The Huntley Farmside

              ountley
hI   I Farmside
Thursday Aug. 24,2000
Volume 40 No. 34
Your hometown newspaper
' 2000 Press-Republican Newspapers
Bank of Marengo hosts homegrown 'Antiques Road Show'
Residents treated
to free appraisal of family treasures
by Marie Frohnauer
Correspondent
There was a quiet hopefulness in the big red-and-white striped tent Friday as the appraisers called out names. Carrying boxes and toting shopping bags, people queued up in front of the long tables set out in the parking lot of the First National Bank of Marengo - Huntley Banking Center. It was time to find out if those family relics that had been tucked away in the attic or base¬ ment were worth a dime or two.
In the moment of truth as yellow- tinged flowered dinner plates and cen¬ tury-old diaries were carefully unwrapped from towels and newspa¬ pers, inquiring eyes rested on the appraisers.
Union resident Jennifer Dehmlow's treasure was an 1872 McHenry County atlas-.
"We had a feeling this was something special," she explained. "We were just floored by the detailed sketches of the homes and businesses in the atlas. We were able to find our land," she added.
And her premonition rang true as appraiser Mike Donley, antique expert, appraised the book at approximately $300 or more. Donley and his brother Randy own a Marengo restaurant that is decorated with Old West and Civil War antiques.
They share a high interest in antiques and, along with an Elgin auction service, they put on their own version of the pop¬ ular television show "Antiques Road Show" right in Huntley. The event, spon¬ sored by the bank, was quite a draw, with the popularity of the event evident in the number of cars surrounding the bank.
The possibilities of new-found trea¬ sures grew all day. The wait to visit with an appraiser was sometimes an hour and a half long, but the time spent waiting was enjoyable, watching the treasure of others laid out and sized up for the crowd.
"This scabbard is in great shape," said Randy Donley to Char Amendt. The bayonet and scabbard belonged to her husband's grandfather, captured from a
Area residents gather in the Marengo National Bank - Huntley Banking Center parking lot to see if their buried treasures are worth the big money.The bank sponsored the very successful free appraisal event.
German soldier.
The bayonet was particularly inter¬ esting, Randy said, as it,had a sawtooth blade.
"The sawtooth blade bayonet was a horrible weapon because of the damage it could do and was outlawed by the Geneva Convention," he explained.
He added the bayonet was a multi¬ purpose tool as it could cut firewood and be used for other camping needs. Appraised value was approximately $250 to $300.
An old White Owl cigar box from the 1933 World Fair also could be an extra $40 for Amendt.
"And this (cigar box) was something I was considering throwing out," she laughed.
Next in line was another hopeful - a teapot.
"Twenty dollars?" chuckled Donna
Blanski, shaking her head. "Well, OK; My great auntie used to put plastic flow¬ ers in it, so OK."
And it was whisked back into the slightly crumpled newspaper.
Diane Schiffer brought her husband's captured World War II Japanese rifle and bayonet that ordinarily hangs in the family room. She nodded as the rifle was appraised at $200 and the bayonet for $40.
"It's good to know," she said.
Union resident Kristen Angar hauled over parts of an eight-piece dinnerware set from a bygone era. According to the appraisers, best shot for the complete set was $150.
"OK, I'm shopping it off to a cousin. My husband hates (the dishes)," she laughed. "If it were $1,000 I would keep it."
And the cars continued to turn int9,
the parking lot. Adults and children car¬ rying pictures, books, trunks and chairs filed into the tent.
Randy said some true treasures were revealed as one gentleman had an "amazing" Civil War collection, com¬ plete with sword, from his great-grand¬ father. Rumor had it the man was ' offered $25,000 on the spot for the Civil War treasures.
Tips-from the appraisers were many and included things such as:
• Flip through the old books because sometimes the items stuffed inside could have more value than the book.
• Books are only valuable if they are first editions.
• Diaries and letters mostly have sen¬ timental value unless a highly unusual event took place and the writing may contain some interesting information.
• Same for photographs.