The words “historian,” “antiques” and “PBS” generally don’t conjure up suspense and excitement, but if you’ve ever spent much time watching Antiques Roadshow you know exactly what I’m talking about. The long-running program brings in average citizens with antiques from around their homes and pairs them with knowledgeable historians to give them some context, insight, and a value.

Mark Moran, who has decades of experience buying and selling antiques and is the author of more than 25 books on antiques and collectibles, brings Roadshow-style expertise and thrills to events across the Midwest. Moran is a frequent visitor to the Chippewa Valley, and he’ll be at the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library next Jan. 17. If you have a piece you’d like appraised, call for a reservation in advance, but anyone is welcome to stop in to listen to Moran make his appraisals.

Moran has focused on vintage folk art, Americana, and fine art and is open to appraising everything from furniture to toys to vintage photographs. However, he doesn’t appraise weapons, coins or paper money, jewelry, or musical instruments (so leave that ukelele at home).

Find out more about Mark Moran and learn where he’s going to be by visiting Mark-Moran.blogspot.com.