Treasure Hunt 25/10/02

Hello, Donna,

I have some silver- and gold-plated items from 1920. They were given to my grandparents as a wedding gift, so I’m fairly certain of their age. Unfortunately, they aren’t in very good condition; I have attached some pictures. I’m curious if you can provide me with any information about them and what their value may be.

If there’s something I can do to improve the appearance of these items, please advise. Also, if it’s possible to refinish them, please let me know since someone who buys them may want to do so. Thanks so much. I appreciate your expertise and advice.

Peter

Dear Peter,

Silver-plated ware is a tough sell unless by certain manufacturers. Also they have to be a very ornate pattern and hard-to-find pieces. Being all made with base metals with a silver wash (plating), most common pieces are more work to keep clean and polished than their value. Peter, first, I wouldn’t clean them to market them. Nor would I polish them. I think instead of a value, think of looking for someone who wants the nostalgic look.

I looked through all your photos and feel safe saying the value for the lot would be under $50. You can’t compare the value to the memories they brought your grandparents. That’s priceless!

Peter thank you for sharing and I hope this was helpful. For selling them I might try a home sale, flea market etc.

Donna

Kiddie Pool 25/09/25

Family fun for whenever

Fall fun

• A Fall Fair at Joppa Hill Educational Farm in Bedford will take place Saturday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and feature hayrides, meet and greets with farm animals, crafts, vendors, live music, food truck, apple cider doughnuts and more, according to jhef.org, where you can purchase tickets. Tickets cost $15 per person or $45 per family for up to six people, the website said.

• Thecorn maze at Coppal House Farm in Lee is open for the season Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s theme is Butterfly & Chrysalis Corn Maze. This weekend, the maze is also open for a night maze from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets for the night maze cost $15 for ages 13 and up, $12 for ages 5 to 12 and are free for kids 4 and under, according to the farm’s website, nhcornmaze.com. The Night Maze ticket also includes a cider doughnut and bonfire, the website said. Tickets for the maze during the day cost $10 for ages 13+; $8 for ages 5 to 12, 65+, military and college students, and are free for ages 4 and under, the website said. This weekend teachers, first responders, police, nurses and medical profesionals can get $2 off general admission, the website said.

Plane fun

• Saturday, Sept. 27, is Girls in Aviation Day at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, hosted by Women in Aviation Boston Chapter, according to wai-bos.com/girlsinaviationday, where you can register to participate. Events, designed for ages 8 to 18, run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will take place at the Signature Aviation hanger, 1 Garside Way in Manchester, and the nearby Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, where registered participants in the day get free admission, according to a museum press release. At the museum, activities will include use of the museum’s flight simulator, a drone obstacle course, a scavenger hunt on aviation maps, exhibits from flight schools and other organizations and more, the release said. There will also be STEM displays and activities at Signature Aviation and a food truck at 11 a.m. the museum, the event website said.

• The Concord Municipal Airport will host Wings & Wheels on Sunday, Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring vendors associated with aviation, STEM and related fields; aircraft and other vehicles; food trucks and more, according to concordnh.gov/1713/ Wings-Wheels-Event and the city’s Facebook page.

Dogs on stage

Puppy Pals Live, described on its website as a family fun action-packed comedic stunt dog show, will be at Capitol Center for the Arts Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St. in Concord, ccanh.com) on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2 p.m. Tickets cost $36 each, with a discount available for four or more tickets purchased together, according to ccanh.com.

Making music

• The Manchester Community Music School, 2291 Elm St. in Manchester, will hold an Instrument Petting Zoo on Monday, Sept. 29, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Kids can “try out strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion” with school teachers, according to the website. See mcmusicschool.org.

Treasure Hunt 25/09/25

Hello, Donna.

This was my mother’s button tin. She always had a button to replace a lost one. I don’t seem to have a need for it anymore. Do you think you can advise me on how to find it a new home?

Thanks, Donna.

Celeste

Dear Celeste,

Let me start by saying, my mom too had a sewing tin with buttons, needles, etc., so you make me think. Ah, memories!

Buttons can be very collectible or useful for crafts. If all of them were just common buttons, then for crafts it is.

But some, depending on age, rarity, and what they are made of, can be very valuable. You should take a minute to have them looked at by a local antique shop. They could tell you if there are any valuable ones. Even some modern buttons can be valuable. So it is worth the effort. If there is nothing in there of value, then as I said someone would love them for crafts. Or maybe even for replacement buttons again.

I hope you find a treasure in the tin of buttons, Celeste. I thank you for the smile you gave me.

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 25/09/18

Family fun for whenever

Space and beyond

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord will hold its annual AerospaceFest Saturday, Sept. 20, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entry to the event is free, with a $5 per person suggested donation, according to the center’s website, starhop.com. The fest celebrates all things related to space, aviation, Earth science and more, with STEM organizations from around New England presenting demonstrations and activities inside and outside of the Discovery Center, the website said. The event will feature keynote speaker Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, a retired astronaut; new planetarium show Asteroid: Mission Extreme; on-site food trucks and more, the website said.

Wings and wheels

Nashua Airport’s Wheels & Wings “A Touch a Truck Event” will take place Saturday, Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with cars, trucks and planes to see and explore, according to the city’s SummerFun brochure at nashuanh.gov. The event will feature a horns-free hour from 1 to 2 p.m. and collect nonperishable food for End 68 Hours of Hunger, the brochure said. The airport is at 79 Perimeter Road in Nashua; see nashuaairport.com.

Family fun

The 5th Annual Family Fun Day hosted by the Friends of Benson Park will take place Saturday, Sept. 20, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Benson Park, 19 Kimball Hill Road in Hudson. The day will feature music, magic, a petting zoo, a visit with the Old Woman in the Shoe, games, raffles and ice cream for sale, according to friendsofbensonpark.org/ family-fun-day-2025.

For the younger kids

Toddlerfest, the annual celebration of younger kids at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire in Dover, will run Friday, Sept. 19, through Friday, Oct. 3. The museum is open Wednesdays through Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m., and Tuesdays and Sundays 9 a.m. to noon. The event is part of regular admission; see childrens-museum.org.

Treasure Hunt 25/09/18

Dear Donna,

I found this man’s ring in a box that belonged to my sister. I don’t believe it was hers. Possibly something she picked up along the way. It’s marked 14 KT inside. It also has a tiny diamond. Donna, can you give me any information on the value and where to go?

Shawn

Dear Shawn,

First, if the ring has no sentimental value, then I think it should be easy to sell.

Shawn, I think I would first bring it to a jeweler in your area to see what the value of the weight in gold is. I would then bring it to another to compare information.You need to feel comfortable with who you sell it to. I think the value will be in the gold, unless the maker is marked inside, which could make the ring more valuable. A jeweler will know that. The diamond chip is really of no significance to the value at this point.

It should be somewhere in the range of $200+ for scrap. Gold is high right now. This all depends on the weight of the ring.

Shawn, I hope this is helpful and you have good luck selling it. If you need a referral just reach out.

Thanks for sharing.

Kiddie Pool 25/09/11

Family fun for whenever

Season wrap

• The New Hampshire Fisher Cats will play their final series of regular season home games at Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester against the Chesapeake Baysox through the game on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 1:35 p.m. Games (which started Tuesday, Sept. 9) leading up to that start at 6:35 p.m. At the game on Thursday, Sept. 11, there will be a koozie giveaway; on Friday, Sept. 12, Margaritaville Night will feature a Dri-Fit T-shirt giveaway, according to milb.com/new-hampshire, where you can find tickets.

More fair fun

• The Granite State Fair will run Thursday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 14, and Thursday, Sept. 18, through Sunday, Sept. 21, at 72 Lafayette St. in Rochester. See granitestatefair.com for the lineup of midway rides (and their height rules). Grandstand events include Bus Derby, Demolition Derby, Car Soccer and ATV Drag Race; find specialty tickets and a schedule on the website. Catch Circus Hollywood shows daily throughout the run of the fair, see animal exhibits and the petting zoo (also open daily) and enjoy competitions such as the cornhole tournament (Fridays, Sept. 12 and 19, at 7 p.m.), the King Arthur Cookie Contest (Saturday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m.) and the Miss Granite State Fair Pageant (Sunday, Sept. 21, at noon), according to the website, where you can purchase tickets.

More hometown fun

• The 2025 Auburn Day and 32nd Annual Duck Race will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Auburn Village on Hooksett Road between Raymond Road and Eaton Hill Road, according to auburnhistorical.org. The day’s highlight is the Duck Race, tickets for which will be on sale through 2:30 p.m. — $5 per duck or a quack pack of five for $20, according to the website. The 10 fastest ducks during the race receive prizes, according to an email about the event. Other fun on Saturday: The New Hampshire National Guard and a Black Hawk helicopter will be on the athletic field near Auburn Village School from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Ray Zerkle will perform music during the day; find local authors, demonstrators (with crafts such as spinning wool, blacksmithing, maple syrup making, apple cider pressing and pottery making) and balloon animals on Library grounds from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and find local artisans as well as nonprofit and sponsor booths throughout the event, the website said. An apple pie contest and kids’ cookie baking contest will take place, with winners announced at noon, the website said. The Parks and Rec department will offer activities including a climbing wall, cornhole and a petting farm, and there will be children’s games behind the library, the website said. The food vendor line-up features the Auburn Fire Department with sausage subs, the Auburn Police Department with french fries, Longmeadow Church with fried dough and food trucks including B’s Tacos, Bentley’s Famous BBQ, Squeeze the Day Lemonade, Ice Cream for You, The Wacky Candy Shack and Kona Ice, the website said.

Pelham Old Home Day will take place Saturday, Sept. 13, with events starting at 7 a.m. (a pancake breakfast at Church Fellowship Hall) through 5 p.m. The day will feature a white elephant yard sale, a crafts-and-more vendor sale, food trucks, kids’ games, a 5K (10 a.m.), live performances throughout the day, a touch-a-truck (starting at 11 a.m.), a penny sale, a quilt raffle and a grand parade (2:30 p.m.), according to pelhamoldhomeday.org. Scheduled kids events include inflatable obstacle courses, face painting, pony rides and a petting zoo, the website said. Food trucks slated to attend include GKK Concessions (with sausage, hot dogs, french fries, chicken fingers and more), Kona Ice, Augusta’s Chicken on the Road, Thwaites Market (with meat pies), The Whoopie Wagon (with whoopie pies), Oh Sugar! (with lemonade, cannolis, cupcakes and more), ZW’s BBQ, Eggroll Cafe, TW Provisions (with sausage sandwiches), One Happy Clam and ABC Bowls (with acai bowls and dessert crepes), the website said.

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