ATHENS, GA.- The Georgia Museum of Art is pleased to present Appraisal Day, an opportunity for Athens-area residents to bring their prized possessions to the museum to be professionally appraised, will be held on May 5, 2007.

This event, which is generously hosted by The Collectors of the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, will feature four professional appraisers from Bonhams & Butterfields, a world-renowned appraisal firm. They will offer appraisals of furniture, decorative arts, jewelry and paintings.

On Friday, May 4, the Collectors will host a Patrons� Party at the museum, beginning with a presentation entitled �Current Trends in Collecting� at 6 p.m. Following the presentation, a cocktail buffet will be provided in the museum�s lobby and appraisals will be conducted in the Ed and Phoebe Forio Classroom. Tickets for this event are $75 per person, or $125 per couple, with each ticketholder entitled to bring one item for a free appraisal.

On Saturday, May 5, the museum will host Bonhams & Butterfields�s appraisers as they offer their expertise to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Ed and Phoebe Forio Classroom and the M. Smith Griffith Auditorium. For Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, tickets for item appraisal may be purchased for $10 per item, up to three items. For non-members, tickets may be purchased for $15 for the first item and $10 for each additional item, up to three items.

Due to limited space, advance reservations are strongly encouraged. All proceeds raised from this event will benefit acquisitions at the museum.

Bonhams & Butterfields is recognized as one of the premier auction houses in the world. A house of experts in many fields, it specializes in the appraisal and sale of fine art, antiques and decorative art.