Category Archives: Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

6 gallon advertising churn

Question:

Hi,

I'm helping my father do some research on a 6 gallon Red Wing butter churn. He is considering selling and would like to know the value, if possible. It has a crack near the top (picture included) and my understanding is there was a hole in the bottom of the churn that was repaired at one point (not sure how big it was, including a picture of the bottom of the churn). Also, it looks like there might be a crack over the advertising but the glaze still feels smooth so I'm not sure if it's a crack or some other defect. The lid is not shown but we do have it and is believed to be the original. 

Please let me know if you have any questions. Any info you can provide would really be appreciated. 

Thank you,
Amanda

Answer:

Amanda, This is a nice 6 gallon advertising churn! With a crack and repaired hole it still has a  value around $1200.

 

Clifford Olson

6 gallon Birch Leaf Ice Water

Question:

Hello!
We don’t find a lot of Redwing up here in BC Canada, but I have seen some beautiful pieces when we travel in the US. I was surprised to find this piece at my local thrift store the other day... sadly no lid.

From reading some of your website I see it has the “Union” oval and the birch leaves. I would be interested in knowing when these ice water crocks were produced and a value if possible! It is in pretty darn good shape - a small chip or two at the back on the base.

I appreciate any information you can supply.

many thanks
Eva

Answer:

Eva, Your 6 gallon Birch Leaf Ice Water was manufactured by the Minnesota Stoneware Company in Red Wing Minnesota sometime between 1895 & 1906. In mint condition it has a value between $700-$800. Chips on the backside base, still $600-$700.

 

Clifford Olson

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Continental Buffet, blue bowl

Question:

Hi –

I have a couple pieces of Continental Buffet and am wondering what it is worth? It seems to have been going up lately!

I have a BLUE salad bowl (unfortunately no serving spoon/fork), and a BLUE double casserole bottom (no lids or stand). Both are in excellent condition. Thanks.

Amy

Answer:

Pricing scarce items like these blue Continental Buffet pieces is difficult since they rarely come up for sale, thus few comparisons.  Don’t feel bad about the missing salad fork and spoon.  Over time accessory pieces like these are usually separated from bowl because later owners don’t realize they go together.
Optimizing the value for these pieces depends on finding the right buyer.  Continental Buffet isn’t a complete dinnerware line as it includes only serving pieces.  This will limit the number of interested collectors.  That said, those interested will be eager to buy when such pieces become available to them.   The large salad bowl should be worth around $75, maybe more to the right buyer.  The base for the double casserole is more difficult because it isn’t complete.  The missing covers and stand make it worth nothing to most collectors.  Of course a collector who has the covers and stands but needs the base would jump at the opportunity, but there odds of finding that person are slim at best.  I would put the value of the base by itself at $15 to $20.
Larry

Bakeware (aka Oomph) line

Question:

I have many pieces of Red Wing Oomph or bakeware; however, none of the pieces have markings that are discernible.

I know they are Red Wing for the woman I got the pieces from (now deceased) collected them during the 40’s
Here are two pics of my collection.
Thank you.

Answer:

Red Wing produced the Bakeware (aka Oomph) line in the early to mid 1940s.  Several competing potteries made similar wares with the same color scheme.  Red Wing’s Village Green pattern, introduced in 1952, utilizes the same colors as Bakeware.  Brown and green pieces from different potteries are frequently mixed and matched because they are so similar in appearance.  Collectors often have difficulty sorting them out.
About half the items displayed in the two photos are Bakeware by Red Wing.  Most of the other items were made by competitors, though there are also a few Village Green items mixed in.  Some items I cannot identify due to the lack of a clear view.
The following items are NOT Bakeware.
First table starting from the left:
Coffee cups (front corner)
Egg or custard cups
Cannot identify the items to the left of the plates but they aren’t Bakeware
Large covered cruet or pitcher (near the center)
Shell-shaped small plates
Taller cylinder-shaped salt & pepper
Multi-piece relish tray
Handled round green plate (center back row)
Covered casserole (center back row)
Cylinder-shaped mugs (Bakeware mugs have a pronounced green rim)
Coffee cups in the right front corner are Village Green
Second table starting from the left:
Covered dish in the back is Village Green
Cruets
Ashtray
Creamer
Butter dish (might be Village Green??)
Skillet with handle
Small pots with handle
Cannot identify the stacked bowls – may or may not be Red Wing
Larry R

 

5 gallon imperial jug

Question:

This drug was found on the skeena river in northern British Columbia Canada in 1960s I think what might just be worth. Rhinn

Answer:

Rhinn, Your 5 imperial jug is worth around $100.

Clifford Olson

2 gallon Red Wing Potteries straight walled cooler

Question:

I recently got this 2 gallon Red Wing Potteries straight walled cooler and was just wondering its value.

It came without a spigot – the hole in the crock is glazed. The hole angles upward as it goes back into the crock, so the Central spigot with its ½” piping looks very strange on it – it points downwards at a bit of an angle. I found a 3/8” piped spigot and put it in instead so that it at least looks decent.

Thanks for your time,

Randy

Answer:

Randy, Your 2 gallon cooler is worth about $150.

Clifford Olson

Spongeband Pitcher with A.T. Spiegelhoff advertising

Question:

Can you please tell me an approximate value of this jug it’s a red wing spongeband advertisement jug that says.  Compliments of A.T. Spiegelhoff Burlington, wis. Rebecca

Answer:

Rebecca, Your advertising pitcher mint $350. With a line right through the ad $100 to the right person

Clifford Olson

4 gallon churn, 4 & 4 gallon crock all Red Wing

Question:

I have a 4 gallon churn 4″ wing and oval with red wing union stone wear good condition small chip inside rim , no lid no open cracks or lines, also have a 2 gallon crock no chips or cracks and a 4 gallon crock that has some chips. would like some information on these especially the churn . dates and value. Thank you for any help you can give me. Jack

Answer:

Jack, Your 4 gal. Red Wing churn was made between 1918-30 in mint condition worth $150- $175. The 4 gal crock made around 1915 with chips $50, the 2 gal. made around 1930 value about $30

Clifford Olson

Buds Pattern Pitcher

Question: I would like to have Larry take a look at the attached pictures of what I think is the only known Buds pattern water pitcher and see if he can give an approximate value.  I’ve had it for a long time but would now like to sell it.  However, because of its rarity, I really don’t know what the value would be or the best way to advertise/sell it.  What I’d like to do is put it in the Red Wing auction, but since I live in Washington state, with no intentions of being in the Red Wing area during auction time, I guess I’ll have to advertise it some other way. I’m not a big fan of embay.  I can be reached at 206-300-3397.  Thanks in advance.

Answer:

Buds was a Red Wing dinnerware pattern designed in 1952 that never went into production.  Supposedly two sets of Buds were made to be displayed at a trade show.  The pattern was not well received, and this was reported back to managers in Red Wing.  The salesmen at the show were told to discard the Buds dinnerware and not bother bringing it back to Red Wing.  But apparently a few pieces survived as there are a handful of known Buds items today.
What is the value of an authentic Buds water pitcher?  It’s tough to place a value on an item that is likely one of a kind.  Without comparable sales any estimate is just a shot in the dark.  The photos appear to show an authentic Buds pitcher; I have no reason to believe otherwise.  I would estimate the value in today’s market to be $1000 or more.
The pitcher could sell for well above that figure if sold at an auction attended by knowledgeable Red Wing collectors.  Selling it at the annual RWCS convention auction would be ideal.  It’s too late for this year’s convention, but consider next year’s auction.  Perhaps the pitcher could be packed very well and shipped to Red Wing.  There are also other auctions periodically that feature Red Wing pottery and stoneware.  The goal is to find a knowledgeable audience because the general public won’t know anything about Buds and why it is valuable.  Antique dealers who specialize in Red Wing would be happy to buy this pitcher, but won’t pay top dollar as they need to make a profit.  Online auctions such as eBay can display the pitcher to a wide audience but there are some hassles and risks involved.  If I owned this pitcher and wanted to sell it, I would make a strong effort to get it into the RWCS convention auction.  Non-RWCS auctions that are held during convention week would be another possibility.
Larry R

20 gallon North Star primitive butterfly crock, Red Wing

Question:

We are in the process of going thru my mom and dad’s items. We have a crock that I would like to know their worth.

The crock says 20 and has design on it. Also in good condition-no cracks; the only blemish is it looks like something sticky must have gotten on the crock by the 20. I didn’t want to start scraping it, for fear it would do more damage.

If you have more information and what they are worth, I would appreciate knowing. Thank you.

Christine

Answer:

Christine, You have a 20 gallon North Star primitive  butterfly crock made in Red Wing MN. In mint condition $1500

Clifford Olson

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