[NJARC] Antiques Roadshow update in Philadelphia

[John Dilks K2TQN]

Hi Gang,

Well the experience and the event was a "fun day", but no Brass Ring.

First we had a 2-hour wait in a very long line.  All the Roadshow 
people were very nice, and the folks in line were too.  We saw Gerry 
and Marsha Simkin in line.

You wouldn't believe the "junk" some people dragged in there.  One 
lady had a huge oil painting about 4' x 7' she manhandled in 
line.  When I saw it, it was similar to those sold along the 
roadside, probably the starving artists type.  (One step above 
velvet).  The only radio I saw was a 1970's GE table top.  5,000 
showed up that day they said.  Sherry's tickets were for 2 PM, we got 
in about 4 PM.

I took an 1888 oil painting of a coastal schooner by my g-g-pop, 
pretty nice too.  And documents to show it was an actual ship and was 
named after my g-g-mom.  I think the appraiser wasn't into sailing ships.

I also took that art deco microphone from the Feb 2003 QST Old Radio 
column.  I went to Technology.  The appraiser spent 5 minutes [a long 
time for them] with me, looking it over with my documentation.  In 
the end he admitted he knew nothing about microphones, having only 
ever sold one at his auction (in the UK).  He didn't know anything 
about ham radio, thinking the call letters on there were some old 
commercial station.

Paid $24 for parking and we left Philadelphia and had a nice dinner 
on the way home.

73, John Dilks, K2TQN