Author: Donna Welch

Dear Donna,

Found these pennies at a flea market over the weekend. We paid $10 for all of them. Can you give me any information on them?

Thank you, Donna.

Tim

Dear Tim,

Coins are a field of their own and not one I have the most experience in. It’s a very interesting and complex collectible market and some can be very, very valuable.

Your pennies are from 1943 and if you’re lucky maybe you have one dated 1944. The 1943 wheat penny was made to conserve copper during World War II. They were made of steel with a zinc coating. Beware, though, some of the values are in the mint marks and other conditions that either enhance the values or take away from it. As with everything there are reproductions out there. Sad but true!

The average value of a steel penny in good condition is a few dollars. In order for you to get a real value they must be seen by a professional. This is a must should you have a treasure.

Tim, even if you have only a few dollars in steel pennies, the education you’re going to get from them will be priceless. Some of your work could be done via a guide to collecting coins or online. Don’t assume, though — have them looked at! Good luck, Tim, and I hope you found a treasure or two.

Hi, Donna!

I read your column each week in the Hippo!! I am hoping you can help us out. We have an antique fire extinguisher. Do you know if this is worth anything? I was going to donate it to a historical society. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Donna Lee

Dear Donna Lee,

Your extinguisher makes me smile. Back in my days of owning an antique center they were very collectible and were all cleaned and polished, then either stood in a room or were made into lamps.

Not sure if they are collectible for the same reasons today. But they do have a value in the range of $100 and higher in some cases. I do think donating items to a local historical society is a great thing. Some things such as antique fire extinguishers were made en masse and there are still too many around today. You could still check to see if it is something they might want.

No matter what you decide, Donna Lee, you have an interesting piece of history. Thanks for sharing.

Dear Donna,

Thought you would enjoy this couple. I’m not sure but I think my grandmother made them. They are all hand stitched and have tiny nuts for heads. I know they are in tough condition but I can’t just toss them. What are your thoughts about possibly finding them a new home?

Thanks, Donna, for any information.

Tracy

Dear Tracy,

You are right! They are sweet.

Your grandmother could have made them but it’s tough to tell now. They are from the middle to late 1800s if that helps. They are not that uncommon either. I have seen many different versions throughout my career.

Nut dolls, apple head dolls, and later clothespin dolls are around. Some are considered a form of folk art. Yours definitely fall into that category. Being in tough condition doesn’t help, but there are collectors for them. The older the better, and the more detail the better as well. I find yours very charming. I would say they would run in the $100 range to a collector.

Tracy, I hope this was helpful. I also agree not to toss them and do find them a new home. Try bringing them to a local antique store near you. Remember they can’t pay full value because they will have to sell them too.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at footwdw@aol.com, or call her at 391-6550.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at footwdw@aol.com, or call her at 391-6550.

Hi, Donna,

These boat lanterns were in our camp at the lake, which was built in 1910. I’m not sure of the history, other than that my grandfather did have an old single-cylinder Laker boat in the 1920s, which the two oil lamps may have been on. Or it’s possible he obtained them from someone for possible use on his boat.

I would be very interested to know what you think their value might be.

Thank you.

Larry

Dear Larry,

Your boat lights all appear to be in great condition,all the glass intact. Maritime items are always collectible. Some more than others, and values fluctuate.

I found values for yours to be in the range of $100 to $200 each. Less for the electric ones. The value is priceless to find out if they were on your grandfather’s boat. Stories they could tell, right?

Thanks for sharing with us, Larry, and I hope this was helpful.

Donna

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at footwdw@aol.com, or call her at 391-6550.

Dear Donna,

I saw your article in the Hippo and was hoping you could take a look at these few pieces of antique furniture we have of my mother’s and great aunt’s. We are looking to possibly sell the pieces but are not sure of their current worth and do not have much information about them.

Do you possibly have any info or thoughts on a value if we were to sell them in their current condition?

Thank you for your time.

Karen

Dear Karen,

I have to start by saying all the furniture looks to be in great clean and usable condition.

Now for the tough part. Antique and old furniture seems to have really gotten less interest in the past 10 years for common pieces. The modern, more light style of decorating doesn’t want to fill a room with warmth. To me that’s what old and antique furniture is. Also has lots of history to it.

The values on the pieces you sent photos of would be in the $50-to-$100 range. Now you have to find a market for them. Advertising in your town would bring you the most value. Bringing in a buyer might mean lower prices. Remember they have to then re-sell them. If you could find a use for them in the family that would be priceless!

Thanks for reaching out and I hope this helps.

Donna

Hi, Donna,

Wondering if you could give me some information on this melodeon. I purchased it from a coworker who was moving and didn’t want to bring it with him. He said it had been in his family for quite some time but his children didn’t want it.

I haven’t been able to find much information online, and I would really appreciate any info you could provide.

Thank you so much.

Alan

Dear Alan,

I have actually had one of these before from the same makers in Concord, New Hampshire.

Your Parker and Secomb melodeon was produced right here in New Hampshire during the middle to late 1800s. The values are all over the place for melodeons from different makers. In good clean working order I found some as high as $3,000 and some for several hundred.

The couple I found from the same maker and style were in the $900 range. That would be an approximate value; selling it could bring a different one. Doesn’t seem the interest in them these days is too high.

I hope this was helpful, Alan, and glad to see it has a new home. Thanks for sharing your New Hampshire-made piece with us.