

WOODBURY-Once again, it's time to rummage around among the "treasure troves" in your dusty attics or musty basements. For on Sunday, Sept. 12 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Highland Mills United Methodist Church Hall on Rt. 32 and Ridge Road in Highland Mills, a team of professional appraisers will assess the value of family heirlooms, antiques, and other curiosities (except stamps and coins) at the Woodbury Historical Society's third annual "roadshow-like" event. The event is held to benefit the Kirk Memorial Scholarship Fund. The charge will be $5 per item, with a maximum of 3 items per person. For larger articles, a good photo will do. At last year's appraisal event, participants waited patiently while Andrea Jenack, "doll lady" expert Mimi McTamaney, and several other Jenack appraisers drew upon a deep reservoir of knowledge and expertise to provide background history and value estimates for nearly 150 unique items. Whether it was the original Hershfield print, the St. Thomas pendulum clock, Porcelain piggy bank, or the Barbie and Ken dolls (in their original boxes), the evaluators took their time explaining the details of each person's acquisition. When they are not conducting these traveling-road-show evaluations, the Jenacks and their associates conduct estate sales and a variety of auctions on a regular basis from their Chester, N.Y. headquarters. For more detailed information, visit their website: www.jenack.com. Other family treasures the Jenacks evaluated included comic strip drawings from 1953, leather bound miniature books, China head dolls, a Victorian rosewood side chair, a Strewor violin, signed baseballs, W. Dickens engraved prints, Miniature metal car toys, a thimble collection, a country wooden tabletop desk (c. 1895), a set of Goebel dolls (c. 1950s), a Western Electric featherweight sewing machine, a Sessions mantle clock (c. 1930s), a Scarborough Washington Irving print (early 20th century), a leather-bound family bible (c. 1741), an Elgin pocket watch (c. 1886), original Steiff teddy bears, and a framed poster of famous former local resident George M. Cohan. Administered by the Woodbury Historical Society and conferred annually on a graduating Woodbury senior, the Kirk Memorial Scholarship honors Margaret S. and Adam Kirk, educators and community leaders well known in the area for over 50 years. The scholarship program endeavors to perpetuate the compassion, spirit and intellectual curiosity that both Margaret and Adam Kirk exemplified. Admission is free All evaluations will be "first-come, first-served," with donation checks to be made out to the WHS Scholarship Fund. For more information, contact the Woodbury Historical Society at 928-6770 or WHS vice-president Fred Lindlaw at 928-9249.