Question:
Larry, First, thank you so much for your presentation on RW dinnerware at the RWCS Midwinter. It was very interesting and I learned a lot. My question is…when were the Town and Country cups and mugs in the Village Green colors produced? Thanks, Bret

Answer: Glad to hear that you enjoyed the dinnerware seminar given by Terry Moe and me. Unfortunately we ran overtime (as usual). Too much material as always, but we also had good questions and interesting input from the audience. We like it when our audience gets involved!

Now on to your question. The item in question is the coffee mug from the Town & Country pattern decorated with Village Green colors. (To my knowledge only the Town & Country mug received this treatment, not the smaller T&C coffee cup.) The Town & Country pattern was discontinued in 1956. The T&C coffee mug does not appear in the 1957 Village Green brochure, but does appear on a 1958 dealer price list. It also appears in subsequent Village Green brochures right up to the final one printed March 1967. So it seems safe to say the Village Green coffee mug was made from 1958 to 1967.

For those confused by the various Village Green cups, here is the run down of the terms as shown in Red Wing brochures and price lists:
1) CUP — the smaller "standard" Village Green coffee or tea cup
2) COFFEE CUP — refers to the larger mug borrowed from Town & Country
3) BEVERAGE MUG — the taller, stein-shaped mug

Larry