Guests wait with artwork and other belongings to have their items evaluated during the Sutter County Museum’s Ribs and Relics appraisal event Aug. 8, 2026, at Ettl Hall in Yuba City.

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - What’s your treasure worth? That was the question local residents hoped to answer Saturday during Ribs and Relics, the Sutter County Museum’s newest event and fundraiser.

Reminiscent of PBS’s Antiques Roadshow, the Aug. 8 event gave attendees an opportunity to bring in treasured family heirlooms, collectibles and curiosities to learn more about their history — and what they might be worth on today’s market.

Professional appraiser Erin Dewell spent the afternoon examining items brought in by guests. Dewell, who is based in Paradise, has more than 15 years of experience appraising personal and business property and provides services throughout the greater Northern Valley.

Barbara Hankins, left, watches as professional appraiser Erin Dewell examines a Victorian jewelry keepsake box during Ribs and Relics on Aug. 8, 2026, at Ettl Hall at the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City.

For $5 per item, or $20 for five items, guests could receive an informal appraisal while learning more about the objects they had brought with them. Dewell said knowing the value of certain belongings can be important for reasons beyond simple curiosity, particularly when it comes to insurance coverage. She noted that many standard homeowners insurance policies place limits on categories such as jewelry, fine art, firearms, coins, stamps and other collectibles, meaning particularly valuable possessions may need to be separately documented or itemized.

“It's always a great thing to reach out and talk with your insurance provider,” Dewell said. “If you have jewelry or fine art, it’s not unreasonable to talk to your insurance agent about whether or not you’re covered.”

Organizers said approximately 140 people attended the event, with 101 items appraised throughout the afternoon. Ribs and Relics raised approximately $1,700 for the Sutter County Museum, with organizers hoping to build on the event in future years.

An antique medical diploma and collection of historic medical instruments are displayed for appraisal during the Sutter County Museum’s Ribs and Relics event Aug. 8, 2026, at Ettl Hall in Yuba City. The items were among family heirlooms brought by Barbara Hankins for evaluation.

“This was like a mini fundraiser,” Museum Director Molly Bloom said. “Its been fun and there definitely seems to be an interest. Every time we hold an event we get the opportunity to learn what works and how to improve future programs.”

Bloom was not only one of the event’s organizers but also a participant, bringing in several heirlooms from her husband’s family for Dewell to examine. Among them was a painting depicting a sailboat at night by an unknown artist. Although the piece ultimately did not turn out to have significant monetary value, Dewell praised its composition and detail.

“It’s a very nice scene,” Dewell said. “You’ve got this great foreground where you’re pulled in with the boat, but then it projects you way out past and beyond with the moon. There’s a lot of detail in there.”

For others, the afternoon was less about discovering a hidden fortune and more about learning about pieces of their family history. Barbara Hankins brought in several items connected to her husband’s great-grandfather, a Meridian-area doctor, including an antique medical diploma and medical tools that had remained in the family for generations.

“I’m really glad we were able to get some clarity on some of our items. A very neat event,” Hankins said.

A family heirloom depicting a sailboat beneath a moonlit sky was among the pieces brought for appraisal during Ribs and Relics on Aug. 8, 2026, at Ettl Hall at the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City. Museum Director Molly Bloom brought the painting, whose artist is unknown, from her husband’s family collection.