Have you ever wondered if that old silverware passed down from Aunt Sally is worth keeping? Or maybe it’s a painting that’s been hanging on your wall for years that you’re curious about. On Monday morning, April 7, participants in the What’s It Worth? with Andrew Ford class, hosted by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College, had the chance to bring in items ranging from jewelry and sculptures to leather purses. Andrew Ford, owner of Sarasota Trading Company, used his decades of expertise to provide accurate evaluations of their worth.

The class was run very much like a game of “Who Am I” with Ford describing each item brought to his attention. “I’m a female and I am made of ivory…” he describes as he passes around a small figurine. The object turned out to be an ivory doctor’s doll, used in 18th-19th century China, as a tool for female patients to indicate areas of discomfort to doctors without directly exposing their bodies. “These dolls were found in well-to-do families, and they were very much cherished,” Ford tells class members.

Ford, with a lifetime of experience in antiques and fine art, was introduced to collecting at a young age by his father and grandparents. “I’ve always had a passion for antiques, and as a third-generation collector from Marion, near New Bedford, Massachusetts, there was a tremendous amount of antique collecting all around us,” he shares. “In the late 19th century, the area was rich with antiques influenced by its whaling history. Growing up, nearly every home around the harbor was a sea captain’s, filled with endless antiques. So really, it’s always been a part of me.”

After graduating from college in 1994, Ford came to Sarasota and began his work in the industry. While much of his knowledge was gained from his upbringing and his education, he spent many years traveling back and forth to the Winterthur Museum, where he learned how to assess fine art and furniture.  At his shop on South Pineapple Avenue, Ford is frequently asked to evaluate items that carry deep sentimental value—though their actual market worth often falls short of expectations. “I always explain that certain areas of the market are softening,” he says. “People aren’t as inclined to keep their grandmother’s furniture or heirlooms anymore. They’re having to decide what holds real value versus what holds emotional significance—and that’s a tough balance to strike.”

Ford approaches these conversations with sensitivity, especially when family history is involved. “Sometimes, I have to break the news that the treasured item a grandfather once claimed to be such a rare bird turns out, thanks to the Internet, to be one of many. What once seemed like a one-of-a-kind piece is actually far more common than anyone realized.”

With a belief that there’s a real need for appraisers with some understanding of the market, Ford says, “I would argue that if somebody wanted to get in the business of appraising, it would be good to get into the business of buying and selling to understand the difficulty of the selling side. It’s easy to appraise an object, but it’s not always so easy to find an end user and sell that object. It helps a tremendous amount for you to come from the business aspect to start appraising.”

Ford is currently in the process of writing a book called The Fine Art of Collecting. “I’m almost done writing it, but things keep popping up in my business that are exciting and I want to include them,” he says. “It’s difficult to know when to quit, but the book will be done very shortly—really!”