'Is your family heirloom worth something, or nothing?'

The Carson City Senior Citizens Center will hold an appraisal fair from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the center's dining room, 911 Beverly Drive.

The fair is a fund-raiser for the center's building expansion project.

Lightning Auction Manager David Daniel will appraise a variety of items, as will Adelaide Gramanz from Butterfield and Butterfield. Items include silver, paintings and fine art, pottery, Orientalia, dolls, jewelry, textiles, dolls and toys, and elegant and depression art glass.

Daniel said the most common items brought for appraisal are glassware, porcelain, place settings of china, vases and fine art such as oil paintings.

"A lot of lesser-valued items come in, too," he said. "Like collectibles.

"People collect things like plates and QVC (Shopping Network) stuff, and it just isn't worth it."

Daniel said items brought vary according to demographics. In Carson Country, he may see a lot of dolls and American Indian artifacts, such as baskets.

But Daniel does create some surprises for people.

"Art is probably the the most flabbergasting for some. They inherit a picture from Grandma and think it's only worth a couple hundred bucks when it could be worth a few thousand."

Center director Janice McIntosh said she is excited about the fair and calls it a win-win situation for the community.

"These appraisers are asking for no money," McIntosh said. "They are donating their time to be here. This is a great opportunity for many people to find out about their heirlooms and come tour the center while they're here."

Appraisals given will be of auction value, not actual retail value, Daniel said.

"I will tell them this has the potential for one value, but is actually worth another value.

"'Antique Roadshows' (a PBS TV show) fills people's heads with unrealistic expectations -- there's a lot of misconceptions. People think just because what they have looks like another doesn't mean the value will be the same.

"We're just here to have a good time and help make a donation to the senior center."

IF YOU GO

What: Appraisal fair

When: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Carson City Senior Citizens Center, 911 Beverly Drive

Cost: $3 per item

Call: 883-0703.