Category: Family Fun

Treasure Hunt 25/07/03

Dear Donna,

This bracelet belonged to my sister. I now have inherited it. My question is about cleaning it. I would like to pass it to my granddaughter. I wouldn’t want to ruin it in any way. Thank you for any help.

Ed

Dear Ed,

Passing on your sister’s charm bracelet is a sweet piece of family. Love it! Charm bracelets are a great way to show personal interest. Most reflect memories, likes, travel history, etc., so passing it on, Ed, will carry family history. For cleaning it, I recommend a liquid silver cleaner. Whether it’s sterling silver (if sterling each one will be marked sterling or 925) or silver-plated, liquid will work best. Using a cream will cause build-up in tiny hard to get to places. There are many good cleaners out there today. After cleaning it, store it wrapped in a cloth or paper towel. An airtight bag also will protect it from re-tarnishing.

Values on charm bracelets are all over the spectrum, depending on age, maker, being mechanical (moving parts) etc. They are also an older item that is more valuable clean. No one wants to wear a tarnished silver bracelet.

Kiddie Pool 25/06/26

Family fun for whenever

Dino days

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org) will wrap up its Kick Off to Summer, Dinosaur Edition, which runs daily through Friday, June 27. Throughout the week the center will offer special dinosaur activities and displays, which are included with the admission price. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission costs $14 per person ages 3 and up.

KidsFest

• Joppa Hill Educational Farm (174 Joppa Hill Road in Bedford; jhef.org) will hold its KidsFest on Sunday, June 29, from 3 to 6 p.m. The afternoon will feature kid-friendly performers including Mr. Aaron, Miss Alli and Magic Fred as well as food trucks (including Teenie Wienies hot dog purveyors and Sweet Cotton Candy makers, according to Joppa’s Facebook page), face painting, crafts, balloons and more, the website said. Tickets cost $44.52 per family; register in advance via the website.

Reptile fest

• The next New England Reptile Expo is scheduled for Sunday, June 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester). The show features more than 200 vendor tables full of reptiles, pet supplies and more. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids ages 6 and under. Visit reptileexpo.com.

Playground road trip

• Looking for low-cost summer fun? Check out the Live Free & Play Southern NH Playground Challenge, available at salemnh.myrec.com. The printout features a list of playgrounds in Salem, Auburn, Londonderry, Pelham, Milford, Merrimack and Danville.

Library fun

• The Hooksett Public Library (31 Mount Saint Mary’s Way in Hooksett, hooksettlibrary.org) will hold a touch-a-truck event on Saturday, June 28, at 10 a.m. to noon.

• At the Merrimack Public Library (470 DW Highway in Merrimack, merrimack.aspendiscovery.org), the summer reading program will kick off with a Minecraft Party on Thursday, June 26, noon to 2 p.m. followed by a concert with Mr. Aaron at 6 p.m. in Abbie Griffin Park (registration required for both).

Treasure Hunt 25/06/26

Dear Donna,

Enclosed are pictures of a carpenter’s chest from possibly the late 1800s or early 1900s that was my husband’s great-uncle’s. The chest has dovetails and multiple species of wood. Might you have an idea of its worth?

Thank you,

Karen

Dear Karen,

Thank you for all the photos, it helps!

Your husband’s great-uncle’s tool box is not that uncommon. Imagine the time this was the average size of your tool box.

Your date estimate is correct for the box. Most were made of multiple woods. Dovetailing is for strength and durability. Karen, I can tell you, doing business in Manchester and surrounding areas I have seen lots of them. Including my own uncle’s as well.

Working in many fields you needed to have many tools with you. Now you can use one or two tools to do the same job.

Collectibility depends on construction, appearance, cleanliness and always condition. Putting all these factors in place, some values can be in the $100+ range.

Thanks for sharing, Karen. I hope this helps.

Kiddie Pool 25/06/19

Family fun for whenever

Dino days

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org) will hold its Kick Off to Summer, Dinosaur Edition running Saturday, June 21, through Friday, June 27. Throughout the week the Center will offer special dinosaur activities and displays, which are included with the admission price. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on weekdays and 5 p.m. on weekends. Admission costs $14 per person ages 3 and up.

Summer fun

• Wilton Main Street Association will hold its annual Summerfest on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. featuring live music on two stages, food, street vendors, a pancake breakfast, a duck drop and a fireworks display in the evening on Carnival Hill. See visitwilton.com/summerfest.

• The Somersworth International Children’s Festival will take place on Main Street and in Noble Pines Park on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Wildlife Encounters, roaming entertainers, a petting zoo, World Cultures Passport Center, a play area and other activities for kids as well as food and craft vendors, according to the Somersworth Festival Association at nhfestivals.org.

• Miss Alli’s Kids Concert will take place Saturday, June 21, at 1 p.m. in Stark Park (550 River Road in Manchester; starkpark.com). Find Miss Alli Music on Instagram.

• The Nest Cafe (25 Orchard View in Londonderry; thenestfamilycafe.com) is holding the free community festival NestFest on Sunday, June 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day will include live music (including Miss Alli), a bounce house, face painting, lawn games, touch a truck and more.

Movie night

• Movies in the Park at Riverfront Park in Tilton, hosted by the Hall Memorial Library (hallmemoriallibrary.org), will present The Little Mermaidon Friday, June 20. The park opens at 6 p.m., movies screen at dusk and the evenings will feature free pizza, books and more, the website said.

Treasure Hunt 25/06/19

Hello, Donna.
This was my mom’s doll dresser and now belongs to me. I actually use it for jewelry on my own dresser. Can you provide any information for me on it? It’s in very good shape and the mirror is intact.
Thanks, Donna
Patti

Dear Patti,
I want to start off by saying glad to see you still using it! Antique doll furniture and related items are still collectible. It seems everyone still likes the memories they bring.
Your small oak doll dresser looks to be from right after the early 1900s. Most likely it was part of a play set.
The pieces, as today, were made to look like the real furniture in your home, making pretend seem real to a child. How fun that is even today!
The values on doll furniture depend on age, detailing, design, construction etc. Value in your dresser with mirror would be in the $75 range to a collector.
Patti, the best part and value to me is that you still use it today!
Thanks for sharing.

Treasure Hunt 25/06/12

Dear Donna,

I was ready to put this in a yard sale this summer. My sister said “no, it could be worth a lot of money.” She said to ask you. Hopefully you can help resolve this.

Thank you, Donna,

Ann

Dear Ann,

Corningware can be very collectible. It’s been around since the 1950s, made in Corning, New York. Some pieces can be worth more than others; the age of the pieces, rarity, pattern and condition all are factors. I have seen some pieces with values into the thousands. Tough to believe for cookware pieces, but true. I grew up with Corningware and my mom used it a lot. I remember the blue and white pattern in the cabinets.

Your pattern French Spice was in production from the 1970s to the late 1980s. Your 5-quart with the cover would be in the $50 range. Having the cover is a bonus. Uncovered would have less value.

So your sister was right in checking!

Thanks for sharing, Ann, and good luck finding it a new home. Maybe worth keeping now?

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