Antique hunting

A turn-of-the-century football poster, bought for $30, ends up being worth a grand. A chest of drawers, cut in half to make it easier to move, turns out to be a 1795 antique that could sell for $5,000 $15,000 if it hadnt been damaged. And hidden in the pages of an old book is a letter written by Thomas Jefferson . . . a $100,000 letter.With astonishing tales like these showing up on the PBS television show Antiques Roadshow, people are searching through their old trunks and closets in hopes of uncovering riches.

But in a state where a 40-year-old building is considered ancient and estate sales are practically unheard of, hitting paydirt is rare.

Its really hard to find those hidden treasures, said Liz Muth, owner of Main Street Crossing, an antique and gift shop in Wasilla. Even in areas of the world where antiques and collectibles are more common, the search has become more difficult.

While in England in the 1960s, Muth said she went door-knocking. She would go to peoples homes in the country and offer them a few pounds to search through their attic.

Youd find all kinds of things, she said. But those days are gone.

Partially due to publicity from Antiques Roadshow, people are no longer letting their old heirlooms lie around undiscovered. Muth said she has customers bring items to her shop because, after watching the show, they think they might have something valuable. But thats not always the case.

Just because something is old doesnt mean youre going to make a lot of money, she said.

Leslie Bailey, owner of Sunflower Cottage in Wasilla, also has had a few hopeful but misguided customers. One woman called Bailey and told her she had an antique mahogany card table with two chairs. The set sounded wonderful, so Bailey told her to bring it in.

It ended up being a disappointment. Instead of mahogany and leather Bailey found plastic and fake leather. The set was more likely to be a Wal-Mart special than an antique.

Another customer brought in a Victorian beaded bag, an item which Bailey said can be worth a great deal. But when the man took it out to show her, the beads began to unstring. Authentic or not, the beaded bag lost its value as it fell apart.

Condition is everything, Bailey explained.

According to the Antiques Roadshow Web site, the three golden rules of collecting are condition, condition, condition. In most cases this means the original paint or finish is critical to the value. There should not be any missing parts, and if possible, original boxes or paperwork that go with the piece should be included.

For example, Bailey recently sold a 1910 sewing machine soon after putting it on display in her shop. Part of what made the antique so collectible was the fact that, stored in a drawer of the machine, were all the original warranties, directions and other paperwork.

These hidden treasures are not entirely unheard of, even in Alaska.

It is more difficult than it was, but its still out there, Bailey said.

Like most antique dealers, Bailey and Muth have a few of their own tales of chance discoveries. Muth told of a trip to the Kenai Peninsula that led her to a small portrait. It didnt look like much on the surface, but it was for sale for just 25 cents.

It was dirty, but I could tell it was just beautiful under all the dirt, Muth said. She bought it and later discovered it was Czechoslovakian, and worth about $25 to $30. Her investment improved 100 fold.

Bailey recalled how she stumbled onto a carnival glass bowl that, while she knew it was valuable, surprised her by being worth between $900 and $1,200.

I took it home, she said. If I put it out with that price tag, customers would think I was out of my mind.

While anyone would enjoy turning a few dollars into a few thousand, Bailey and others say it isnt all about profit.

My philosophy is to just buy what you like, Bailey said. If it turns out to be a treasure, all the better. But if not, the money will not have gone to waste.

Bailey follows her own advice when it comes to buying merchandise for her store. Some of the items are so close to her heart, she secretly hopes they wont sell like the hulking trunk in the upstairs portion of her shop. Bailey said the trunk is about 250 years old. She bought it locally from a woman who was moving away and couldnt take it with her

No one appreciates it but me, she said.

It is this passion for the objects themselves, rather than the potential price tag, which draws people like Bailey and Muth to antiques.

I dont know what it is . . . just that feel, that smell, Muth said. Its the quality. I dont think we have that quality anymore in the things we make. Photo: Antiques, such as those pictured in the photo montage above, are more scarce in a new state like Alaska, but some true treasures can still be found, according to Liz Muth, owner of Main Street Crossing antique shop in Wasilla. While the age of an item is important, the items condition is even more important when it comes to assessing value.

Photo by Eowyn LeMay Ivey, Photo Illustration by A. Menerey.