Treasure troves

MOSES LAKE — It’s sometimes said that one person’s trash is another’s treasure, but sometimes people have treasures stashed away that they haven’t thought about in years. The Moses Lake Creative District will give those folks a chance to find out from a professional what they really have in that attic. 

The second annual Frosty Finds Flea Market and Appraisal Fair will be held at the Moses Lake Civic Center on Saturday. Last year’s event was a smash success, said museum Event Coordinator Jenni Shelton, and this year’s promises to be as well.  

“We filled up all of our time slots, and the appraiser loved it so much that day, they committed to coming back this year,” she said. “We are about full for this year.  As of 11:30 (Friday) morning, we have eight spots left for the appraisal fair.” 

The items are appraised in the Civic Center Auditorium by Davenport-based auctioneer and appraiser Grant Zahajko (pronounced Za-high-ko), who has spent more than 35 years specializing in sports cards and memorabilia, coins, toys, books, artwork, ephemera and antiques, according to his website. Zahajko has also served as an appraiser for the PBS TV show “Antiques Roadshow.” 

“Somebody had a really great collection of baskets,” Shelton said. “One of our people who came had a samurai sword. We had a gentleman with a very, very cool ceremonial buffalo coat.” 

Along with the appraisal fair, the event will include a flea market chock-full of vendors of all kinds of specialty items, Shelton said. All the vendors are small local dealers; there are no big commercial names, she said. There will be antique dealers, woodworkers, custom leather, crystals and more. The response was so great that the museum had to find additional space, Shelton said. 

“We’ll be expanding into the council chambers for the vendor fair,” she said. “We have so many we’ve filled up our avenue.” 

This year’s event is a fundraiser for the Moses Lake Creative District, which is a city function administered by the museum staff, Shelton said.  

“The Creative District encompasses our downtown area, and it's a way to connect creative businesses and help drive the creative economy,” she said. 

Frosty Finds Flea Market and Appraisal Fair 

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 22 

Moses Lake Civic Center 

401 S. Balsam St. 

Appraisal appointments may be made at 509-764-3830 

    Among the treasures brought in by attendees at last year’s appraisal fair was this ceremonial buffalo-skin coat.
  

    A samurai sword was one of the things appraised at last year’s Frosty Finds Flea Market and Appraisal Fair.