Category: Family Fun

Treasure Hunt 23/09/21

Dear Donna,
I picked this small autograph book up a few years back. It’s 5”x7” and has about 60 autographs from Holyoke, Mass., 1884. I’m done enjoying reading it, so now I’m looking for a new home. Can you give me a value on this? Thank you for any help, Donna.
Alex

Dear Alex,
Autograph books were a very popular thing in the Victorian era. Earlier ones can also bring high values.

With autographs you’re looking for any significant ones of known people, events in time, drawings, etc. The more content the better, and hand drawings as well.

If it’s just a school autograph book with multiple friends signing it. I think there are collectors for just that as well. The values seem to run in the $25-$40 range. Again, though, if there are drawings or small paintings on pages etc., could be more.

Alex, I hope this helps finding your book a new home. Thanks for sharing with us.

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. She is a member of The New Hampshire Antiques Dealer Association. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.

Treasure Hunt 23/09/14

Hello, Donna.
I’m trying to find out any information on these children’s toys. My main question is would they be safe for my granddaughter to play with now?
Claire

Dear Claire,
What you have seems to be a mixture of children’s tin cooking toys. Age-wise I think anywhere from the 1950’s through the 1970’s.

Some of the pans look like ones from my childhood, Easy-Bake oven pans!
There is a collectible market for the older pans and Easy-Bake ones as well. Values are in the range of $5 to $10. As to whether they are usable today, I say yes for pretend food but not for real food. And only if they are clean with no rust or damage.

Because I am in the antiques business, my grandchildren play with lots of older toys with my supervision. I enjoy telling them stories of how toys made it through so much time.

Claire, thanks for sharing and have fun playing with your granddaughter.

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. She is a member of The New Hampshire Antiques Dealer Association. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.

Kiddie Pool 23/09/14

Family fun for the whenever

Season ender

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats play their final home games of the season with a series slated to start Tuesday, Sept. 12, against the Somerset Patriots. On Thursday, Sept. 14, game time is 6:35 p.m. and the evening’s theme is 2000s night, with post-game fireworks and a performance by Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act. On Friday, Sept. 15, game time is 6:35 p.m. and the Fisher Cats become the Gatos Feroces de New Hampshire for a night. The game also begins at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, when the first 1,000 fans will get a bobblehead and there will be post-game fireworks. On Sunday, Sept. 17, the game starts at 1:35 p.m. and the theme is Fan Appreciation. See milb.com/new-hampshire for tickets and more information — and to get a peek at 2024. According to the schedule, the first home game of next season will be Tuesday, April 9, when the Fisher Cats will once again play the Patriots.

Special screenings

Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) has two special screenings planned for this Friday at all three theaters. A sensory-friendly presentation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (PG-13, 2023) will screen at all three theaters on Friday, Sept. 15, at 3 p.m. The sound will be down and the lights will be up. Also on Friday at 3:30 p.m. all three locations will present a “Little Lunch Date” screening of Horton Hears a Who (G, 2008); admission is free but reserve a seat with a $5 food voucher.
And save the date for some upcoming non-movie happenings at Chunky’s. On Friday, Sept. 22, at the Chunky’s in Manchester it’s family-friendly theater candy bingo at 6:15 p.m. Admission costs $10 (plus fees). On Sunday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. at Chunky’s in Nashua it’s family-friendly Taylor Swift trivia night. Farm fun

DeMeritt Hill Farm (20 Orchard Way in Lee; demeritthillfarm.com, 868-2111) will hold a Family Weekend at the Farm on Saturday, Sept. 16, and Sunday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring face painting, children’s games and photo opportunities with the tractors, according to the website.

For the little guys

The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) will hold Toddlerfest, its annual celebration of the littlest museum-goers featuring special activities and events, Tuesday, Sept. 19, through Saturday, Sept. 30, including a reading of Eric Carle’s A Very Hungry Caterpillar with a visit from the Caterpillar (Sept. 29 and Sept. 30), a celebration of the museum’s 40th birthday on Sept. 23 and a Frozen dance party on Sept. 22. The museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays with play sessions from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission costs $12.50 for everyone over 12 months; $10.50 for 65+.

Save the date

The Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains will hold Lead Like a Girl, a community walk and fundraiser, on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon at Manchester High School West. The cost to register is $15 per person with a $50 family cap, according to a press release. The first 100 people to register get a free T-shirt; sign up at https://bit.ly/LeadLikeaGirl.

Performers and puppeteers bring to life the time of the dinosaurs in Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) with tickets on sale now for $35.25 and $48.25. For an additional $28.75 you can also attend a VIP meet and greet.

Treasure Hunt 23/09/07

Dear Donna,
Can you give me a reason to not toss this item? Found in the attic of my parents. Looks to be building blocks but all pretty much the same. Any help appreciated.
Stacy in Andover

Dear Stacy,
Your box of blocks is actually from the late Victorian Era into the early 1900s. It’s a self-contained building block toy. In this case it would construct a mansion-type building. There were many different ones made. When you’re done playing, it all tucks away back into the wood box.
Stacy, the value is in having a complete set. With blocks or doors, roofs or other pieces missing the values drop. Complete and in good clean shape these tend to run in the $150+ range.

So now you have to figure out if it’s complete. Building it is one way, or doing further research on this one and seeing the complete version.

I hope this was helpful to you. Thanks for sharing, Stacy.

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. She is a member of The New Hampshire Antiques Dealer Association. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.

Kiddie Pool 23/09/07

Family fun for the whenever

Music on the farm

Mr. Aaron will perform on Sunday, Sept. 10, at 3 p.m. at the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road in Bedford; theeducationalfarm.org). Tickets cost $20 per family. The afternoon will also feature food trucks, vendors and face painting, according to the event’s Facebook post, where you can find a link to tickets.

Save the date for comics

The American Independence Museum (1 Governors Lane in Exeter; independencemuseum.org) will host a series of free Constitution Comics workshops on Saturday, Sept. 16. New Hampshire-based cartoonist Marek Bennett (marekbennett.com) will hold a workshop at 10 a.m. for educators about how to use comic-making in the classroom to explore primary sources, according to a press release. At 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., participants will practice what they learned by instructing families and kids on basic techniques of cartooning, the press release said. Preregister on the museum’s website; the events for kids and families have a suggested donation of $10, according to the website.

Treasure Hunt 23/08/31

Hello, Donna —

I’m trying to get any information that you may know about this rocker. I’m not positive what century it’s from but I was told 19th by my mum. — Melanie

Dear Melanie,

Your rocker is called a stick-style rocker. The age your mom gave you is correct. It’s from the late 1800s to early 1900s, the late Victorian Era. It appears to be in original condition and in good shape for the age.

The values are tough. Antique rockers are not in high demand in this generation. The value should be in the range of $50. — Donna

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