Question:
I will forward a photo if you are unable to answer my question without one. I have a double handle bean pot. Glazed on the inside and marked on the outside "RED WING PROVINCIAL WARE" AND THE NUMBER 29. I purchased this someforty-five years ago and have enjoyed using it in the kitchen to hold utensils. A friend asked me about the pot and suggested I get in touch with someone who may know about it. It seems to be much less fancy than the variou examples I have seen of Red Wing Pottery on your web site. Please accept my grateful Thanks in Advance! Virginia

Answer: Red Wing Provincial Ware (also known as Provincial Cooking Ware) was produced in the 1940s during the World War II years. This line features a bisque (unglazed) exterior with a rust-color glaze on the interior and on the covers. The sides of these pieces are marked Red Wing Provincial Ware (impressed into the clay) along with the item number. I’m not certain which piece is marked with the number 29 but most likely it is the stock pot. (We have a bean pot that is marked 21).

This line is not highly sought by collectors today for several reasons. Provincial Cooking Ware is basic utilitarian cookware, made for everyday use and not fancy as you stated. The line is limited to nine cooking dishes — no plates, bowls or other accessory pieces that collectors prefer. And the bisque finish is difficult to keep clean. Most pieces found today are dirty and rather unattractive. A stock pot with cover in excellent, new condition might be worth around $25 to $35. In the usual soiled condition, the value would be $10 to $15.

Larry