RRWT bringing antiques appraiser to RR

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The Rainy River Walleye Tournament is less than a month a way and many things are falling into place for the event.
Yes the RRWT is more than just fishing. Every year the event involves many activities including entertainment. This year the committee has decided to bring in and Antiques Apprasier!
Wayne Pettit, a retired Thunder Bay Police Officer, has been involved in the antique business for almost thirty years. He currently operates Paper Chase Antiques out of his home, doing antique shows in Southern Ontario and in Thunder Bay. He has been conducting antique appraisals for individuals, insurance companies and institutions for many years as well as Road Shows in Geraldton and Hornepayne assisted by his wife Mary. He is also the author of “Milk Bottles & Dairies Of Thunder Bay & Area 1906 - 2003 and recently published “The History Of Soda Pop Manufactures In North Western Ontario & The Bottles They Used.”
Pettit said that he has seen many unique items in his three decades of doing appraisals. “There are a couple of things that come to mind in regards to items I have appraised in the past, one would be the glass advertising top for a Crown Gasoline that went on the old fashion gas pumps. It was worth close to $2,000.00 at the time I appraised it in Geraldton. The other was a Sterling Silver tea service from India circa 1890 that was embossed with Elephants embossed into it, that was brought into him in Hornpayne. It was worth around $5,000.00.
He said that he started appraising antiques and collectibles to offer residents of Thunder Bay an alternative to some dealers who were inflating values of items they appraised and charging a percentage of the value as their fee. “Some of the people who were doing the appraisals also did not have the proper knowledge of what they were appraising.”
As for his interest in bottles, he said, “I specialize in collecting beer, liquor, medicine, milk & pop bottles from Thunder Bay (Fort William-Port Arthur). A number of years ago a friend and I realized that we knew little about the companies and people who operated the retail dairies and pop manufactures, etc. From that came the dairy book that my friend helped write and lately the soda book.” When asked about Hi Top bottlers that used to be located in Fort Frances he said, “I interviewed the owner of that bottling works a few years ago. The history is in my new book. A mint condition Hi Top bottle can sell for as much as $30.00!”
The most common things that people bring to the road show for him to appraise are china (dishes, vases, figurines etc.).
Recently silver coins have also been an item people want looked at because of the silver and gold buyers that have been coming to purchase those items.
Pettit will be doing appraisals at the big tent Friday evening and Saturday afternoon during the RRWT (Sept. 23 and 24, 2011). Watch the Record for more information on this as the event draws closer!