The Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives 15th annual Antiques and Collectibles Roadshow fundraiser in Sunnycrest Mall on Feb. 13 attracted more than 100 people with items for appraisal.
“Potentially the most valuable item of the day was a 1940s comic book,” Ian Thom-son, a member of the museum’s board of directors, said. “This was a Whiz comic book – Vol. #2 – with Captain Marvel appearing for the first time on the front cover.
“It is on the list as one of the best 10 comic books to own. It was found in a basement with the front cover somewhat damaged,” Thomson said.
The comic book – dated February 1940 – is estimated to be worth between $2,500 and $80,000. Published by Fawcett Comics and written by Bill Parker with cover art by C.C. Beck, the sticker price is 10 cents.
Other big-ticket items included a painting by Canadian artist William Kurelek, estimated at a value of $20,000 to $30,000, and a collection of photographs of the Royal Family with signed photos of Prince Charles and Princesses Margaret and Diana, estimated between $5,000 and $10,000.
Coaster Ed Davies brought in a walking stick that had been hand-carved for his grandfather in World War I.
“It was made by an Austrian prisoner of war for my granddad,” Davies said. “He was a sergeant in the cavalry in France. He managed to get it home safe and I’ve had it since he died.”
The walking stick is ornately carved with a dog and duck head on either end of the handle and a snake that winds its way up the shaft. The tip is an actual bullet.
“It’s amazing, the quality of the work and the sensitivity to the pieces of it,” appraiser Jeff Harris said. “Considering that there aren’t a lot of metal carving tools in a prisoner of war camp, I’m not sure how he actually made that – a sharpened butter knife or something.
“There are two values to be considered here. One is the value to a relative of them, which we can’t quantify to come up with [a figure],” Harris said. “But just as being the artifact that it is, I would put it between $1,000 and $1,500. It is spectacular.”
The fundraiser brought in about $1,400 for the museum, according to Thomson. Museum and Archives president Lorraine Goddard said the funds will be going towards programs and upgrades for the museum to make the building more accessible for people with disabilities.
Two appraisers from the Sunshine Coast and five from Vancouver donated their time and skills to the Antiques Roadshow. The event was sponsored by Coast TV and hosted by Sunnycrest Mall.
