Category: Family Fun

Treasure Hunt 22/09/22

Good afternoon, Donna.

I’m wondering if you could help me in determining the worth of a Noritake tea service for six that I picked up at an estate sale a few weeks ago (in excellent condition). After contacting Noritake I was able to find one picture online but no price. I’ve included a few pictures for you to see, including the one naming the pattern that I found online. I would appreciate any assistance you could provide.

Thank you so much.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

Your Noritake lusterware luncheon set was a very popular item during World War II. There were many mass-produced and some ended up here in the U.S. There are many patterns and different lusters as well, from blue like yours to peach and other colors. Some more unusual patterns can bring a higher value. Because so many ended up in china cabinets, the lusterware survived till today. Complete sets will have more value, as will odd matching pieces.

The desirability of the sets now is a matter of which ones, colors, patterns and condition. A set like yours would run in the range of $100 and up to the collector.

I’m not sure if they still provide research and price guide books in bookstores any longer. If not and you need more information, you should be able to search online for Noritake lusterware and come up with lots of information.

Thanks for sharing with us.

Kiddie Pool 22/09/15

Family fun for the weekend

Fairs and festivals

• The Humane Society for Greater Nashua is holding its annual fundraiser the Wags to Whiskers Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack). The festival is billed as “New England’s largest pet dog event” and will have demonstrations by the Granite State Disc Dogs and the Merrimack Police Department K-9 Drei. There will also be dog-friendly vendors, giveaways, carnival games and prizes, adoptable dogs and puppies, and food trucks. Tickets to the festival are $12 per person, free for kids and teens ages 17 and under. For more information visit hsfn.org/wags-whiskers-festival.

• Get ready for a fun-filled day at the Granite State Fair (formerly the Rochester Fair), which opens on Thursday, Sept. 15, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 18, as well as the following week on Thursday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Rochester Fairgrounds (72 Lafayette Road). The fair will have midway rides, a full schedule of live music, local vendors and exhibitors, a cornhole tournament, circus performances and a delicious variety of fair food. Advance tickets are $10 per person and are available through Sept. 14. Tickets at the door are $12 per person and free for kids ages 8 and under. Visit granitestatefair.com.

• Festivities will take over the town at the Hollis Old Home Days on Friday, Sept. 16, and Saturday, Sept. 17, at Nichols Field and the adjacent Lawrence Barn (Depot Road, Hollis). There will be a town parade, midway rides, hot air balloon rides, a local artisan market, live entertainment, and a fireworks celebration on Saturday evening. The event is free. For more information visit hollisoldhomedays.org.

• Derryfest returns to MacGregor Park (East Broadway, Derry) on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will have live entertainment all day, ranging from games and live animal demonstrations to local crafters and vendor booths. For more information, visit derryfest.org.

• Celebrate Pelham with Pelham’s Old Home Day on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 3 Main St. A variety of activities, including a pancake breakfast, craft vendors, food trucks, a town parade, live performances, a penny sale and a cornhole tournament will be the highlights of the day. For more information visit pelhamoldhomeday.org.

• The annual Fall Equinox Festival, held by TEAM Exeter, is back for the eighth year on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Swasey Parkway. The fest will feature live music, artisan vendors, local food, children’s activities, dance performances and cultural exhibits. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person or $20 per family. For more information visit teamexeter.com.

• Celebrate the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. Dover) coming back from their week of annual maintenance with the Toddler Fest starting on Friday, Sept. 16, and running through Sunday, Oct. 2. Each day will have different themes and activities, ranging from the bubble dance party to clay nature play. Toddler Fest is included in the price for regular tickets to the museum, $12.50 per child and adult. For more information and a full schedule, visit childrens-museum.org.

Movie Night

• Go on an adventure with Shrek (PG, 2001) on Friday, Sept. 16, at dusk in Greeley Park (100 Concord St. in Nashua). This is part of Nashua’s “Pics in the Park” screenings. The movie follows ogre Shrek as he rescues the princess Fiona with the help of his friend, the donkey named Donkey. This movie is free to attend.

All about animals

• Learn all the different ways to find animals with naturalist and author Susie Spikol as she talks about her new book How to Prowl for an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-Handed and 50 Other Activities to Get Wild with Animals on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. at The Toadstool Bookshop (12 Depot Square, Peterborough). Spikol will teach kids how to treat their backyard and neighborhood like their own nature preserve through her new book. The event is free to attend; the book costs $18 and can be purchased at toadbooks.com.

Touch a truck

• The Nashua Parks & Recreation Department is bringing back Wheels & Wings at the Nashua Airport at Boire Field (93 Perimeter Road) on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than just trucks will be at this free touch-a-truck event. There will be various fire trucks, police vehicles, planes, helicopters and electric cars on display for kids to learn about and explore. While admission is free, the local nonprofit 68 Hours of Hunger will be in attendance to collect nonperishable food donations. See “Wheels & Wings 2022” on Facebook for more details.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/15

Dear Donna,

My mom passed along a newspaper article from the Hippo with your contact information. She is looking to see if the Hummel collection is worth anything and how to sell them if they are worth something. She doesn’t have social media so that is off the table.

Thank you,

Karen

Dear Karen,

M.J Hummel figurines have quite a history and are still being made today.

The first thing you want to do is verify that all of them are true Hummels. They all should have the name imprinted into the porcelain. Then each will have a stamp of a V with a bee on the bottom. This will help give you the age with the help of a book or your help online. This is a process, but each one carries a different value, and beware — many reproductions were made.

The only reason for doing research is to determine if she has any rare ones. Common mass-produced ones are worth today around $10 to $20 each, even if you see they are in a price guide for much more. This is due to the fact that so many were made. People collected them thinking they would be an investment. Too many made it through time so now only the rare hold value. People do still collect them because they are sweet and still done well.

One last tip, Karen: Any of them that have any damage have no value. I guess for selling them I might try a more retail environment, like a consignment store at the holiday time.

I hope this was helpful and thanks for sharing with us.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/08

Dear Donna,

I just got this sweet lot of old seed sleeves. I thought I might be able to do something creative with them.

I paid $10 for the bunch . Can you tell me if I got a good deal?

Thanks ahead, Donna.

Laura

Dear Laura,

I think you did find a little treasure!

All old garden pieces have a collectible and decorative value today. Seed packets are usually in the range of $2 to $15 each . This depends on the age (the older, the better), graphics producer, rarity and, as always, condition. So if you have more than a dozen, Laura, you got a good deal.

As far as decorating with them I say yes. No matter what you decide to do with them, they will bring color and conversation into your home!

Thanks for sharing your treasure with us.

Kiddie Pool 22/09/08

Family fun for the weekend

Free Saturday

• Take a free trip to the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) this Saturday, Sept. 10, when, as with the second Saturday of every month, New Hampshire residents get free admission to the museum. (Normally, admission costs $15 for adults, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17; children 12 and under get in for free.)

• Enjoy a free movie under the stars in Concord. The movie Encanto (PG, 2021), the Disney animated musical famous for not wanting to talk about Bruno (no no no), will screen Saturday, Sept. 10, at Keach Park, 20 Canterbury Road in Concord, as part of a joint effort between Red River Theatres and the Concord Multicultural Festival. The screening starts at sunset (about 7 p.m.); bring a blanket and some snacks.

• Benson Park Family Fun Day, which will be held at the Benson Park Ampitheatre (Benson Park is on Kimball Hill Road in Hudson), will run Saturday, Sept. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This free community event will feature games, a raffle, a coloring booth and performances such as a concert from “Let’s Play Music” (featuring local youth talent) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a Wildlife Encounters live animal education program from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and magic with Jim Leach from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. See friendsofbensonpark.org for more about the event (the website recommends bringing a picnic and lawn chairs) and about the park, where the Friends of Benson Park are currently operating the seasonal store Friday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

Rockin’ kids

• The student performers of the Palace Youth Theatre will present Rock of Ages: Youth Editionat the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) on Friday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for children and are available for purchase online.

Time with nature

• Kids can learn more about the butterflies on the move at “Buds & Blooms: The Magic of Monarch Migration” on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the New Hampshire Audubon’s Massabesic Center (26 Audubon Way in Auburn; nhaudubon.org, 668-2045). The session, which requires parental supervision and is suited for children ages 4 to 12, will explain the monarch butterfly’s journey south from New Hampshire to northern Mexico, according to the website. The event is free but pre-registration is required to reserve a spot.

Treasure Hunt 22/09/01

Dear Donna,

Can you give me any information on the necklace/pin? It’s marked Jerusalem 900 on the back.

Thanks.

Betty

Dear Betty,

Your cross pendant brooch is called a Five Fold Cross. It was made in Jerusalem to represent five crosses, the main one in the center and one smaller one on each corner.

This design made up the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. They’ve been made since the 1280s. The 900 mark means it is almost all sterling. The stone in the center is purple glass that looks like amethyst but is not a real gemstone. Still the presentation of the piece looks substantial and beautiful.

Your piece, Betty, is in the $125 range and a nice piece of religious memorabilia. Thanks for sharing with us. I hope this was helpful.

Donna

Note: When you own an older piece of jewelry it’s better to leave it in the original condition that you found it in rather than polish it. The piece through age earned that finish!

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