Category: Family Fun

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?

Kiddie Pool 25/06/05

Family fun for whenever

Kick off to summer fun

• Nashua will hold the opening day of its SummerFun programming on Saturday, June 7, at Greeley Park (100 Concert St. in Nashua) with Department of Public Works Day featuring a DPW Touch a Truck, entertainment, games, community vendors with activities and more, according to city flyers and websites. The day will also feature live performances and a superhero meet and greet, the website said. See nashuanh.gov.

• New Boston Recreation is celebrating its 50-year anniversary. On Saturday, June 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. New Boston is holding a Block Party at the Town Hall Ball Field featuring music, karaoke, a dunk tank, a bounce house, games and more. Whipple Free Library is hosting a touch a truck along with the block party from 1 to 3 p.m., according to newbostonnh.gov. Start the day with a little shopping: A town yard sale will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the website said.

Competition weekend

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester continue a stretch of games against the Altoona Curve with games during the week through Friday, June 6, at 6:35 p.m.; at 4:05 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, and at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. See milb.com/new-hampshire.

• The Nashua Silver Knights, members of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, will play the Norwich Sea Unicorns on Friday, June 6, at 6:03 p.m. at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., Nashua) and then they take on the New Britain Bees on Saturday, June 7, at 6:03 p.m. Friday’s game will feature post-game fireworks. See nashuasilverknights.com.

• It’s a battle of local roller derby teams when the Granite State Roller Derby has a home bout scheduled against the New Hampshire Roller Derby on Saturday, June 7, at 6 p.m. at the Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road in Concord). Admission is $12; kids under 10 get in for free. See granitestaterollerderby.org.

• The 2025 New Hampshire Soap Box Derby Local Championship will be held on Sunday, June 8, at 120 Broadway in Dover with side-by-side competitions starting at 10 a.m. Spectators can cheer on the races for free. See nh.soapboxderby.org.

Treasure Hunt 25/06/05

Hello, Donna.

The photo of the spoon I sent you is from my family. My mom had it and used it for serving mashed potatoes. Now I have inherited it and I too use it a lot.

My question is how can I keep it from looking like this? It has such a pretty design, but covered by all the tarnish. I have cleaned it a couple of times but never keeping it that way.

Would you have any advice for me?

Thank you, Donna,

Sue

Dear Sue,

You probably know I have a smile on my face right now. I enjoy knowing the old is still being used!

Unfortunately unless they have recently come out with a magic cleaner and non-tarnishing product all silver-plated items when exposed to air tarnish.

My only suggestion would be to make sure it’s completely dry after washing it. Then wrap in a paper towel and put away in an air-tight zip-close bag.

Sue, I know this sounds like a lot of work but it will preserve the polished clean finish longer. Not a cure! Just a temporary fix!

With sterling and silver-plated ware it will always be an ongoing battle. Air is an enemy — that’s why they have flatware boxes for them.

Sue, I hope it gives you an idea. Glad to know you use it as well. Thanks for the question. Good luck!

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