Priceless Or Worthless? New London Appraisal Event Determines Which

Among the few clues in a painting found at Trish Czelusniak’s family cottage in Niantic was a newspaper clipping attached to the back of the frame.

It referred to a landscape painting by John Carleton Wiggins, a prominent member of the art colony in Old Lyme. And the picture in the clipping bore a striking resemblance to the painting on which it was attached.

“If it’s worth something, I’d like to sell it,” said Czelusniak. “I don’t have space for it up on my wall. But it should be somewhere where someone can see it. It shouldn’t be in my attic.”

Czelusniak was one of dozens of people attending the first annual “Priceless?” appraisal event Thursday at the Garde Arts Center. A fundraiser for the New London County Historical Society, the evening welcomed several appraisers to the theater lobby to give their opinion on the value of paintings, heirlooms, and other materials brought in by residents.

Karyn Garside, a board member at the New London County Historical Society, said a similar event held three years ago to benefit New London Local First proved to be popular. She said the intent of Thursday’s event was to benefit not only the historical society but the Garde as well. A silent auction and food vendors were included in the ticket price, five dollars to get in with an additional five dollars for every item to be appraised.

Garside, who also works as an appraiser, said she enjoys seeing people’s reactions when the mysteries behind an item are unraveled.

“It’s a lot of fun to see something they didn’t know was a real treasure,” she said.

Czelusniak’s painting did not quite fall into this category. Jennifer Lacker, of J. London Restoration and Appraisers in Stonington, quickly determined that the Victorian era piece was not a Wiggins original but rather part of a mass-produced set. She estimated its value to be between $100 and $200.

“It’s kind of quickly, primitively painted,” she said.

Czelusniak maintained her original intent of seeing that the painting would be put in a more visible place. After the appraisal, she said she would find a place to donate it.

Deb Flynn, of Westerly, had a wider range of items. These included a small statue of a girl with chickens, several sets of pith paper, and a metal container with a chain and hook to hang it. Some of the items had been passed down in the family, while others had been picked up at flea markets.

“We’re pack rats. We’ve got a lot of stuff,” said Flynn. “Collector sounds a lot better.”

Flynn said she was mainly curious to find a date on the pith paper and to determine the purpose of the container. The latter stumped Lacker, who said it was likely of early 20th century Persian manufacture and worth up to $300. She put the statue’s value at $150 to $200, and said the pith paper was of 19th century Chinese origin. Lacker also gave Flynn the information for a Wesleyan University professor who could discuss the item in more detail.

Jeanne Sigel, marketing and development director for the Garde Arts Center, said the theater's lobby has been used as a downtown meeting space before for events such as New London Main Street’s food strolls. She said she also took the opportunity to appraise a bracelet given to her by her father.

The assessment? Real silver, with some kind of black glass as well.

“They said it was created in the 1930s, so I own a piece of art deco jewelry,” said Sigel. “Not worth that million dollars we need for new film equipment, but I’ll put it in a drawer and hopefully one of my granddaughters will think it’s cool.”

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