Question:
I have a Red Wing 5 Gallon Shoulder Jug. There is no blue oval stamp on it. Is it a forgery, a mistake? What do you make of that fact?

Answer: Your 5 gallon Red Wing shoulder jug is not a fake. We call this jug a Transition. The reason for this is the number 5 on the dome. The Minnesota Stoneware Company potters always place the gallon-age number on the dome of their shoulder jugs. When the Minnesota Stoneware Company merged with the Red Wing Stoneware Company most of the Minnesota Stoneware potters came with the merge. So during this short transition period, the Minnesota Stoneware potters were still placing the gallon-age number on the dome, but using the new Red Wing stamp rather than their birch leaf stamp. These transition jugs are much harder to find than the standard Red Wing shoulder jugs and therefore have a higher value. Value will range anywhere from $125 to $225 depending on size of the Red Wing, oval or no oval (no oval being less) and of course condition. Al Kohlman