Wis. priest auctions family silver for homeless

Collection of old silver pieces will help cover costs of shelter for few weeks

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updated 3:00 p.m. ET Oct. 17, 2009

GREEN BAY, Wis. - A Wisconsin priest is auctioning off his late mother's collection of old silver pieces to raise money for a homeless shelter.

The Rev. Guy Blair donated 14 silver items, including five sugar urns dating back to the 1790s. Other pieces include vases and coffee and tea pots.

Tim Rigdon, a director at Heritage Auctions, says the sum of the items' minimum bids is $21,000.

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Blair hopes they fetch at least $50,000. He says that would cover the shelter's costs for a few weeks. The proceeds benefit the St. John's the Evangelist Church shelter in Green Bay.

Blair's mother died in July. He says she agreed with him and his four sisters that the silver would do the most good if it were sold for a worthy cause. The auction is Nov. 10 in Dallas.