'If you found the right collector ...' Appraiser judges antiques at New Philadelphia event

NEW PHILADELPHIA ‒ The Tuscarawas County version of the popular PBS program "Antiques Roadshow" came to New Philadelphia this week.

More than 40 people brought items big and small to the New Philadelphia branch of the Tuscarawas County Public Library on Thursday to be appraised by Jason Adams of Kiko Auctioneers.

Other library program: 'Through Our Lens': Latino youth share their stories in photo exhibit and book

Those who attended found it to be an enjoyable time.

"It was fun," said Lisa Schwartz, who came with her brother Michael Emery. They are both from New Philadelphia.

They brought an antique toy printing press, a rose petal keeper, an inkwell and a 1903 Life magazine. The items had been given to Schwartz's husband about 30 years ago. The printing press had been a gift to her father-in-law from John LaFountaine Jr., who once operated LaFountaine's Variety Store in downtown New Philadelphia.

"I don't know anything about it," Schwartz said. "You can't hardly find it on the internet anywhere. We've tried to look."

In his appraisal, Adams said the printing press would bring $700 on a good day and $250 on a bad day.

"We won't be doing that. We're keeping it," she said.

Fred and Pam Hartzler of Sugarcreek came with an antique bloodletter. Bloodletters were used by physicians to bleed patients, which was believed to be a method to combat illness — everything from fever and madness to anemia and debility.

The instrument was in a chest Fred Hartzler got from his grandmother. Adams noted that it's an unusual item.

"If you found the right collector, it would be worth $100," Fred Hartzler said he was told.

Jason Adams: 'There were quite a few surprises along the way.'

Adams said he was surprised by both the quantity and the quality of the items he was asked to appraise.

"There were quite a few surprises along the way, because I feel like people didn't really know what they had sometimes," he said. "When I asked for additional information, they didn't have much to say. So I think that even they were surprised by a few of the items that I looked at."

One of his favorites was an Ohio folk art painting on silk of a 19th century farmhouse.

"That stood out to me because it was unusual," he said. "It would be a one of a kind. It just made it very distinctive and unique, and that's the thing I'm most known for when I do appraisals and evaluations."

Another was a fiberglass table from the 1950s that lit up.

"That was very unique because you don't often find them, and that was only the second example I had ever seen," Adams said. "That was just its form and its useful today, so that's why I gravitated towards that piece. It's very desirable now."

Adams, who is based out of Akron, has been collecting antiques since age 14 and has been an antiques dealer since he was 19. He opened his own estate sale company when he was 25. Among his duties at Kiko are working live auctions and doing online cataloging of antiques.

One of his favorite places to shop for antiques was the former Riverfront Antique Mall on Front Avenue SW in New Philadelphia (now occupied by Rural King).

He grew up in Cleveland and would often stop at the mall.

"It was a wonderful place to find absolutely amazing things," he said. "I never left there without a purchase. It was just an amazing array of true antiques that were priced very reasonable, and the dealers took great pride in their spaces."

Changing market for antiques

Adams noted that the antiques market is now going through a generational shift.

"The people that are selling are elderly, and the people that are consuming are youthful and young," he said. "So the consumption rate is far less that what it used to be. There's not a great interest in antiques and collectibles, but we're starting to see a little bit of interest of younger people.

"They're going after things that are well-designed, well-made and not extremely expensive. So rather than buying an 1800s china cabinet they're buying the 1950s and 1960s china cabinet that goes with their contemporary homes."

Reach Jon at 330-364-8414 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Jason Adams appraises antiques in New Philadelphia