Question:

Dear Expert -

I believe this is a Fondoso tilt pitcher.  The color is pink/salmon/tan (?) and is about 7″ tall.  I see no chips, cracks or crazing and it is very clean inside and out.  The color is consistent.  (that is camera/sun glare on the bottom half)

Thank you for your help with identification and current value.

Margaret

Answer:

Four different Fondoso pitchers were made.  “Straight” pitchers (no tilt) were available in 18 oz, 32 oz and 70 oz sizes.  The “Tilt” pitcher was made in just one size, listed as either 70 oz or 72 oz in the original Red Wing brochures.  The tilt pitcher and the 70 oz straight pitcher had an ice stop at the spout; the two smaller straight pitchers had no ice stop.  Your photos show a straight pitcher with no ice stop and is described as 7 inches high, which is the height of the 32 oz pitcher.  Thus you have a 32 oz Fondoso straight pitcher in pink. 

The “pink” color found on Fondoso items can vary considerably, from a light pastel pink to a darker shade of pink to a distinct salmon color. We don’t know if Red Wing made a conscious decision to adjust the color over time or if it the variation was due to inconsistencies in batches of pink glaze.  All Fondoso and Gypsy Trail brochures use “pink” to describe the color. 

A 32 oz Fondoso straight pitcher in excellent, undamaged condition is worth $30 to $45. 

Larry

ps.  I’ve attached a photo that shows all four Fondoso pitchers. The photo is courtesy of Todd and Ivy.

Question:

I spoke to Stacy at the office about a week ago regarding a small collection of Red Wing (Colonnes pattern) that we are looking to sell.  The pictures aren’t the best, but hopefully you get the idea of the condition the pieces are in.

Shown are as follows:

4 – cups

1 – gravy boat

1 – creamer

1 – sugar bowl

1 – large serving platter

1 – serving bowl

1 – divided serving bowl

1 – relish dish

7 – bowls

2 – saucers

2 – salad plates

We would appreciate any (and all) feedback.  We live in central Wisconsin and are willing to travel to Red Wing if the price is worth driving for.  I can be reached at any time at, 715-209-5172.

Thanks in advance,

Jody

Answer:

Thank you for including the photos of your Colonnes items. While some chips are evident, the photos don’t provide enough detail to assess them for damage such as hairlines, flakes and small nicks.  Photos can help but a complete and honest description of any damage is even more helpful.  Condition is best viewed through the eyes of a potential buyer as some have a greater tolerance for damage than others.

The following values are for Colonnes pieces in mint condition.  Any damage will reduce the value significantly, by 25 to 75% or more depending on the extent of the damage and the location.   

Cup:  $10-12

Saucer:  $10-12
Gravy boat: $30-40
Creamer:  $25-30
Sugar bowl: $25-30
Platter:  $35-45
Nappy (serving bowl):  $25-30
Divided vegetable bowl:  $25-30
Relish dish:  $25-30 
Bowl (cereal or sauce):  $10-20
Salad plate:  $15-20

Larry

Question:

Matt 

I have a question about Fondoso. I’ve collected almost every Fondoso piece that Red Wing made. I know that at some point they changed the size of the batter pitcher, and I have an example of each. One stands 8 inches high and holds 48 ounces. The other is 7 inches tall and holds 36 ounces. Attached is a photo of the two (along a syrup jug). Terry Moe, a fellow collector (and a friend of yours) tells me there might be a batter pitcher in a third size. Do you know anything about that? If it exists, what size is it? Can you share a photo of it, comparing it to the more common size? Any light you can shed on this mystery would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

Answer:

I am aware that the Fondoso batter pitcher was made in two sizes.  Like you I have one each of the 7″ and 8″ pitchers (photo attached).  Sorry but I know nothing more than you about the possibility of a third size.  A while back Terry mentioned a possible third size but did not go into any detail. I believe he came across a batter pitcher at a shop or show that he believed was neither of the two known sizes.  But I have no photos of the pitcher Terry saw or have any further details.  We’ve seen Gypsy Trail catalogs and brochures that include the Fondoso batter pitcher but they make no mention of even two sizes, much less three.  In my opinion the existence of a third size is speculation at this point, although if Terry is doing the speculating there’s a good chance it’s true. 

Larry

Question:

Hi,

I have recently acquired a tall pitcher in the Red Wing cylinder shape, but I don’t know what pattern it is.  Here is a picture of it next to a piece of Pompeii for color comparison.  Someone suggested to me it might be Flight, but I’ve never seen serving pieces in that pattern, only plates.  Ideas?

Matt

Answer:

The color of the pitcher in the photo is “Soft Tan”, according to Red Wing brochures.  Two DuoTone patterns, Flight and Desert Sun, used this color for accessory pieces.  Thus your pitcher would go with either pattern.

Larry

Question:

My parents, both now deseased, were members of the Red Wing Society many years ago as they had an extensive collection of Red Wing dinnerware, primarily the Bob White pattern.  Most of the dinnerware was sold at auction a few years ago, however, a box of beige fleck accessory pieces has recently been found.  The pieces include:  5 bread & butter plates (2 have small chips), 2 dinner plates (one with a small firing blemish), 3 steak plates, and one 10-1/2” bowl.  Could you tell me the value of these items?  Thanks, Roxanne

Answer:

The beige fleck items were not part of any of the dinnerware patterns.  Red Wing sold them as “Gift or Novelty” items.  All of them have relatively low value. 

If the bowl is indeed 10.5 inches, then it is the larger of the two bowls that was sold as a chip ‘n dip set.  A metal bracket held the smaller dip bowl above the larger chip bowl.  A complete chip ‘n dip set is worth $35-50; the 10.5 inch bowl by itself about $10-15.  More commonly found is the 12 inch salad bowl, which sold in great numbers and is also worth $10-15. 

The steak plates are worth $15-20, the dinner plates $10-15 and the salad plates $5-10.  All values assume excellent, undamaged condition. 

Larry

Question:

A friend of mine asked if I would check on the value of this Turquoise and White Covered Casserole dish.  Condition is perfect.  She stated she thought it was listed in a recent RWCS mailing as being rare.

Thanks,

Jeff

Answer:

A White and Turquoise covered casserole in mint condition a is worth $100 to $125.  Any damage would reduce the value by 25 to 75%, depending on the extent and location of the damage.

Larry

Question:

Hello,
I’m a new Red Wing collectors member.  I have a set of Red Wing that I believe to be Eva Zeisel, Town and Country.  We bought it at auction and that is the way it was presented.  I currently have it for sale on one of the Internet sites, and a viewer is telling me that the set is not Eva Zeisel.  Could you take a look at the photo’s attached please, and perhaps provide me more information about whether this is Town and Country or not?  Thanks in advance.  I’d also like to know what it might be worth – I estimated but it would be great to have an expert opinion.  One piece does have a hairline crack that goes all the way through the bowl.
 
Stephanie

Answer:

The Town & Country dinnerware pattern was the only design that Eva Zeisel produced for Red Wing Potteries.  The items in the photos are not from the Town & Country pattern and were not designed by Eva Zeisel.  Town & Country pieces were not marked, not were they available with the beige fleck glaze.  Most likely they were designed by Charles Murphy.   Red Wing made a number of pieces with three legs in the late 1950s, and the beige fleck glaze was popular from the mid 1950s through the end of production in 1967.  They are not part of any Red Wing dinnerware line, so I am not familiar with them.  I’d guess the value to be $30 to $40 for the large bowl and $10 to $20 for the small bowls, but that is only an educated guess.

Larry

Question:

Hello!  I recently came across a set of a bowl, plate and saucer with the Red Wing mark on the bottom.  Some of the edges have some small dings hut no cracks or major problems.  I then found a small teacup that seemed to match the design but had no markings on the bottom. I was wondering if this is a match and if so what might this set be worth?  Many thanks, meredith

Answer:

The cactus-themed Desert pattern is very popular with collectors and not easy to find. Desert was one of two pattern in the Fancy Free line, the other was Caprice. The Fancy Free patterns were designed by Belle Kogan, a well-known designer from New York who produced many art pottery designs for Red Wing and also a few dinnerware patterns. Fancy Free plates and bowls featured a rolled rim that was very susceptible to chipping. Pieces in mint condition are scarce. These patterns were introduced in 1952 and were made for only a brief period, thus they are rather scarce today.

The photo shows a cup and saucer from the Desert pattern as well as two bowls. No dimensions were provided for the bowls, so I cannot be sure which of the four bowl sizes are represented here. 

Cup & saucer:  $30 to $40

Fruit dish 5.5 inches: $20-30

Cereal bowl 6×7 inches: $25-35

Rim Soup bowl 8 inches: $30-40

Nappy 9 inches:  $50-60

All values are for items in excellent, undamaged condition.  Damage reduces the value by 25 to 75% or more, depending on the extent and location of the damage. 

Larry

Question:

Hello!  I recently came across a set of a bowl, plate and saucer with the Red Wing mark on the bottom.  Some of the edges have some small dings hut no cracks or major problems.  I then found a small teacup that seemed to match the design but had no markings on the bottom. I was wondering if this is a match and if so what might this set be worth?  Many thanks, meredith

Answer:

The cactus-themed Desert pattern is very popular with collectors and not easy to find. Desert was one of two pattern in the Fancy Free line, the other was Caprice. The Fancy Free patterns were designed by Belle Kogan, a well-known designer from New York who produced many art pottery designs for Red Wing and also a few dinnerware patterns. Fancy Free plates and bowls featured a rolled rim that was very susceptible to chipping. Pieces in mint condition are scarce. These patterns were introduced in 1952 and were made for only a brief period, thus they are rather scarce today.

The photo shows a cup and saucer from the Desert pattern as well as two bowls. No dimensions were provided for the bowls, so I cannot be sure which of the four bowl sizes are represented here. 

Cup & saucer:  $30 to $40

Fruit dish 5.5 inches: $20-30

Cereal bowl 6×7 inches: $25-35

Rim Soup bowl 8 inches: $30-40

Nappy 9 inches:  $50-60

All values are for items in excellent, undamaged condition.  Damage reduces the value by 25 to 75% or more, depending on the extent and location of the damage. 

Larry