Question:
This is a 12" plate painted with an apple and apple blossoms — on the back is the Red Wing Pottery emblem and "hand painted". The plate travelled by train from Wisconsin to Washington State with our family of nine(the Pflugers) in 1943. An aunt, Tina Larson, worked as a painter at the Red Wing factory for many years. It’s a family treasure, & we’ve long wondered if it was a one-of-a-kind piece, or part of a set. Any information or history that any of you could provide would be greatly appreciated….approximate year produced, sale price, current value, etc. Thanks so much for your help. Mary

Answer: Based on the front of the plate shown in the photo and your description of the markings on the back, you have a 12" chop plate (or platter) from the Normandy pattern that was made between 1949 and 1952. It is part of a complete dinnerware set and is not one-of-a-kind.

Normandy was originally introduced in 1941, and appears in a catalog with three other hand painted patterns in the "Provincial" shape. But the original Normandy did not have an apple in the center of the plate; only simple blue and maroon colored bands around the rim of the plate. This design was quickly dropped after only about a year of production; these "old Normandy" pieces are very difficult to find today. A sister pattern, Ardennes, was also dropped after only a few years. The other two Provincial patterns, Orleans and Brittany, sold well and continued to be in production until about 1950.

In 1949 both Normandy and Ardennes were re-introduced. This time Normandy plates featured the red apple and blossoms as shown in your photo. The new version of Normandy was produced until 1952.

It doesn’t seem possible that the plate in your photo could have traveled with your family in 1943 since this style wasn’t introduced until 1949. Does your plate have any other markings on the back other than the ones you’ve mentioned? Perhaps your aunt’s name or some handwritten numbers or letters? While unlikely, it’s possible this is a test plate made in the early 1940s with the "new" Normandy design, then shelved until the late 1940s. If so, it would undoubtedly have some special markings on the back. But based on the info you’ve provided, it seems to be a standard production piece made in 1949 or later. If so, the current value would be $20 to $30.

Larry