Question:
5 gallon salt glaze cooler with wooden spigot hair line crack and chip in one handle dark blue down turned double leaf. Second crack in albany slip does not go through to the outside. Shape is like a churn. No lid … what would a lid look like for something like this? Is it Minnesota Stoneware? Year? Any value?

Answer: Your 5 gallon salt glaze cooler was most likely manufactured by the Red Wing Stoneware Company. I have one as well with double leaves & it is front stamped "Red Wing Stoneware Company". The time frame for manufacturing would be 1867 to around 1895. Value with the hairline crack and chips $4500 to $5000. The correct lid would be a 5 gallon salt glaze lid with an Albany slip coating under the lid and either a total salt glaze top or the center of the top having an Albany slip to it. The lid would also have the daisy petals embossed going around the center of the lid. Nice piece! Al Kohlman