Category: Family Fun

Treasure Hunt 25/04/17

Hi, Donna.

The New Boston Historical Society wonders what you might know about an old urn that’s now in the Whipple Free Library. It’s 12 inches tall.

We have a photo made from a glass negative that shows this urn and its twin in our town’s first public library, c. 1890-1900. This library was in one corner of what’s now Dodge’s Store. In 1927 a new library was built, and the two urns plus the clock that’s between them were moved across the street to the brick building that’s now our museum. (You spoke about antique collecting here in September 2011). I saw no maker’s marks anywhere on the urn, including under its base. Thanks for reading this!

Dan

Hello, Dan.

Your silver-plated mantel clock set looked great on the fireplace mantel in the photo you sent. To me that makes it a great piece of New Boston’s memorabilia.

Mantel clock sets were very popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s (Victorian era). Some were simple, some elegant. They were ceramic, silver, silver-plated, etc. I have seen some of the vases that weren’t even deep and were weighted with cement to just appear vase-like. I think your value lies in the maker of the mantel clock and its condition. The one fumed (darkened aged silver look) vase is beautiful but its value is now in being a vase. It’s unfortunate for the loss of the other one.

Depending on age, style, maker, condition and material, values can range from a couple hundred dollars to thousands. But that is for a three-piece set. I think, as is, values could be in the range of a few hundred dollars together.

Keeping both pieces with the photo of the three-piece set is a sweet memory.

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. 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.

Kiddie Pool 25/04/10

Family fun for whenever

Bunnies and eggs

• The Easter Bunny will arrive in a student-built airplane when he visits the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, aviationmuseumofnh.org) on Saturday, April 12, at 11 a.m. The Easter Bunny will get a water cannon salute from the Manchester Airport Fire Department on his arrival and will hand out candy and take photos with fans from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., when he will leave on a fire truck, according to an Aviation Museum press release. The event is free and families are asked to arrive by 10:30 a.m. for this outdoor event. The day will also feature free admission to the museum until 1 p.m. and free activities for kids in the museum’s classroom, the release said. The event will feature chocolate treats from Granite State Candy Shoppe and coffee and goodies from the Common Man Roadside, the release said. After 1 p.m., admission to the museum will cost $10 for ages 13 and up, $5 for ages 6 to 12 and for 65+ and military and veterans; kids 5 and under get in for free, the release said.

• Merrimack Parks and Recreation will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt in Wasserman Park for Merrimack residents only on Saturday, April 12, starting at 10 a.m. with egg hunt times grouped by age. See merrimackparksandrec.org.

• The Well Church in Nashua will hold an Easter Egg Hunt for kids Saturday, April 12, in Greeley Park. Register at eggnh.com for a time slot and BYO basket.

Cats invite dogs

• The Fisher Cats will play a series of games against the Harrisburg Senators starting Tuesday, April 15, at 6:35 p.m. At the Wednesday, April 16, game, also at 6:35 p.m., it’s Waggin’ Wednesday, when your (leashed) doggos can come to the park. Games continue through Sunday, April 20 — on Friday, April 18, the team plays as Los Gatos Feroces and on Saturday, April 19, they’ll debut their New Hampshire Space Potatoes alter ego, honoring the Granite State’s potato and UFO history. See milb.com/new-hampshire.

Kids on stage

• The teens of Ovation Theatre Company (ovationtc.com) will present Monty Python’s Spamalot School Edition on Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 12, at 1 and 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry). See derryoperahouse.org for tickets.

• Disney’s Frozen Jr. will present Actorsingers Youth at the Janice B. Streeter Theater (14 Court St., Nashua) on Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m. See actorsingers.org for tickets.

• The Palace Youth Theatre will also present Frozen Jr.on Thursday, April 10, and Friday, April 11, at 7 p.m. at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $17.

• Friends of the Amato Center will present Seussical The Musical on Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 12, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 13, at 2:30 at Souhegan High School in Amherst. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $12 for seniors and kids. See amatocenter.org/ riverbend-youth-company.

Introduction to ‘The Planets’

• The NH Philharmonic will present “Drawn to the Music —The Planets” featuring visuals by local students paired with Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” on Saturday, April 12, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m. (with a livestream option for Sunday) at Seifert Performing Arts Center in Salem. Tickets cost $35 for adults, $30 for seniors, $10 for students. See nhphil.org.

Outdoor excitement

• Author Susie Spikol will come to Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Saturday, April 12, at 11 a.m. to discuss her new bookForest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort and Cook Up and Elfin Picnic. The book features “50+ magical activities for everything from finding hidden flower fairies in your own backyard and making a special wizard staff to creating a tiny woodland village and making your own forest potions,” according to a Gibson’s press release. Admission is free and no registration is required, the email said.

Treasure Hunt 25/04/10

Hello, Donna.

I saw someone had some dishes and asked you their worth. That prompted me to reach out and see if you have comments or information about this child’s rug that I inherited from my mother-in-law approximately 11 years ago. I don’t know how long she owned it or where it originated from. Also I’m wondering if you have a value you would suggest.

Your help and time are greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

The hooked rug has a sweet subject!

Hooked rugs are tough to evaluate without a real visual on them. So my end suggestion is to bring it to a local antique shop. They will be able to approximately date it for you and tell you if it was hand hooked or machine done.

Age, subject and fine details all go into putting a value on them. I have seen even modern hooked rugs bring substantial value because of the work in them. But I’ve also seen modern machine-made ones in stores that look like older ones.

I think, Lisa, I would try to find out more information on whether it was handmade by your mother-in-law or someone in the family etc. If so, try to come close to when it was made. Then when you bring it to be evaluated you can provide that information to help.

It’s a sweet rug, Lisa, but a lot depends on whether it is older, newer, hand done, machine done, and made with newer materials or older ones.

Good luck in your hunt for information and let’s hope it is a treasure!

Donna

Note: Some of the best hooked rigs I have seen were hooked with rags from a homestead! Reusing everything is what you did then.

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.

Kiddie Pool 25/04/03

Family fun for whenever

Play ball!

• Friday, April 4, is the season opener for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester. The Cats will play the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at 6:35 p.m. and guests can pick up a free magnet schedule to help them plan their season of baseball. The Fisher Cats also will play the Rumble Ponies on Saturday, April 5, at 4:05 p.m. (when they will play as the Manchester Chicken Tenders) and Sunday, April 6, at 1:35 p.m. (when the first 1,000 fans will receive a free fleece blanket). The next stretch of games begins Tuesday, April 15, at 6:35 p.m. versus the Harrisburg Senators. See milb.com/new-hampshire for the game schedule, tickets and promotions.

Book fun

• Curious George will visit for a story time at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org) on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both days. The visits are part of the museum’s Books Alive! programming and are included with admission, which costs $14.50 for everyone over 12 months and $12.50 for 65+. The museum offers sessions from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. on those days.

Down in Fraggle Rock

Jim Henson’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock Live comes to the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. The show features walk-around versions of the Fraggles and puppet-sized Dozers, according to the website. Tickets start at $46.75 and a VIP option includes an opportunity to get a photo with the Fraggles for an additional $30.

Spring fun

• It’s egg hunt season and Charmingfare Farm in Candia kicks off the fun early with its Egg-citing Egg Hunt Saturdays and Sundays, April 5 through April 20 (Easter Sunday). Kids between the ages of 2 and 12 can hunt for a dozen eggs in Grandpa’s Barn, the website said. The event will also include an opportunity to meet the Easter bunny, visit farm animals (including new spring babies) and more, according to the website. Time slots between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. are available on those days. Admission costs $29 per person.

• Springfest! will take place at the Saint Anselm College Sullivan Arena Saturday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The day will feature vendors, a kid zone, food concessions and more. Admission costs $5 for adults and is free for kids 12 and under. See goffstowncitizens.org.

Pancakes with a princess

• Have a Royal Princess Breakfast on Sunday, April 6, at 9:30 a.m. at the Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, thederryfield.com). Tickets cost $55 for adults, $45 for children. The day will feature breakfast, games, costumed princesses, stories and more.

Treasure Hunt 25/04/03

Hi, Donna,

I don’t care about the value of this box. It’s my curiosity that desires to be satisfied. I think this piece may be best described as in the category of old medical quackery! The internet, I believe, attests to the fact that there’s a lot of such still continuing today. It’s a very dusty wooden case with a brass handle and hardware, but it looks as though it was never actually used! I’m fascinated, but not ready to be the first one to try it out! If I promise you will not be opening Pandora’s box, could you perhaps shed some light on this contraption?

With many thanks and kind regards,

Helen

Dear Helen,

You made me laugh!

There were several different supposed uses for these at the time. Not sure any really worked! I have had a couple different versions of the J.H. Bunnell Co. medical machines during my career, from electric shocks to nothing I would ever use! Not sure if even back in the early 1900s these weren’t considered medical quackery. They are today and definitely not made to use. The cherry wood cases make for a beautiful storage box cleaned up. I would just recommend removing all the contents. The top pieces, the plate to separate the medical pieces from the battery. Then the battery as well. As you said, Helen, it is more of a curiosity item. The values are under $100. I just would hate to see anyone try it!

Donna

Kiddie Pool 25/03/27

Family fun for whenever

Lacrosse season

• Catch the Saint Anselm College Hawks men’s lacrosse team at Grappone Stadium on the Saint Anselm College campus in Manchester on Friday, March 28, at 4 p.m. when they play Assumption. See saintanselmhawks.com.

• Cheer Nashua’s Rivier University Raiders men’s and women’s lacrosse teams at games this weekend on Joanne Merrill Field at Linda Robinson Pavilion in Nashua. The men’s team will play Johnson & Wales University Providence on Saturday, March 29, at 11 a.m. The women’s team will play Colby Sawyer at 2 p.m. See rivierathletics.com.

At the ballet

• Cinderella will be performed by Ballet Misha’s professional adult dancers, apprentice company and students from Dimensions in Dance on Saturday, March 29, at 2 and 6 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Tickets cost $31.60 for adults, $21.40 for children. See balletmisha.com

• Snow White will be presented by Southern NY Youth Ballet at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org) on Sunday, March 30, at 1 and 4 p.m. The show is “appropriate for children and young ballerinas of all ages” with an approximately 90-minute runtime and a brief intermission, according to a Palace email. Tickets cost $24 to $29. Tickets to a pre-show tea with Snow White cost an additional $20. The tea starts 45 minutes before showtime.

• Hispanic Flamenco Ballet will come to the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord) on Tuesday, April 1, at 10 and 11 a.m. Tickets cost $19 to $33 and are available by calling 305-420-6622. See flamencoballet.com for more on the company.

Lil’ runners

• Kids in three different age divisions — ages 4 and younger, ages 5 and 6 and ages 7 and 8 — can participate in the Lil’ Leprechaun Run on Sunday, March 30, at 10:30 a.m. Participants receive a medal at the finish, according to millenniumrunning.com/shamrock, where kids can register for the 100-yard fun run. The cost to register for the Lil’ Leprechaun is $5. Kids over 8 can register for the Shamrock Shuffle, which starts at 11 a.m. and is a 2-mile run/walk on Elm Street. The cost is $10 for kids 11 and under and $20 for ages 12 to 20. Adults can register for the Shuffle for $25 each. After all that running, grab a spot on Elm Street to watch the Manchester St. Patrick Parade, which steps off at noon. See saintpatsnh.com for more on the parade.

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