Dear Donna, My husband inherited two very large wooden plaques that hung in his father’s bar in Philadelphia, circa 1948-1955. They are both 8 feet long and 22 inches (each a solid single piece of wood).
Thank you for any information you can give us, or a direction to point us in.
Norma from Concord
Dear Norma, The carvings are sweet!
It can be tough to figure out who made these or exactly when they were done without any signatures. That means the values for them have to come from just the quality of the work, like the detailing and craftsmanship.
I love the size of them too. I can see why you had them hanging in your home. I think the value would be in the $200 to $400 range for each one. I would try to keep them together.
Get kids picking summer fruits as a way to spend some time outdoors and get a haul of strawberries for your Fourth of July weekend shortcakes. A few weeks ago, cherries joined strawberries as a crop ready for visitors to pick at Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St. in Hollis is the farm stand and pick-your-own fields are across the street; see brookdalefruitfarm.com). Both fruits are available to pick daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Apple Hill Farm (580 Mountain Road in Concord, applehillfarmnh.com) also has strawberry picking available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to noon (and keep an eye on their website and social media for the start of blueberry season). Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road in Londonderry; sunnycrestfarmnh.com) has pick your own cherries, raspberries and blueberries daily from 7 a.m. to noon. Call or check websites before heading out to make sure fields are open.
More days to learn and play
The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) is now open daily except for Mondays (and, this weekend, it is also closed Sunday, July 4) for visits from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Sundays. Reserve a spot and buy tickets online in advance (as is required). Open this year is the Play Patio for outdoor “messy creative fun,” weather permitting, according to the website. Admission costs $11 for everyone over 1 year old and $9 for over 65.
Birds!
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (534 Route 3 in Holderness; nhnature.org) celebrates a new raptor exhibit with “All About Birds Day” on Thursday, July 1, when you can see live raptors at Pop Up Animal Encounters and talk to naturalists about the exhibit. The trails are open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last trail admission at 3:30 p.m. Advanced trail ticket purchase online is required; admission costs $28 for adults and $13 for kids ages 3 to 15 (children age 2 and under get in for free).
See the sea
The Seacoast Science Center (Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Blvd. in Rye; 436-8043, seacoastsciencecenter.org) offers family tide pool explorations in small group programs that last about 75 to 90 minutes, according to the website. This week’s tide pool adventures are happening at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 2, and at noon on Saturday, July 3, and Sunday, July 4. The cost is $15 for adults and $5 for kids ages 3 to 12. Register online for this program or to ensure tickets to visit the Center, which is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.
Fun in the park
Get in the Independence Day spirit with a “Patriotic Concert in the Park” on Friday, July 2, from 7 to 8 p.m. at Abbie Griffin Park in Merrimack (behind the town hall at 6 Baboosic Lake Road). The Merrimack Concert Association will perform at this free event.
Head out with your teenage superhero fans to see Wonder Woman 1984 (PG-13, 2020), screening Friday, July 2, at Greeley Park Bandshell, 100 Concord St. in Nashua. The screening is part of the city’s SummerFun programming.
Strawberry shortcake and celebration
The New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy. in Milton; nhfarmmuseum.org) will celebrate Fourth on the Farm on Sunday, July 4, from noon to 3 p.m. The day will feature musicians playing traditional patriotic music, tractor rides, a reading of the Declaration of Independence and strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream. Admission costs $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors over age 64, $5 for kids ages 4 and up and free for kids under age 4 and for members and active military.
Puppets!
Cactus Head Puppets will present the puppet show Magnificent Monster Circus at the park at the Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St. East in Laconia) on Monday, July 5, from 10 to 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public; see belknapmill.org.
Off to theater we go
The 2021 Bank of New Hampshire Children’s Summer Series at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org,668-5588) kicks off Tuesday, July 6, with a presentation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Shows continue Wednesday, July 7, and Thursday, July 8. A different kid-audience-friendly show featuring professional actors runs each week through Aug. 19, Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10.
Mrs Smith’s Quality Crested Geckos at the New England Reptile Expo. Courtesy photo.
Slithering Sunday
Take the whole family to see creepy crawly creatures at the New England Reptile Expo on Sunday, June 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St.). There will be more than 180 vendor tables and more than 75 breeders with thousands of reptiles, amphibians, arachnids and more. Pre-purchased admission tickets are required, and some time slots were already full as of Tuesday, June 22. The cost is $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 7 to 12 and free for kids under 6. Visit reptileexpo.com.
Music, magic & motion
And the Kids Coop Theatre performs Bring It On: The Musical on Friday, June 25, and Saturday, June 26, at the Derry Opera House. Inspired by the movie, this musical is filled with cheering, plus the complexities of teens navigating friendship, jealousy, betrayal and forgiveness. All seats are $15 and seating will be assigned in advance to maximize social distancing. Masks will be required for all patrons, staff and performers. Purchase tickets on the events Facebook page or visit kids-coop-theatre.org.
And watch dancers live on stage as the Movement Box Dance Studio performs its recital “Movement in Motion” at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Saturday, June 26, at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $30. Visit ccanh.com.
Magician BJ Hickman performs a family-friendly magic show at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on Wednesday, June 30, and Thursday, July 1, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The show is part of the Children’s Summer Series. The next show in the series is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, performed by professional actors, on Tuesday, July 6, Wednesday, July 7, and Thursday, July 8, at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. each day. Tickets for all shows are $10. Visit palacetheatre.org or call 668-5588.
Play ball!
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are on the road this weekend, but the team will return to Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) for a six-game homestand against the Portland Sea Dogs, beginning Tuesday, June 29 and through Sunday, July 4. All game start times are at 7:05 p.m., and promotions will include a Jonathan Davis bobblehead giveaway on July 1, meet-and-greets and autograph signings with local stars of the hit series North Woods Law before the game on July 2, and Atlas Fireworks shows each night from July 2 to July 4. Tickets start at $8 for a “pod” of two seats. Visit nhfishercats.com.
All natural
Spend the day out in nature at Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) which has more than 35 miles of maintained trails, open every day from dawn to dusk. The trails cut through diverse landscapes, including forests, fields and wetlands and are home to a variety of wildlife. Admission is free. A number of different trail maps and accompanying guidebooks with pictures for identifying wildlife are available on the website. Call 465-7787 or visit beaverbrook.org.
The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord) is now open to visitors, featuring live animals and exhibits, including the Reptile Room and raptor mews, and a Nature Store. Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The trails and gardens at both the McLane Center and the Massabesic Audubon Center (26 Audubon Way, Auburn) are open daily from dawn to dusk with no admission fee. Call 224-9909 or visit nhaudubon.org.
Featured photo: BubbleMania! at the SEE Science Center. Courtesy photo.
I have no idea what these are. They look like they were attached to something at one time. They are bronze and about 3 inches. Can you identify what they are? Thanks for your help and expertise. Judy
Dear Judy, Sometimes things can be difficult to appraise from just photos. I think they should be seen by an appraiser in person for an accurate value. But for now, let’s get you to work.
You’ll want to look for any unusual markings, signatures, etc. To determine whether they are bronze, they should be heavy and noticeably so. It could be a spelter metal (a mix of metals with a bronze finish), They should be solid, not hollow, as well. And you also need to figure out what they were attached to. Were they bookends? Were they screwed to the thing they were attached to or was there an epoxy of some sort?
Now that you know what you need to figure out, I can give you some information that may help. They have faces like foo dogs (common Asian figures). They are crude (which means not a lot of intricate detailing). I do think they could have been some kind of bookends. If they are bronze it would carry a higher value, and even more so if they are signed as well. I think, though, that you have just a piece and not the whole pie, so determining a value will be tough. But take them to someone to see and they should be able to answer all of those questions.
Dear Donna, I just acquired this antique toy game and was wondering if you could tell me anything about it. Personally I just enjoyed all the colors of the clowns. Was it a treasure at $5 for the set? Brooke from Pelham
Dear Brooke, I can see why you liked the game. The clowns are great!
Bill Ding has been around since the 1930s, made right here in the U.S. After doing some research, I found that the game consists of not just the clowns but rings and dowels as well. There also should be 15 clowns. The Bill Ding game has been called one of the best educational toys of its time, great for eye and hand coordination for children as well as adults.
I think you did find a piece of a treasure. Just balancing the colorful clowns without the full game would be fun and a challenge. And the colors are so fun even just for a decorative purpose. I would say the price for the clowns without the full game would be in the $20 range; a complete game is best for a higher value, with all parts and pieces and the original box all in good condition.
I hope you have fun with the clowns just as they are.
BubbleMania! at the SEE Science Center. Courtesy photo.
Sky-high fun
The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire will host its Summer Fly-In BBQ on Saturday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nashua’s Boire Field (Jet Aviation Hangar, 83 Perimeter Road, Nashua). The family event will feature vintage planes, classic cars and a barbecue buffet at noon. The meal includes salad, pasta, barbecued chicken, pulled pork, baked beans, desserts and drinks. The event will also include the museum’s “Rob Holland Experience,” a virtual reality exhibit that gives non-pilots a chance to fly with Nashua-based world aerobatics champion Rob Holland. Tickets cost $30 for adults, $10 for kids ages 6 and up, and free for kids age 5 and under. Tickets to visit the aircraft ramp only (not including the barbecue) are $10 per person.
Call 669-4820 or visit aviationmuseumofnh.org.
Bubble science
SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester) celebrates its kickoff to summer with “BubbleMania,” a science and comedy show by bubble artist and performer Casey Carle, daily from Monday, June 21, through Friday, June 25. There will also be raffles and free make-and-take activities for kids. Showtimes are at 11 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. Tickets cost $5 plus admission, which is $9. Starting that week, SEE will be open seven days a week throughout the summer. Call 669-0400 or visit see-sciencecenter.org.
Safety first
Girls and their families are invited to Be Safe, Be Healthy, hosted by the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, on Saturday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1 Commerce Drive in Bedford. Girls don’t need to be Girl Scouts to attend, and all ages are welcome to the event, which will include activities that teach things like stranger danger, first aid, fire safety, self-defense, healthy eating and more. Girl Scouts may earn badges, a pin or a patch. The American Red Cross will be there, along with the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal with a fire command trailer, Manchester Karate with self-defense demos, Nutrition in Motion, D.A.R.E. and Tick Free NH. Registration is encouraged at http://bit.ly/besafeGS, but walk-ups are welcome. The cost is $9 for a girl and her family. Call 888-474-9686 or email [email protected] with questions.
Old-time activities
The New Hampshire Farm Museum (1305 White Mountain Hwy., Milton) hosts Children’s Day Saturday, June 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kids can get their pictures taken with the farm’s animals and play games like horseshoes and skillet toss. There will also be stories, music, popcorn, a scavenger hunt and more. Bring a picnic or purchase lunch there. Museum admission is $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors over 64, $5 for kids and teens ages 4 and up, and free for kids under 4 and for members and active military service men and women. Visit nhfarmmuseum.org.
Travel back to a simpler time at Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury), a restored Shaker village and history museum with historic buildings, interactive exhibits and activities, educational programs and more. The Village grounds and trails are open every day from dawn to dusk with no admission fee. Guided tours are now being offered Tuesday through Sunday, with outdoor general tours at 11 a.m., indoor general tours at 1 p.m., and indoor themed tours at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for general tours and $25 for themed tours and are free for visitors age 25 and under. Purchasing tickets in advance is encouraged, but walk-ins will be permitted based on availability. Call 783-9511 or visit shakers.org.
Music to your ears
The Palace Teen Apprentice Co., which features student actors ages 12 to 18, will perform Xanadu Jr., a disco-centric musical, at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester) on Thursday, June 17, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $12 for children and $15 for adults. Call the Palace for tickets at 668-5588.
Children’s musicians Miss Julieann & Mr. Joey will perform a free concert at Abbie Griffin Park (6 Baboosic Lake Road, Merrimack) on Wednesday, June 23, at 6 p.m. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org/summer-concert-series.
Featured photo: BubbleMania! at the SEE Science Center. Courtesy photo.
