Question:
Hello! I have two pieces of Red Wing Pottery that are almost identical. They are small dishes, about 6 inches in diameter with a kind of lip or small handle on the right side. They are cream-colored with an image of a black and yellow bird holding a purple branch in its mouth, next to a green fruit, a brown pear, and red apple. There are yellow and gray leaves in the background. Each is stamped with the Red Wing pottery logo on the back. One dish is numbered 383 and the other is 211. I would love to know what year they are from and an estimated value. Thank you so much!

Answer: Capistrano is a pattern in Red Wing’s Anniversary line, so named because the line was introduced in 1953, the company’s 75th year in business. Capistrano sold well and was produced for at least 10 years, a longer period than most Red Wing patterns. A 1961 dealer’s price list includes a full range of Capistrano pieces as being available. But the 1962 price list includes only a limited number of basic serving pieces. I don’t have price lists for 1963 or 1964, but most likely Capistrano was dropped entirely by then. The pattern does not appear on the 1966 price list.

The numbers 383 and 211 on the back of your bowls are stock numbers (similar lot numbers on other goods). Unlike art pottery pieces where a number on the bottom indicates the mold or shape, the numbers on these bowls is not significant to collectors. Your bowls would be considered a matching pair.

Value for your bowls in excellent condition would be around $15 each.

Larry