Remember the old movie, “Babes in Toyland,” when Laurel and Hardy had to rescue Bo Peep by venturing over to Bogeyland, a dark, forbidding place populated by a race of dumb, hairy oafs?
Well, that’s pretty much how many local summer residents and visitors viewed the mainland here 30 years ago, when we first opened our shop. Then, when folks finally began to venture over, we heard, “You couldn’t have found these wonderful treasures down here. Did you?”
We don’t experience that kind of irksome snobbery anymore. But I am ashamed to confess that I may have been guilty of a bit of it myself recently.
I really wasn’t expecting to see much more than just some old nautical items when I was asked to conduct an appraisal program up in Bivalve, a not so remote fishing village outside Port Norris. As the name suggests, it’s where much of our local shellfish come from. Right now, the A.J. Meerwald, a restored Delaware Bay oyster schooner is docked there as a part of the museum at the Bayshore Center at Bivalve.
When I arrived, the sweet, salty smell of the sea was in the air, along with the pungent, not altogether unpleasant, aroma of seafood being processed. I was set up at a picnic table in an old commercial boathouse, my back to the water, and in the company of two (rather enormous) white swans lolling beside me in the mud at low tide. It looked for a moment like my expectations would be correct.
As people began to arrive, however, and put their items on a table for my review, I was astonished at the quality and variety of things, and not a nautical item among them (not that I would have minded). I should have known from my experience with these appraisal programs that beautiful, elegant and valuable items can show up in the most unexpected places.
I am including photos of some of the special pieces from that program in today’s column. Remember, you can email me photographs of you special things for appraisal at the address below.
Take a trip over to Bivalve. Call the Bayshore Center museum at 856-785-2060 to get directions and find out what special events they have scheduled. It’s only about a 40 minute drive from here, and you may be surprised at what you find. I know I was.
Arthur Schwerdt, a certified appraiser, is the author of “The Antique Story Book: Finding the Real Value of Old Things,” and co-owner of The August Farmhouse Antiques on Route 9 in Swainton. Send your comments, questions and appraisal requests to: aschwerdt@cmcherald.com.
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