VISTA — Dozens of locals lined up to have their vintage treasures appraised at North County’s own version of the “Antiques Roadshow” held April 13 at the Gloria E. McClellan Senior Center.

The Antique Appraisal and Craft Fair, organized by the Friends of the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe, featured veteran appraisers Paul McConnell and Carol McAndrew providing free estimates on items ranging from furniture to sake pourers.

“You get people to invite you into their home and show you the treasures they usually keep locked up,” McConnell said.

Of course, not all that glitters is gold.

“(Sometimes) we have to deal with something called the ‘dreaded family legend,’ where the item is passed down from generation to generation. Each time the story evolves. By the time it gets to us, it’s 100 years older andthree times the money,” McConnell said. “It’s tough to give people bad news.”

Lillian Bunting brought a handful of swastika-emblazoned poker chips, which she thought were authentic products of the Third Reich.

“I bought them in a box at a swap meet years ago. ... We used to play with them. We played Michigan Rummy about once a month. I never thought too much about it until this (event) came up.”

Kim Peterson showed up at 9 a.m., two hours before the doors opened, to have a 19th century plate set and a European painting valued.

“Better to be early than late,” said Peterson, who had anticipated the long lines.

Dean Koon may have had the most eye-catching antique of the day — a bright blue collapsible motorbike designed to be parachuted down with airborne soldiers in the 1944 Allied invasion of Europe. Only eight of them are known to exist in the United States, and this one was never used.

“It’s very unusual. I’ve got a ‘59 Corvette. and I take it to the car shows. They don’t even look at my car. They all like this better than my car,” Koon said.

The craft fair was held in the Azalea room. Mary Dreibelbis, manager of the Senior Center, said although they don’t normally have craft fairs, they thought it would give the people waiting something to do.

“It’s the first time we’ve done a collaboration between the two entities,” said Beverly Fisher, manager of the Rancho Buena Vista Adobe. “We’re doing a lot more of that within our departments, which has been fun. (It) makes it a lot better for all of us.”