Question:
Hi,my wife and I recently started collecting red wing crocks after her mother gave us a couple for decoration.We have some pretty nice pieces but nothing so perfect we are afraid to display. We bought a book called red wing stoneware an identification and value guide. In the book I saw a picture of a canteen and thought it was really sharp. I told the wife we needed to buy one of these (we both chuckled). The next month we found one at an auction, we both about fell over! We purchased the canteen and went back home to read more about our new addition. When we looked up the canteen the one we bought had different markings on it then the one in the picture. I could not believe what the one in the picture was worth. The time period of the one in the picture said it was made in 1901 for the completion of the armory in red wing,by the Minnesota stoneware co. The one I bought has two leaves on one side and says red wing stoneware co. red wing Mn. in a small circle with a blue wing in the middle. According to the book the red wing stoneware co. was what the red wing plant was called in that time period. Was this piece made for the same reason at the same time as the Minnesota stoneware canteen? Is it worth the same amount? What do you think it is worth? Is it rare or pretty common? Is it a reproduction? It is 4 1/4" in diameter and perfect everywhere but a small hairline crack on one handle. I have e-mailed pictures. Thank you for any information you can give.

Answer: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your Red Wing canteen is a reproduction. Your canteen is made at the new Red Wing Stoneware Company which produces reproductions and some new style of Red Wing as well. They do have their own oval stencilled on the piece which is different than any of the orginal ovals on the antique pieces. Collector of Red Wing who have been around a number of years have no problem indentifiying these new reproductions. However, new collectors could be caught by surprise on a few of these pieces. Value I am not sure, but whatever, your canteen sold new at would most likely be it’s present value. In the future, I would watch for people at auctions who may have an interest in the same item and ask them what they think it is. If a reproduction and they know it, they will most likely pass that information on to you. Al Kohlman