Local Treasures to Get a Closer Look at Montana Antiques Appraisal Fair in Kalispell

The great mysteries of family heirlooms, garage sale pickups, and assorted possessions with no discernible point of origin just might be revealed this Saturday at the Northwest Montana History Museum as the Montana Antiques Appraisal Fair comes to town.

The Oct. 26, one-day event is a fundraiser for The Foundation for Montana History, and features informal (and not legally valid) appraisals from professional appraisers Timothy Gordon and Grant Zahajko. People interested in having items appraised, at a cost of $10 per item, are asked to sign up for time slots, which can be done online. The duo of Gordon and Zahajko are looking to appraise about 30 items an hour.

The two have been featured on TV, and their expertise runs the gamut, with Gordon taking a particular interest in items associated with art, celebrity collectibles and western history. Zahajko, who is also a professional auctioneer, is a sports collectibles and baseball card expert who also takes an interest in comic books, toys and collectibles. In addition to those specializations, the two appraisers also share a general interest in objects that might be of value or historical significance.

Gordon, who grew up in Missoula and still calls it home, emphasized that the values he and Zahajko (a Washington state resident) will be assigning at this event are “for entertainment purposes” and not legal appraisals.

“There will be a big crowd there, and we make it fun,” he said. Generally, he and Zahajko will seek to explain the background of an item presented, like who made it, how it was used, where it’s from, what time period it’s from, and what it’s worth.

“You can take any object made in the world, and it has its own history. It was made in a certain place, maybe it’s been sitting in a certain place for say, 100 years. And interesting people have owned it, built it, cared for it,” he said.

Gordon, who operates his own business, Gordon Appraisals, has brought his expertise to bear on collections including Princess Diana’s Kensington Palace gowns, the Ronald Reagan Ranch collection, the Al Capone family collection, and Jim Morrison’s estate. He’s also worked on collections specific to Montana, including the Department of Interior’s Yellowstone National Park collection.

“I personally have laid hands on millions of artifacts,” Gordon said.

The proximity of Kalispell to Glacier National Park will likely be apparent in some of the items brought in for appraisal, according to Gordon, who said he’s excited to see what Kalispell has to offer. The popularity of the Flathead as a place for people to move to from out of state could also add a wrinkle to what Gordon and Zahajko will see.

“What’s interesting is, there’s people moving around the country all the time, and bringing their treasures with them. A lot of people might bring things from back East,” Gordon said.

The foundation travels to a new community every year, and Gordon said that there are certain trends depending on where the appraisal fair is held each year. It’s now on its sixth year, with one year taken off during the pandemic. So far, Bozeman, Fort Benton, Butte, Hamilton and Helena have all hosted the fair. Butte, for example, brought forward a number of items associated with the city’s history of mining, Gordon said. 

“There are certain items that come through that the guys classify as priceless,”  said Zachary Coe, the program manager for The Foundation for Montana History. “They’re truly irreplaceable. So it’s really cool to see those items walk in the door. There are items you just couldn’t expect, even if you’d been doing this for 40-plus years.”

Last year, for example, a Helena man brought in a saber, which it was determined had belonged to the Copper King William A. Clark, who received the ceremonial sword through the fraternal organization The Knights of Pythias.

The Foundation for Montana History is a nonprofit based in Helena, with the goal of supporting the preservation of Montana history. Zach Coe, program director for the foundation, said that it raises money and then disburses grants for history projects in communities throughout the state. Both Gordon and Zahajko sit on the foundation’s board of directors.

Margarat Davis, the executive director for the Northwest Montana History Museum, said that the Foundation for Montana History helped support the museum’s historic walking tour when it was still just an idea.

“They’re boosters, just as we are, of local history and Montana history in general,” she said.

Davis said that the museum plans on letting Gordon and Zahajko look at some items from its collection, including an arrow quiver the museum has been told may trace back to the Edo period in Japan, which began in the 17th century. At the same time the fair is taking place, the museum will also be open for its regular hours, giving people a chance to check out its newest iteration of its oldest exhibit, “Lumberjacks, Tie Hacks & River Pigs,” which focuses on northwest Montana’s timber industry, and includes a model train, historic tools, clothing and archival photographs.

People are welcome to watch the appraisals, and to receive an item appraisal, people must register for time slots at a cost of $10 per item, with up to four items appraised per group. Participants are asked to come five to 10 minutes before their appointment to check in. Periodic announcements will be made about the items that have been appraised. Spectators can attend for free. The event goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No chemicals, firearms, or jewelry are eligible for appraisal.  

For more information on the Montana Antiques Appraisal Fair, including to book a spot, go to https://www.mthistory.org/appraisalfair.