Linear Bearing,Shaft Support,Support Rail Units-Bearing gifts of gold, leaving with cold cash

        Gold has sparked many rivalries throughout history, though not typically genial ones at Linear Bearing wine-and-cheese parties.

        That is, not until its price broke records in the prelude to the holidays, exceeding $1,100 an Shaft Support ounce. Silver also surged to a 10-year high of $18 an ounce.

        Thus, a home-entertaining trend: Support Rail Units gold parties, where guests come bearing unwanted gold, sterling silver and platinum, usually jewelry, to be evaluated by an appraiser. If the pieces are found to be of value, the jeweler writes a check, which beats a cup of eggnog for making spirits bright.

        And so it was that Sue Ireland sat down at a neighbor's kitchen table, laying old chains, bracelets and coins before J. Ford Sunderland, a co-founder of Gold Party Chicago.