Centenarian teddy going to Roadshow

Growing up, Becky Kramarz remembers a lovely old stuffed bear on display in her aunt’s home. The bear, an original Steiff teddy bear, had been made in 1903 and was purchased by her aunt’s father to celebrate her birth.

Steiff bears were originally created in Germany in 1903, and only 3,000 were shipped to the United States. Kramarz’ bear is tagged with the distinctive Steiff button on its ear, she is pretty sure she has a first edition teddy.

Kramarz inherited the stuffed animal a decade ago, and when she heard that Spokane had been selected as a stop on the 2007 Antiques Roadshow tour, she put her name in for tickets. And she got lucky.

Kramarz plans to take her little bear downtown on Aug. 4 and show him to the professionals.

“I am really looking forward to seeing the show and learning what my little bear is worth 104 years after it was given to my aunt,” Kramarz says. “It will be interesting to see what they tell me.”

Roadshow reminders

Spokane is gearing up for its first visit from the Antiques Roadshow. The Antiques Roadshow is Public Telelvision’s most popular program and has legions of loyal viewers. Any city that snags a stop on the annual tour benefits from the national exposure and the thousands of hopefuls who spend time and money in town. This is Spokane’s chance to shine.

The Roadshow is a big deal and it’s a well-organized, tightly scheduled operation.

Here are a few facts:

Ticket please

Tickets that will allow anyone to bring two items in to be appraised have all been handed out. There won’t be any more. If you didn’t get in on the original lottery, you’re out of luck. (Please don’t call Treasure Hunt for tickets. I don’t have them to hand out.)

Hurry up and wait

Attending the Antiques Roadshow, with your treasure in tow, is not a drive-through process. Long lines will snake through the convention center. Be prepared. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

Be realistic

Everyone’s hoping for good news. Who wouldn’t want to discover that great-aunt Aggie’s lavaliere is a diamond in the rough? But, for the most part, show attendees will get a basic idea of the relative history and value of their heirlooms and garage sale finds. And that’s a good thing. That kind of information is always good to have.

Show off

If preparing for attendance at the Antiques Roadshow has led you to dust off that collectible or unpack that antique, why not show it off? Each Tuesday, the Treasure Hunt page brings the stories of people in the area and the treasures they love. If you’d like to share your favorite find or family heirloom, drop me a line or give me a call.

Everyone is a star at Treasure Hunt.