Alderfer Auction Comes to Wayne: Auction Evaluations on the Main Line

Alderfer Auction Comes to Wayne: Auction Evaluations on the Main Line

Alderfer Auction Press Release

September 10th, 2026

For more than six decades, Alderfer Auction has helped families, collectors, estate professionals, and individuals understand the objects in their care and determine what comes next. Now, that expertise is even more accessible to residents of Philadelphia’s Main Line. Alderfer Auction is pleased to introduce our new location at 303 West Lancaster Avenue, Suite 2C, Wayne, PA 19087, conveniently located above The UPS Store. Every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, visitors can bring fine art, antiques, jewelry, silver, collectibles, and other property to the Wayne office for auction evaluations with Appraiser and Sales Associate Allyson Babcock, a longtime member of the Main Line community. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome, making it easier to begin answering a question nearly every collector or family eventually asks:

What do I have, and what should I do with it?

Bringing Alderfer Auction to the Main Line

The opening of the Wayne office reflects Alderfer Auction’s continued commitment to providing personal, accessible service throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. In an increasingly automated world, we believe there is still tremendous value in sitting across the table from an experienced professional, examining an object together, and having a conversation about its history, potential market, and next steps. That is particularly important when dealing with personal property. A painting inherited from a grandparent may have been in the same family for generations. A piece of furniture might have a maker’s mark no one has noticed. A jewelry box can contain pieces acquired over a lifetime. An old document tucked into a drawer may connect directly to an important person or moment in history. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries begin simply by showing something to someone who knows where—and how—to look. The new Wayne office creates another place for those conversations to happen.

Meet Allyson Babcock

At the heart of our Wednesday evaluation days is Allyson Babcock, Alderfer Auction Appraiser and Sales Associate and an accredited member of the Appraisers Association of America, specializing in American Furniture & Decorative Arts. For Allyson, working with art and antiques began long before it became a profession. She grew up in Orient, New York, the easternmost town on Long Island’s North Fork. Her father, Douglas Constant, spent more than 40 years as an antiques dealer, collector, and appraiser. From an early age, Allyson accompanied him to antique and art shows and visited shops and galleries throughout New York and New England. 

Those experiences helped develop something that is difficult to learn from books alone: an appraiser’s “eye.” Over time, her father shared much of his knowledge with her, providing a foundation Allyson would later develop through formal education and professional experience. Today, she brings more than 15 years of experience in the auction and appraisal profession to Alderfer’s new Wayne location.

From Brown University to the Auction World

Allyson holds double bachelor’s degrees from Brown University in American Civilization, with a focus on Material Culture, and Organizational Behavior & Management. Her interest in material culture—the study of objects and what they reveal about the people and societies that made, owned, and used them—proved particularly suited to a career in the auction and appraisal field. Allyson began her professional career at Alderfer Auction, where she learned the day-to-day workings of an auction house before becoming lead cataloguer for the company’s quarterly Fine and Decorative Arts auctions. In that role, she researched and catalogued thousands of objects from estates and private collections.Her areas of expertise include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American Fine Art, and general residential contents. She later completed the Appraisers Association of America’s Comprehensive Appraisal Studies Program, earning a Certificate in Appraisal Studies. Her professional appraisal work conforms to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

Allyson provides appraisal services for individuals as well as attorneys, insurance professionals, trust companies, financial planners, museums, and historical societies. Her appraisal work includes insurance, estate tax, equitable distribution, estate planning, and personal-interest purposes. Perhaps just as importantly for the new Wayne office, Allyson lives in the Main Line community herself. She understands both the area and the collections that have been assembled in its homes over generations.

What Can You Bring to a Wednesday Evaluation?

You don't need to know exactly what you have before making an appointment. In fact, that's often the reason to visit. Alderfer is currently seeking property across a broad range of collecting categories, including Fine Art, Fine Decoratives, Jewelry & Silver, Coins, Mid-Century Modern, Vehicles & Equipment, Historical Documents & Autographs, Musical Instruments, Collectibles, Estates, and Specialty Collections. Perhaps you inherited a painting and don't recognize the artist's signature. Maybe you're downsizing and want to know which pieces of furniture merit further research. You may have a collection assembled by a parent or grandparent and simply aren't sure where to begin. An evaluation can help determine whether an item may be appropriate for auction and what the next step should be. For larger collections, estates, or homes containing numerous objects, transporting everything to Wayne isn't necessary. Contact Alderfer to schedule an in-home consultation so the collection can be considered in its existing setting.

Visit Alderfer Auction in Wayne

The new office is located at:

Alderfer Auction – Wayne
303 West Lancaster Avenue, Suite 2C
Wayne, PA 19087
Located above The UPS Store

Wednesday Evaluation Hours:
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Appointments are preferred. Walk-ins are also welcome, with a limit of two items per walk-in. 

To schedule an appointment, email preview@alderferauction.com or call 215-393-3000.

Please note that Suite 2C is on the second floor and is accessible by stairs only. If you need assistance carrying your items, there is no need to bring them upstairs yourself. Let us know when you arrive, and a member of our team will gladly meet you at your vehicle to assist.

Expertise Is Valuable. So Is a Conversation.

Technology has transformed the auction business. Collectors can now discover objects, research artists, view condition reports, and bid in auctions from virtually anywhere in the world. At Alderfer, we embrace that reach. But we also believe technology shouldn't replace the personal relationships at the heart of the auction and appraisal profession. While others are reducing opportunities for in-person interaction, Alderfer Auction continues to invest in our communities, our physical locations, and the experience of meeting clients face-to-face. The Wayne office is the latest expression of that commitment. Whether you've inherited an entire estate, are considering selling part of a collection, or simply have an object you've wondered about for years, sometimes the best place to begin isn't with an online search. It's with a conversation. We invite you to meet Allyson Babcock at Alderfer Auction's new Wayne location on Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, or visit us at our Hatfield and Doylestown locations. And wherever you are, Alderfer is always accessible online at alderferauction.com.

Have Something You'd Like Us to Evaluate?

Schedule your Wayne appointment by contacting preview@alderferauction.com or 215-393-3000. Bring the object. Bring its story. We'll help you determine what comes next.