Question:
I have read that 4 gal. jugs are harder to find, but is it also unusual to have the 4 on the top as opposed to the side of the jug. Also, this does not have the blue oval, but the wing is 4.5 inches. There are no visible cracks that I could see. Do either one of these details make it more valuable? Thank You Darrell

Answer: Darrell, your 4 gallon shoulder jug is one of the earlier shoulder jugs made. When the Minnesota Stoneware Company merged with the Red Wing Stoneware Company, many of the Minnesota Stoneware potters came to work for the Red Wing Company. Minnesota Stoneware used to place all the gallon-age markings on top of the tome of their jugs. Therefore, I think old habits were hard to break and for a short period the gallon-ages were placed on top of the domes on the Red Wing jugs (most likely by the Minnesota potters). This does make these jugs rarer and of course values a little higher. If you jug had an oval, the value would be higher. As it sits now, the value is in the $150 range. Nice piece. Al Kohlman