Bring your personal treasures for evaluation by professional appraisers Charles Flint, Lorraine German, Maria and Patricia Siskind, and Charles Suss, and talk to members of the Collections Care and Conservation Alliance about how to preserve your precious items. 

Bring up to 5 items for appraisal at $10 per item. You may bring these and/or other items to representatives from the Collections Care & Conservation Alliance for consultation free of charge.

No need to register in advance. Participants will be paired with appraisers based on order of arrival.

The Appraisers

Charles Flint, of Charles L. Flint, Fine Art and Antiques in Lenox, MA, has an impressive background in and knowledge of antiques. He performs appraisals and authentications for museums, as well as private collectors and insurance companies. A member of the New England Appraisers Association, he has expertise in fine arts; Early American furniture, both country and formal; 16th to 19th century oil paintings, both European and American; Shaker furniture and accessories; early blown and molded glass; paper and rare books; toys; bottles; folk art; early photography; vintage jewelry; civil war objects; stoneware and numerous other areas.

Lorraine German and her late husband Steve established Mad River Antiques, LLC in 2001, with a concentration on 18th, 19th, and 20th century Americana and decorative arts. Over the years, they have received extensive recognition from their peers for their expertise in stoneware, textiles, Christmas decorations, and Indian baskets.  They have been frequent guest speakers at antiques shows, museums, and antiques organizations, where they have covered a variety of topics, including stoneware, redware, quilts, Christmas ornaments, and Santa Claus. Lorraine is a member of the Antiques Dealers’ Association of America and the Cape Cod Antique Dealers Association.  Both she and Steve have served as collection advisors for the Bidwell House Museum in Monterey, Massachusetts.

Patricia Siskind and her daughter Maria, owners of Siskind Appraisals in Williamstown, MA, have been helping clients realize the intrinsic value of their possessions since 1996. Whether it is estate work, insurance values, advising on how to live with fine art and antiques, or retaining and dispersing of inherited items, they have been able to find a solution. They work throughout the Berkshires, Southern Vermont and adjoining New York. They are generalists, but their special interests include fine art, 18th to 20th century furniture and decorative items, silver, and estate jewelry.

Charles Suss began collecting and studying coins in grade school. In high school he served as president of the school’s coin club for two years while working part time in a coin shop. At the Bowery Jewelry Exchange he became interested in pocket watches. He is a long standing member of the American Numismatic Association (A.N.A.), Early American Coppers (EAC), the Colonial Coin Collectors Club (C4), the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). He bought, sold, attributed and appraised coins and currency with Tofel Jewelers and at Armstrong Jewelers. He was the prime coin dealer at Camelot Village until its closure in late 2019. Charles then joined Main Street Antiques as a managing partner. His experience ranges from ancients through foreign and modern US issues. He specializes in early American coins and loves timepieces.

Collections Care Alliance

The Collections Care & Conservation Alliance is a network of conservation and preservation professionals that seeks to improve collections care by providing information and education to individuals, organizations, and institutions. Bring them your questions about how to best store, clean, or exhibit heirlooms; how to find a professional conservator; and how to inventory collections for estate planning or family discussion. These experts will be available to give you their advice at no charge.