Stars of PBS’s Beloved Appraisal Series Come to Toledo

Daily Dose  |  05/21/2026 9:15 am

Known to millions of viewers through their decades of work on a beloved, long-running PBS appraisal series, Alasdair Nichol, Debra J. Force, and Nigel Freeman have spent their careers uncovering hidden stories from attics and basements across the United States.

In what is expected to be a lively and revealing conversation at the Toledo Museum of Art, the three specialists will reflect on the paths that led them into the art world, share unforgettable discoveries, and offer rare insight into the instincts and expertise behind every appraisal.

Appraising America: Stories, Surprises, and Hidden Treasures is this year’s The Susan (“Sue”) Serrott White Memorial Lecture and will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. in the GlasSalon. Admission is free and open to all.  Guests should not bring objects for appraisal.

“The lecture is one of the most meaningful programs we present each year, and this installment feels especially timely,” said Anna O. Marley, Ph.D., Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Toledo Museum of Art and moderator of the panel. “As we mark America250, exploring the art and objects that define our national identity — with three of the foremost voices in the field — is exactly the kind of conversation for which the Museum was made,” added Dr. Marley.

Dr. Marley is a distinguished scholar of American art and material culture from the colonial era through 1945. Previously Chief of Curatorial Affairs and the Kenneth R. Woodcock Curator of Historical American Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Dr. Marley has organized numerous nationally touring exhibitions and is recognized as a leader in the field of American fine and decorative arts.

“This event is a rare opportunity for our community to sit with three people who have spent their lives in genuine dialogue with American art and material culture,” Dr. Marley said. “Alasdair, Debra, and Nigel bring not only deep expertise but also extraordinary stories — and I cannot wait to hear what surprises they have in store for us.”

About the Speakers

Alasdair Nichol brings more than 40 years of expertise in the fine art auction world. He began his auction career in 1984 and went on to lead major fine art departments in the United Kingdom and the United States, ultimately serving as Chairman of Freeman’s, America’s oldest auction house. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the National Trust for Scotland USA and holds leadership roles with the Appraisers Association of America and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

Debra J. Force is a leading authority on American paintings, drawings, and sculpture from the 18th through 20th centuries. A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University with advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, she served as Senior Vice President and Head of the American Paintings Department at Christie’s in New York before founding Debra Force Fine Art in 1999.

Nigel Freeman is Head of Fine Art and Vice President at Swann Auction Galleries, where he leads the African American Art and Contemporary Art departments. He earned his MFA from Columbia University and his BA from Brown University, and in 2006 founded Swann’s pioneering African American Art department, creating a powerful platform for artists and collectors alike and overseeing landmark single owner sales, including the estate of Dr. Maya Angelou.

About the Series

The Susan (“Sue”) Serrott White Memorial Lecture in Decorative Arts and Design History is presented by the Toledo Museum of Art and made possible through an annual gift from the James F. White, Jr. Family in loving memory of Susan (“Sue”) Serrott White. A longtime TMA Ambassador and the group’s youngest president from 1978–1979, Sue White’s love of art graced the Toledo Museum of Art galleries for nearly four decades.

Event Details

What: Susan (“Sue") Serrott White Memorial Lecture: Appraising America: Stories, Surprises, and Hidden Treasures”

When:  Sunday, June 14, 2026, | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Where: GlasSalon, Toledo Museum of Art

Cost: Free and open to all

Registration: tma.ticketapp.org/portal/product/972