Celebrate Mother’s Day with a look at mothers in collectibles! Decorative arts are filled with images of mothers in domestic scenes, attending to household responsibilities, or enjoying time with their children. Mothers and children are often pictured in advertisements, selling images of wholesome domesticity and implying that the advertised product is the key to a happy home.

A framed sign advertising Elkay’s Straw Hat Dye from about 1940 shows a smiling woman using the product on a faded straw hat while her children watch. It sold for $256 at Morphy Auctions. The cheerful domestic scene may imply how easy and safe the dye is to use.

Maybe your mom didn’t show you how to dye a faded hat, but she probably taught you some more modern ways to take care of your clothes and even extend their lifetimes. It’s thanks to lessons like those and many more that we observe Mother’s Day.

Q: I have five 8 x 10 glossy pictures of astronauts: Frank Borman, Charles Conrad Jr., James A. Lovell Jr., William A. Anders, and L. Gordon Cooper Jr. All of them are personally signed except James A. Lovell Jr. They were mailed to us from National Aeronautics & Space Administration, Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, in the 1960s. We wonder if they have any value.

A: Yes, your pictures have value! NASA memorabilia, especially relating to early spaceflight or moon landings, is highly desirable. All of the astronauts you mention flew on the GEMINI or Apollo missions. Borman, Anders, and Lovell were on the crew of Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the moon. Conrad was the commander of Apollo 12, the second moon landing, and later the commander of Skylab 2, the first crew to NASA’s first space station.

Autographed photos of these astronauts and others from the same missions can sell for $50 to $250. The precise value will depend on the photograph’s condition. For more information, you may want to contact an antiquarian book dealer in your area; they often deal in signed photographs. An auction house that sells autographs, or one that holds sales devoted to NASA and space memorabilia (there is often overlap between these auction houses, such as RR Auction), may be able to provide more information as well.

Q: Can you tell me about an old crochet purse with a Bakelite handle? Do you know what it might be worth?

A: Patterns for crochet purses were published in magazines as early as the 1820s, but the Bakelite handle on yours immediately helps narrow down the date. Bakelite was invented about 1907. It became a popular material for jewelry and accessories by the 1920s and was no longer produced after the 1960s.

Crochet purses were in use throughout that time, from the art deco beaded bags of the 1920s to the bohemian styles of the 1960s. Vintage crochet purses without an identified maker usually sell for under $50. Details like unusual shapes or glass beads may increase the value. A popular style of vintage crochet purse from the 1940s, with a textured “popcorn” stitch, rectangular shape, and plastic handles, is usually worth about $20.

If you want to further narrow down the age of your purse, you may want to look up vintage fashion resources or crochet patterns. There are many available online. If you know, or can find out, the material the purse is made of, that can give you more information, especially if it is synthetic. For example, rayon was in use by the 1920s; nylon was invented in 1935; and polyester was produced commercially in the United States by the 1950s.

TIP: Light can damage many types of antiques. Furniture finishes will fade; textiles and paper fade or darken. Light will also weaken wood and fabric.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures: the object and a close-up of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.