Question:
Hello, I have this teapot that I would like some history/info on. I hope you can help me. It is a 2 part teapot. The top pot has holes in the bottom of it almost like a sieve and this sits on the top of the actual teapot. The color of the pot is off white with a brown leaf that goes up both of the teapots into the lid. The bottom says 254 Red-Wing USA. It is in mint condition. Thank you in advance for the information. Size is approx 10.5 inches tall. Width is approx. 10 inches.

Answer: Your item is not a teapot, it is a dripolator used to make coffee. There are three parts to this dripolator: the base pot, the middle drip section, and the cover.

Red Wing made four different dripolators during the World War II years, and they are among the many accessory pieces made as part of the Gypsy Trail Hostess Ware line. During the war years metals were reserved for the military, leaving them in short supply for consumers. Other materials such as pottery and glass filled the void, and Red Wing made a wide array of items for the homemaker. The 254 dripolator was introduced in 1943 and made for two or three years. Nearly all Hostess Ware items were dropped from production around the end of the war.

Dripolators aren’t rare but they aren’t common either. When found they tend to have coffee stains or missing parts. Values are generally rather low for these, usually in the range of $30 to $60. A dripolator in clean, damage-free condition would be at the top end of this range, maybe a bit more for an exceptional example.

Larry