Question:

Hello,

I am not sure is this is the correct way to contact your organization concerning a question I have but I thought that I would start here.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

I have a E.S USA water jar/cooler?  It appears to be about 1-2 gallon size.  It is green and in the style of the Butter Mold.  I have found so many of his pieces online but nothing

like the jar I have.  I wanted to know where I might find information about it as well as where I might possible find a lid? It is the only thing missing.

Thanks in advance,

Richard

Answer:

“E.S. USA” was the mark used for Ernest Sohn’s Butter Mold line.  Ernest Sohn was a well-known designer who contracted with various businesses to make products for his sales company. He specialized in serving pieces and buffet sets, not full dinnerware patterns. His dealings with Red Wing were not well documented, but the pottery produced at least two lines of dinnerware items for Sohn. “Butter Mold” is the name of the line to which your piece belongs. It consisted of serving pieces such as pitchers, teapots, casseroles, bowls, platters, etc. The pieces had a ribbed effect in the glaze, similar to Red Wing’s Village Green line. Butter Mold colors were dark brown, dark green, or yellow (uncommon). Each piece was marked with a design taken from a vintage butter mold. The design featured a fern and leaves enclosed by 5 rings, and included the letters ” E.S. USA”. Production years are uncertain but most likely fall between the late 1950s and early 1960s. An ad for Sohn’s Butter Mold line appeared in a February 1961 magazine.

To my knowledge no vintage documentation or sales brochure for the Butter Mold line has surfaced, so we don’t know how Sohn named and marketed his items.  It’s safe to say your item is a beverage dispenser or water cooler. The butter mold design appears twice on this piece; once as a decoration on the front (without E.S.USA) and again on the bottom complete with E.S. USA.  Value for this piece in excellent condition complete with cover and spigot would be around $150.  Your item lacks a cover, which will reduce the value by at least half.  Sorry but I have no idea where you might find a cover.  It’s a dilemma faced by all collectors who seek missing parts for a prized piece.

I’ve included two photos.  The first shows this item complete with cover and the second shows the full Butter Mold mark on the bottom.