Question:

I have a red-wing pottery teapot that needs reglazing.   The glaze on the outside becomes flaky.  Is this possible?  Also I am interested in its worth.  The lid has a yellow rose bud with 2 green leaves in the middle.  Circled by a yellow ring with a blue ring at the edge.  the pot has yellow roses with blue violets and blue aster (?) flowers painted on each side with green leaves.  It is a cute teapot.

Can you get the bleach out of the clay?  What temperature is the Red Wing pottery fired at orginally.  I probably will not keep the teapot if it is not functional but don’t want to throw it away.  Any suggestions?  Carolyn

Answer:

The name of this teapot’s pattern is Brittany. I am not aware of anybody that performs reglazing on dinnerware and am not sure if it is possible given your description of the problem.  If the glaze is flaking, I’d be concerned that a prior owner may have soaked the teapot in bleach to remove stains in the clay.  If this occurred and the bleach was not properly soaked out at the end, the clay can turn to a powdery dust.  If white powder forms on the surface, most likely it is due to bleach.  Value for a Brittany teapot in excellent condition is $50-75. 

Sorry, I do not know the kiln temperature used to fire Brittany dinnerware. If bleach is the problem, the characteristic odor of bleach will likely be noticed if you sniff the teapot’s surface. Soaking the teapot in clean water will help to remove any remaining bleach but won’t reverse any damage that has already been done. Continue the soak for several days and change the water daily. When done soaking, set the teapot on a towel and allow it to air dry for several days.

Larry