AA&A
Antique Appraisal and Auction - an Annual August Event
Appraiser Vern Reese
About seventeen years ago, the Society was looking for a summer event that would both bring the public to Government House and raise some funds that could be spent on the House. Around that time, the televised “Antiques Roadshow” had taken North America by storm, raising both awareness of and appreciation for antiques. After watching the show, Board member Janice Routley suggested that the Society might try hosting an appraisal event of its own, loosely patterned on the format used on the “Antiques Roadshow”.
Brainstorming ensued. Support came from House Manager, Peggy Brundson who was aware that Saskatoon’s Mendel Art Gallery had successfully sponsored such an event. She made arrangements for a group from Government House to meet some of the Saskatoon organizers of the Mendel Gallery antiques event. Helpful ideas and suggestions were obtained from those involved in the Saskatoon project. A GHHS planning committee was established to launch its own project.
In 1996, the first Antique Appraisal Event was held at Government House. It was a two-day event where verbal private appraisals were done by Richard Spafford, Evelyn Becker and Barry Belles of Regina, John McGowan of Saskatoon and Uno Langman of Vancouver. Organizer Janice Routley still remembers with pleasure the first piece that was appraised during that initial weekend – a 1780’s hand-pounded silver wine ladle with a teak handle.
The initial event generated considerable interest. Because of the positive response from the public, it was agreed that this project should be repeated. Buoyed by the wave of interest in ‘things old’, for several years the Antique Appraisal Weekend drew large numbers of the public to the House.
Eventually, as other groups and organizations in the city offered antique appraisal opportunities, attendance at the GHHS sponsored appraisal event in Regina began to decline. Much brainstorming and debate occurred regarding ways to reverse that trend.
- Auctioneer Arthur Clausen
When Edmonton appraiser, Arthur Clausen became aware of the concern about declining attendance at the appraisals, he suggested adding an auction of antiques to the weekend appraisal event. From his own experience, he knew that this had the potential to attract large numbers of the public, as well as purveyors of antiques. A drive to collect antiques, donated to the Society in return for an income tax receipt for their market value, was begun.
In 2004, the first auction was held as a part of the annual antique appraisal weekend. That year Charles Cripps and Arthur Clausen from Edmonton joined Vern Reese in appraising items and volunteered to provide expertise to help with the auction. The event was an immediate success, both in terms of attracting the public to Government House and in raising money for the Society. The many hours of volunteer time required to collect, catalogue and store the items in the time leading up to the auction and then to unpack and display the items prior to the auction was considered well spent.
In 1996, the first year that GHHS held the antiques event at Government House, a total of 10 volunteers were involved, including committee members, helpers and appraisers. That first weekend was considered a success, attracting first-time visitors to the House and realizing proceeds of $2500 for the Society. Since that time, the workforce has doubled to include at least 20 volunteers, plus the Government House staff, who give so much valuable assistance. Preparations for the 2007 Annual Antique Appraisal and Auction Weekend, the event itself and the clean-up after the weekend required over 1000 hours of volunteer time. However, volunteers felt that their time was well spent as it generated approximately $20,000 for the Society to spend on its activities and on the House.