Esteemed appraisers come to Norcross

On June 8 from 1-7 p.m., The Norcross Center will host a visit from Thomaston Place Auction Galleries' Mobile Appraisal Coach at their facility at 89 Maple Street in East Longmeadow. The event, called Antiques Appraisal Fair, will feature instant, onsite appraisals by Thomaston Place's Kaja Veilleux and John Bottero for antique or collectible items brought to the Appraisal Coach. There will be suggested donation of $5 for one item, or $10 for three items appraised, and 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the Norcross Center.

Merle Safford, vice-president of the Norcross Center and chairman of the event said, "I am very excited that this internationally known auction and appraisal company is traveling from Thomaston, Maine to East Longmeadow and donating their services to help us raise needed funds to complete the restoration of the Carriage House and to establish a History Learning and Research Center. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to find out what their family heirlooms, paintings and household treasures are worth, while supporting the Norcross Center at the same time. I hope many folks will stop by to participate in this fun and worthwhile event. This is the first time Thomaston Galleries have traveled this far to assist a nonprofit enterprise, and we are delighted to be the first in this area to host this reputable company from the heart of Maine's Gold Coast for Art and Antiques."

Thomaston Place Auction Galleries Mobile Appraisal Laboratory is the first-of-its-kind, 36-foot-long motor coach equipped with state of the art appraisal tools and reference materials. Kaja Veilleux, president of Thomaston Place noted, "We have been doing appraisals every week at our Thomaston Gallery for over 20 years. Now, we are very excited to be able to take this service on the road and support the worthwhile efforts of the Norcross Center."

Participants are encouraged to bring any items that they want to have appraised to the event. If items are too large to be transported to the coach, detailed photographs can be used to determine their approximate value. There are no appointments, and each person will have a chance to meet the appraiser on a first-come, first-served basis.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the public to view the beautifully restored Norcross House and Carriage House, home of the newly established Feffer Art Center, while waiting for appraisals. Directors of the Center will be on hand to welcome the public and direct all comers during their visit. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Safford at 526-9983 for further details.