— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Teresa Wood Diane Sinclair examines the needlework on a China doll at the fourth Hemken Antique Fair on Saturday at the Hemken Collection Museum in Williams. Audience members brought in family heirlooms and keepsakes to be appraised by Mike Ryerson of Ryerson Auction and Realty of Eagle Grove.

WILLIAMS — Beauty and value are often in the eyes of the beholder was the message delivered by Mike Ryerson of Ryerson Auction and Realty of Eagle Grove at the fourth Hemken Antique Fair on Saturday at the Hemken Collection in Williams.

Nearly 25 people brought their family heirlooms and keepsakes to be appraised by Ryerson who conducts auctions throughout central Iowa.

With the advent of the minimalist trend in decorating and internet shopping, many collectibles of old have lost their appeal, said Ryerson.

“Bigger items don’t sell as well,” said Ryerson, noting that buyers want items that can be bought on the internet and shipped easily.

Also, collectibles from the Victorian era have declined in popularity and value. The trend today is primitive and farm house, he said.

“You have more money in your basement than you do on your main floor,” said Ryerson.

Galvanized pails, rinse tubs and old tools are now popular.

Appraising an antique glass doll from the early 1900s, Ryerson said that although it is in excellent condition, it has lost its value due to demand.

In 1980, it would have brought $100 but today it would only be worth $75.

A Chicago scale with weights stored in a small wooden box, piqued Ryerson’s interest.

Ironically, the weights would bring as much as the scale, said Ryerson,

estimating each component at $25.

A Flow Blue dish, believed to have stored cheese or some other delicacy dated back to the 1880 – 1890 period. Although glassware has declined in popularity, the high grade, undamaged plate and lid will have retained its value over the years, said Ryerson. He estimated the value around $400.

“This was high grade stuff and blue was the Cadillac of colors,” he said. “Be very careful (handling the piece).”

The appeal of china and glassware has declined through the years, said Ryerson.

Ryerson examined a Holland china dish with a stamped handle in perfect condition and estimated that once it would have brought $45 but in today’s market, it would only bring $25.

“Delfts Blauw used to be the big thing but today, it just isn’t,” said Ryerson.

A lapel pin from a member of Nikita Khrushchev’s entourage during his visit to Iowa in 1959 stumped Ryerson.

“That is neat, but I’ve never seen anything like that,” he confessed.

Another entry baffled Ryerson when a hand-cranked military siren was presented and demonstrated for review. The siren was used in Woolstock before the present emergency warning system was installed, explained the owner.

“That’s very nice and there are a lot military collectors out there,” he said.

A Peterson Magazine, chocked full of sheet music, dress and needlework patterns, doesn’t have a market in Iowa, said Ryerson.

“It would be neat to a collector and would probably bring good money,” he said, noting that the book market in Iowa is flat.

Ryerson told the audience another current trend is salesmen samples. Before TV and radio, salesmen used to travel door-to-door selling all sorts

of merchandise.

“Salesmen samples are the top tier in collectibles today,” said Ryerson.

“If you are going to collect something, collect salesman samples.”

One such example presented Saturday was a salesman sample of a silo. Packaged in a leather carrying case, Ryerson estimated that the 1910 miniature silo would fetch $350.

Ryerson related a story about a cane fashioned out of salesman samples of barbed wire. At an auction he called, the cane sold for $100. Ryerson tracked the ownership of the cane and found it was later purchased for $10,000 by the family who founded the barbed wire company.

Collectible trends change over the years and today porcelain commercial signs are hot, said Ryerson. He valued a Champion Coal sign from the Stonega Elevator Company at $500. But the value of a quilt embroidered by the local woman commemorating the railroad at Stonega is unknown.

“It is worth more to you,” said Ryerson, who noted it was of museum quality that should be displayed.

Sometimes the value of a treasure escapes the owner.  For instance, a finial clock destined for the junk heap would bring $250 to $300, saidRyerson.

Toys continue to be a popular collectors’ item and toys still in their original boxes bring higher prices, said Ryerson. A 75 year old cap gun in its original package is worth over $100, estimated Ryerson. An original box of marbles would also bring upwards of $100.

“Were you a rich kid?” Ryerson asked the owner. “Because the rich kids only had toys like that! I’ve never sold anything like this before.”

Giving a short history lesson in socio-economics, Ryerson explained that in years gone by, a steamer trunk indicated a person’s station in life. Flat trunks were stored on the bottom of a ship’s hold while rounded trunks were placed on top.

He also explained why steamer trunks don’t have keys.

“When people got to Ellis Island, it was considered good luck to throw the steamer trunk key into the water,” he explained, indicating the owner was never going back.

Another hot trend in collectibles are rocks, according to Ryerson.

Recently, two rocks in a bucket brought $250 at auction, he said.

“They were not pretty,” he admitted.

Driftwood and mid-century furnishings are up and coming trends, growing in popularity in the past 30 years, he said.

Sterling silver holds its own in popularity with an eight place setting averaging about $600.

“Silverware trades well in the mail,” explained Ryerson because it is lightweight and can be shipped inexpensively. An entire set can increase in value when each piece is sold separately, he explained.

In closing, Ryerson told the crowd when cleaning out a house, check everything. His record find was a Certificate of Deposit, valued at $386,000. It was hidden in the bedsprings of a mattress.

“Back when people didn’t trust banks, they hid valuables in bedsprings,” he said.