Question:
Hi,can you tell me how rare is a Red Wing salt glaze 4 gal. crock with a butterfly is..I have heard different stories that there has only been shards found in the RW dump.I have spoke to a number of dealers & none have seen one or can give me any info..I am almost 100% sure it is RW from matching it up with others I have & others you have posted like the 6 gallon.Sorry about not sending a picture..The crock does have a crack down the back but otherwise no stains & is very nice..Thanks..

Answer: There have been a number of 4 gallon salt glaze butterflies found. However, they never appear to be Red Wing. There were a number of potteries that produced these crocks in the mid-west therefore they produced these crocks also. If your 4 gallon crock was indeed Red Wing, it would be quite rare. The crack would affect the value quite a bit. I would need to see the crock (to see if it is Red Wing along with the damage to begin to determine a value. Size of butterfly, how well applied, fry of cobalt and any staining would also affect it’s value. Al Kohlman