Pope County Historical Association
Silver on the Battleship Arkansas is subject of history meeting
Silver service from the Battleship Arkansas will be the subject of the Pope County Historical Association meeting Friday, Aug. 8, at the St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center cafeteria in Russellville.
Charles Curb, silver expert and antique dealer in Clarksville, will present the program. He will report on the Battleship Arkansas and its silver service in historical context. Ginger Beebe, the Arkansas First Lady, asked him to do a report and an appraisal (they suspected they had a real treasure in their dining room, wanted to have it insured for enough, and didn't know how much "enough" was). He appraised it at slightly more than $1.6 million, after consulting with several high-end silver dealers who regularly sell historically significant silver.
He said, “There is a much more interesting story-line connected with the U.S.S. Arkansas than I could have imagined.”
No reservations are needed for the meal, which begins at 6 p.m. The meeting, at 7, is free and open to the public.