Ever wonder what that vintage lamp you bought at the thrift store is really worth? Or whether that necklace you inherited from your grandmother has any real value? Well, pack up your treasures and head to Gloucester on April 4, when expert appraisers, including alums of the beloved Antiques Roadshow on PBS, will appear at a fundraising event for food security nonprofit The Open Door.
“What It’s Worth Night” will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at SG Home, the home furnishings and décor arm of the Second Glance thrift store, both operations of The Open Door. Tickets are $10; each ticketholder may bring one item to be appraised. Proceeds will support the hunger-relief mission of The Open Door.
Tickets are available at whatsitworth.eventbrite.com.
“It’s a collision of history and art, all in the name of raising funds to connect local people to good food,” says Julie LaFontaine, president and CEO of The Open Door. “We’re so very thankful to our appraisers for donating their time for this special event.”
Appraisers at the event will include James Callahan, an expert in Asian art and a general antique appraiser for Antiques Roadshow; Colleene Fesko, expert in painting, watercolor, sculpture, and print, and also an Antiques Roadshow appraiser; local gemologist and jewelry appraiser Bryan McMullin; and Michael March of Blackwood/March Fine Art and Antique Auctioneers in Essex, who specializes in American artworks with an emphasis in the Cape Ann school of painting.
“Second Glance has created such a unique opportunity with this event to revel in the unique histories of local antiques all while raising funds for The Open Door,” Callahan says. “We’re looking forward to seeing what folks bring in for appraisal!”
Light refreshments will be available and the main Second Glance store will be open to ticketholders, who might just find their next great treasure while they wait.
The Open Door was founded in 1978 with mission of alleviating hunger in the community. Today it serves as a community food resource center for low-income residents of Gloucester, Rockport, Manchester,
Essex, Ipswich, Hamilton, Boxford, Rowley, Topsfield, and Wenham. In 2023, The Open Door distributed 1.98 million pounds of food, helping to stabilize the lives and health of nearly 10,000 people. the organization’s services include food pantries in Gloucester and Ipswich, community meals served in Gloucester, a mobile market, nutrition counseling, youth job training, and assistance signing up for SNAP (formerly known as food stamp) benefits.
For more information about supporting The Open Door or using their resources, visit foodpantry.org.