Question

I found this piece pictured below.  I looked on several sites online and did not see anything like it.  I was wondering if anyone in your organization would have any knowledge of what it is.  The lid fits loosely on the bottom with no openings.  On the bottom side it says Red Wing Pottery Patent pending.  Any information you have would be helpful.

Thanks for your time,
Doug

Answer

The item in the photo is an orange ”Streamlined” Covered Ice Box Jug. In 1940 Red Wing introduced several items under the ”Streamlined” banner as part of the company’s rapidly expanding Gypsy Trail Hostess Ware line. Each piece in the Streamlined group had a design on each side that consisted of three raised ovals of decreasing size on top of each other. The items were a 64 oz water jug, covered ice box jug, 8″ and 9″ covered casseroles, and 2 cup and 5 cup covered teapots. The water jug had an over-the-top handle and was the only Streamlined item that did not have a cover. By June 1942 the water jug was the only remaining Streamlined item in the catalog and by 1944 it too had been discontinued. In later years the pitcher was listed as “Modern” rather than Streamlined. Streamlined items were available several colors including yellow, blue, turquoise, orange, pink, green and cream ivory.

All of the Streamlined items I’ve seen are bottom marked with same “Design Pat. Pending” wording along with the copyright symbol.  Most likely a patent was eventually issued but I am not certain of that, nor do I know the assigned patent number. Value for a orange Streamlined Covered Ice Box Jug in excellent condition would be in the $75-100 range.  It’s a difficult piece to find, especially complete with the cover.

Larry

Question

Hello:

I recently purchased a Bob White teapot at an auction. It is in perfect condition and it came with the copper warming stand. I am wondering if the copper warming stand is indeed made out of copper? I tried to clean the copper stand using vinegar and salt, as I use on other copper items I have, and it did nothing. The copper warming stand is blotchy looking – tarnished. Is there a way to clean this? I am also missing the copper cup which sits in the holder.  The tea pot says “Red Wing, USA on the bottom and I don’t see any markings on the warmer. I paid $55.00 for the set at the auction, which I thought was a fair price as I really wanted the tea pot and the warmer was a bonus.  Thank you very much,  Kathleen Fiske

Answer

Red Wing Potteries made the Bob White teapot but they did not make the copper-colored stands. The stands and other metallic accessories were made for Red Wing by a metal works company.  These stands were not made of solid copper.  A magnet will stick to the stand, proving the primary metal is steel or iron covered by a thin copper-colored coating.

I am not aware of a cleaning method that would remove the blotchy appearance because the blotches represent damage to the coating. I would be wary of trying an abrasive cleaner because it will remove more of the thin copper coating.  A fresh layer of the copper-colored coating would be required, and the expense would likely be cost-prohibitive.  The $55 you paid for the teapot and stand is a very fair price if the teapot is in undamaged condition.

Larry

Question:

My name is Harriette and I have a Hand Painted Red Wing Platter.  Please see the attached.  I am wondering if it is worth anything.

Thanks for your help.

Harriette

Answer:

The photo shows a 15 inch platter in the Mediterranean pattern, one of ten patterns in the True China line.  This platter is worth $25-35 if it is in excellent, undamaged condition.

Larry

Question:

My grandma has 9 steak plates made by red wing. I have attached two pictures one of the front and one of the back. I was curious to find out the value of these plates. Thank you!

Answer:

These steak plates were not part of a Red Wing dinnerware pattern.  They were among a number of items glazed with the familiar beige fleck color and sold as gift or novelty items.  They are quite common and don’t have much appeal to collectors.  Value for a beige fleck steak plate in excellent condition would be in the $10 to $15 range.

Larry

Question:

I’m hoping you can tell me if these carafes are Redwing or perhaps steer me in the right direction in finding out what they are.  All I have are these 2 pictures.  The carafes look very similar but the finials on the lids are different as well and the shapes of the wooden handles.  One lead I have has told me they are most likely Redwing, another is telling me they are most likely Bauer.  They are not signed or marked.

Any help you can provide me is greatly appreciated.

Gabriel

Answer:

The two items in the photos are batter pitchers and were presumably used to pour pancake or waffle batter.

The pitcher with the round knob on the cover was made by Red Wing.  Catalogs list it as an item in the Plain dinnerware pattern, which was part of Red Wing’s extensive Gypsy Trail line.  Red Wing’s Plain batter pitchers were never marked on the bottom.

The pitcher with the loop handle on the cover was not made by Red Wing, but history links it to the Red Wing pitcher.  George RumRill was a pottery designer who worked with Red Wing in the 1930s.  He was a significant figure in the development of Red Wing art pottery and dinnerware. He introduced new shapes and glazes, and was instrumental in the roll out of the Gypsy Trail dinnerware line.  In the late 1930s a dispute arose between RumRill and Red Wing and their partnership ended.  RumRill went on to work with other potteries to produce his wares, including Shawnee and Gonder.  The looped handle batter pitcher is a slightly modified version of the Red Wing batter pitcher made for RumRill by another pottery, most likely Shawnee.  Most of these pitchers are marked on the bottom with “rumrill” in lower case letters enclosed by two horizontal lines.

Larry

Question:

We have a yellow pitcher with a contemporary three oval relief design on two sides. It is approximately 7 3/4″ tall and 7 5/6″ wide The bottom of the vessel has embossed the letter C in a circle and the words Red Wing Pottery Inc. design patent pending USA.  It was my husband’s grandmother’s pitcher. It is has a history in 1940′s but could back as far has the name change 1938. I want to know the design history. Is there  a patent? And if so what is the patent number. I located a red tea pot like my pitcher, but have no other info. My husband is clueless as it’s history.

Answer:

The item in the photo is a yellow ”Streamlined” water jug or pitcher. In 1940 Red Wing introduced several items under the ”Streamlined” banner as part of the company’s rapidly expanding Gypsy Trail Hostess Ware line. Each piece in the Streamlined group had a design on each side that consisted of three raised ovals of decreasing size on top of each other. The items were a 64 oz water jug, covered ice box jug, 8? and 9? covered casseroles, and 2 cup and 5 cup covered teapots. The water jug had an over-the-top handle and was the only Streamlined item that did not have a cover. By June 1942 the water pitcher was the only remaining Streamlined item in the catalog and by 1944 it too had been discontinued. In later years the pitcher as listed as “Modern” rather than Streamlined. This pitcher was available several colors including yellow, blue, turquoise, orange, pink, green and cream ivory.

All of the Streamlined pitchers I’ve seen are bottom marked with same “Design Pat. Pending” wording along with the copyright symbol.  Most likely a patent was eventually issued but I am not certain of that, nor do I know the assigned patent number. Value for a yellow Streamlined pitcher in excellent condition is around $50-60.

Larry

Question:

I have a Redwing tea set (picture attached), and I would like to know its age and origin.  The value would be nice but not as important.  Perhaps someone else would love it and want to give it a home.

It is marked Red Wing on the bottom, and there is some staining. Thank you for any information.

Sarah

Answer:

The items in the photo are from the early version of the Ardennes dinnerware pattern.  Red Wing introduced their first four hand painted dinnerware patterns in 1941.  The shape was called Provincial and the patterns were named for the four provinces of France: Orleans, Brittany, Normandy and Ardennes.  Orleans (red rose) and Brittany (yellow rose) were produced unchanged until 1950.  The early version of Normandy was made for only one year and is very difficult to find today.  The early version of Ardennes was made for several years.  We aren’t sure of the discontinuation date but we know it was no longer available by November 1946.

The Ardennes and Normandy patterns were redesigned and reintroduced in 1949. In this version the teapot, sugar bowl and creamer were solid colored (Forest Green or Dubonnet) and were not decorated with the leaf design found on your items.

Your early Ardennes teapot with cover would be worth $100-125 in excellent condition.  The covered sugar bowl and creamer are worth $30-35 each in excellent condition.  Any damage, including stains, will reduce the value significantly.

Larry

Question:

Hello,

I hope you can help determine if my item is rare and the value.  I have a Red Wing signed Marigold whipping cream bowl I see NO chip, Cracks , or Repairs . There are a few of these around on the online but none are brown . I have included some photos

Thanks

Stafford

Answer:

I don’t know a lot about these Marigold Whipping Cream bowls.  They don’t fit into any of the standard classifications used by collectors.  The bowl isn’t from any dinnerware pattern and certainly isn’t art pottery.  It harkens back to the days of stoneware but was made long after Red Wing ceased stoneware production.  I believe these bowls were made in the early 1960s and they are usually light tan in color.  I haven’t previously seen one in dark brown.

The tan bowls were undoubtedly made to promote Marigold whipping cream.  Hard to say why this bowl was glazed dark brown because the glaze obscures the Marigold advertising, so it’s doubtful it was ordered this way by the Marigold company.  It’s probably not a lunch hour piece.  Could have been a special order by a customer who liked the shape of the bowl but not the advertising.  While the color is rare, it’s probably not worth much more than the standard tan bowl because the advertising is what makes the bowl collectible.

I’d estimate the value to be in the $100-150 range.

Larry

Question: Here is a photo of my Red Wing piece, at your request. Please let me know if you can provide any details about my casserole dish.
Thank you!
Linda

Answer:

The item in the photo shows an 11 inch Oval Souffle Dish from Red Wing’s Bake and Serve line.  This line was produced from 1961 to 1967.  Bake and Serve was a baking set, not a dinnerware pattern.  It consisted of oval and round souffle dishes, ramekins, egg dishes and casseroles.  White was the only available color.  Baking sets like Bake and Serve don’t receive much attention from collectors, thus values are low.  Your oval baking dish would be worth around $15 if it is in excellent condition.