Bay of Plenty(ful) Treasures? Tauranga Art Gallery aims to find out

Are you an avid watcher of the highs, lows and dramas of Antiques Roadshow? If so, you'll want to be at Tauranga Art Gallery on Saturday 24 March for the local version, The Antiques & Treasures Roadshow 2012.

The Gallery will have a team of experts from Auckland's Art + Object on hand to assess and value your objects. Registrations received by the Gallery by March 12 cost $10 each, or $25 for three. Registrations may be taken on the day at $12 per item if numbers allow.

Gallery Director Penelope Jackson says the day is a great chance to get either long lost or newly uncovered pieces assessed.

"People often have treasures at home and aren't sure about their cultural or monetary value. This is a good opportunity to come along and get some advice or a valuation," she says.

"Some might like to consider selling their treasures and the team from Art + Object are very skilled at auctioning works, whether a painting, a chair or a clock. It's also great fun for people to see what others are bringing along - you won't get bored waiting in line!"

Art + Object Managing Director Hamish Coney says the team is very pleased to be a part of the event.

"The A+O team of experts is looking forward to seeing what treasures lie in the Bay of Plenty," he says.

Art + Object has recently completed important valuation projects for the Historic Places Trust, MOTAT in Auckland, the Christchurch Art Gallery and the University of Auckland. In 2011 A+O sold the most valuable New Zealand artwork at auction, a 1959 Colin McCahon masterpiece 'He Calls for Elias', for over $500,000.

In 2010 the A+O team, in the course of undertaking a similar event for the Bathhouse Museum in Rotorua, discovered a collection of material relating to Napoleon, the sale of which went on to make headlines around the world.

"We are certainly hoping lightning might strike twice in Tauranga"

For more information or to download a registration form, go to our website at www.artgallery.org.nz or drop in to the Gallery.