Glenwood City Public Library and Historical Society host antique expert Mark Moran

By Kelsie Hoitomt

GLENWOOD CITY – Antiques and collectibles appraiser, Mark Moran, will be sharing his 20 plus years of expertise with the area this coming Sunday, March 23 with an event at the Glenwood City Community Center.

Moran has been booking shows and doing home appraisals since 2011 with an average of 120 events in a year. He keeps to the upper midwest with Wisconsin being his most covered state.

Moran opens up his events to 40 different items with four minutes being spent on each, which works out to roughly a three hour show.

Moran is a true Wisconsinite as he was born in Racine and raised in Green Bay. He resides in the village of Iola now with his wife of 41 years.

Growing up as a young boy, Mark lived in a house full of his father’s artwork, which gave him a keen eye for color and design and sparked his interest in the world of art.

His passion for antiques came later in life after he first walked into an antique shop in 1973 and then became an antiques dealer in the 1980s.

Since then, Mark has written 27 books centered around antiques with two being titled “Antique Trader Guide to Oriental Antiques” and “Warman’s Guide to Gas Station Collectables”.

Prior to starting his program in 2011, Mark was the senior editor of Antiques and Collectibles Books for Krause Publications in Iola.

He has over 30 years in the newspaper business under his belt with other jobs as an Editorial Director, Editor and Show Producer for various antique companies.

Mark shared that recently a man shared an item with him that was purchased for $5 off a yard sale. The item was an illustration that featured a pin-up girl and looked as if it was from a calendar in the 1950s.

Mark typically runs an internet search through various websites to see what items are going for and with that and his own personal knowledge, he predicted the painting was worth around $10,000.

The man then brought his yard sale treasure to an auction house in Cincinnati, Ohio last summer and it sold for $16,000.

Those in the area were encouraged to register an item of theirs and see what Mark has to say about it.

Mark does not offer to buy any items, but he said he will gladly give his opinion on what it could sell for and he will share any history on a particular piece.

The event on Sunday has a pre-registration required with the 40 item limit, but anyone who would like to observe is welcome to stop by the community center between 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Lunch will offered starting at 12:00 p.m. The menu selections will be made by Chef Willi Neumann and they are: 1. Open-faced Danish Ham Sandwich with Russian Salad and a Melon Fan; 2. Roasted Hawaiian Chicken Sandwich with Coconut Pasta Salad and Fresh Pineapple; 3. Sloppy Joe with Hot German Potato Salad and a Dill Pickle. Bars, cookies, coffee and lemonade will also be served.