Category Archives: Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

Red Wing Safety Valve jar

Question:

I am unfamiliar with this in mold stamped back mark. Is it Redwing? If it isn’t
Redwing, do you know who manufactured it? It is on the bottom of a 6 1/2″
H. X 5 1/2″ diameter wax seal canning crock with a 3 1/8″ diameter
mouth. Thank you in advance…

Answer:

Cary, RWSCo stands for “Red Wing Stoneware Company.  So yes it is Red Wing.  Your piece is a Red Wing Safety Valve jar.  Your jar normally came with a medal hardware that would snap the lid in place once the jar was filled with preserves or other garden canned items.  Al Kohlman

3 gallon Red Wing water cooler

Question:
This question is for Al Kohlman regarding a RW 3 gallon water cooler. I’ve attached a few pictures of the cooler to this email. I’m very new to collecting (this is my first piece), so I don’t know anything really. But I love all the posts on your website, they’ve been so helpful and they also get me very interested in collecting more pieces.

Description- 3 Gallon water cooler with lid, in good condition (no cracks or scratches), hole at the bottom (I think a spigot is supposed to go there). The inside is a little dirty (this could have been used for planting).

Questions- What do you think this would be worth if I sold it today?

Is this a common piece or rare?

Does the size of the wing mean anything? I heard the larger the wing the more value it has.

I want to buy a spigot for this pot, is there anyway to tell if it is an authentic spigot that is supposed to go to this piece?

Thank you so much,

Tracey

Answer:

Tracey, your 3 gallon Red Wing water cooler was produced
between 1936 & 1947.  It is the latest and last version for the Red
Wing coolers.  Also, the size of the red wing does affect the value
with the largest being in greater demand.  Also, the words
“Water Cooler” on the early coolers is scrolled where your is
blocked (scrolled being more in demand for collectors).  With all
this being said, our cooler if in perfect condition, $225 to $250. The lid
also in perfect condition, $300 to $350.  Also, the 3 gallon is a common
size and the correct spigot is the push button spigot which is marked
“Central” on either the spout or barrel of the spigot.  Also,
there is reproductions on these spigots, so you need to look for the
“Central” spigot where the push button is out side of the spigot
body.  These can be found at the convention from older collectors &
they run about $50 each.  Hope this was helpful.  Al Kohlman

Red Wing Sponge Band bailed handled butter jar

Question:

In looking at the snack jar I realized it was not a Redwing but instead by Western Pottery. The refrigerator jar is a Redwing but I have it packed away as we moved some things and need to find it. I will send you a picture when I find it.

Thanks

Janice

Answer:

Janice, what you have is a Red Wing Sponge Band bailed
handle butter jar.  Value with the damage lid is around $400 to
$450.  Al Kohlman

4 gallon birch leaf and 4 gallon red wing beehive

Question:

Here are two 4 gallon Red Wings I purchased. The 4 gallon birch leaf Red Wing is bottom signed.It has a chip on the lip which is pictured below. The second Red Wing is a beehive 4 gallon with a Red Wing and a dot dash dot Red Wing oval stamp. The glazing on this one came with a manufacturing imperfection. I’m not sure if this affects the value. I will send along another email with more pics right now. I want to know what their value is. I paid $100 for the birch leaf and $300 for the beehive.

Thanks so much for your time!

Maelea

 

Answer:

Maelea, what you paid for each Red Wing jug is just about what they are worth.  The glaze on the 4 gallon birch leave beehive does affect it’s value as does the chip on the spout of the  4 gallon birchleaf shoulder jug.   Al Kohlman

565 coffee server, Gypsy Trail line, no wooden handle

Question:

Hello!

I am wondering if you can tell me anything about this carafe in the blue/purple color with  the Red Wing Pottery Blue Star mark?

I have never known it to have a wooden handle and was wondering if you have any information in regard to this carafe? When was it made and did it originally have a handle? I cant find another one like it.

Kind regards,

Debbie

Answer:

Your blue 565 coffee server is from the Gypsy Trail line. All 565 Gypsy Trail coffee servers were sold with a wooden handle attached around the neck, although the cover was optional for a time.  Your server was made at the beginning of Gypsy Trail  roduction, or perhaps even earlier. This color scheme and the star ink stamp mark were vailable very briefly.

A brochure dated June 1935 marks the introduction of Gypsy Trail with 19 items available. All items are described as available in the standard Gypsy Trail colors – white, turquoise, blue, yellow and orange – except the 565 coffee server. Coffee server colors were blue, black, blue-green and orange. We have found this server with the star ink stamp mark in blue, blue-green and black but not in orange. Blue servers with this mark are a lighter shade than standard Gypsy Trail blue. Also, servers with the star  mark have “dry” (unglazed) bottoms and the interiors color matches the exterior. Standard 565 coffee servers have glazed bottoms marked only with “565″ and they have white interiors. These early coffee servers are the only Gypsy Trail pieces we have found marked with the star ink stamp.

The black and blue-green colors were not included in subsequent Gypsy Trail brochures, thus after the initial brochure the coffee server was available in the same standard colors as other Gypsy Trail items. The non-standard aspects – unusual colors, dry bottom, ink stamp and colored interior – lead me to believe production of these coffee servers may have begun prior to the introduction of Gypsy Trail. Today these early servers are quite hard to find, but they do turn up occasionally. Value for a complete ink stamped blue coffee server is around $100 in excellent condition. Your server is missing the wooden handle which would reduce the value somewhat.  However it would be easy to “borrow” the handle from a more common 565 server to
make yours complete.

Larry

Red Wing Planter 105

Question: I have a lovely Red Wing planter that’s marked 105. It is about 5.5 inches tall, 9.5 inches long  and 5.25 inches wide. However, when I search for that style number, other pottery pieces come up. Can you tell me about this planter? Is it considered artware? When would it have been made? Any idea about current value?

Thank you.

 Kathleen

 

Answer: this is a little planter, from 1961.  an old number, but it was reused at this
later date.  value around 25.00.  thanks, steve n rose

cigarette boxes: 1256 and 1268

Question:

Hello – I found these three pieces of Red Wing pottery while going
though my late Grandfather’s possessions that I ended up with.

I was wondering if you would be able to provide any information about them?  They are in perfect condition.  Not a nick or scratch on any them.

The pink one looks exactly like the blue one – only it is more of  matte finish, not glossy like the others.  It also does not have any markings on the bottom of it as the others do.

Thanks for any information you are able to provide!

Sincerely,

Tina

 

Answer: Tina

all three are from around 1946, I always called them cigarette boxes, but they
could be for trinkets as well.  Value is around 50.00 each.  thanks,
steve n rose

5 gal. beehive jug

Question:

I came into possession of a 5 gal. beehive jug that is going to be used to replicate the Little Brown Jug football trophy that spends time in the University of Michigan or Minnesota trophy case, depending on the year. I’d like to make sure that the jug I have is not inordinately valuable. I understand the history and collectible nature of Red Wing pieces and I realize that painting any such piece might be cause to shudder, but want to make sure that painting this particular jug wouldn’t be a catastrophe. To be more precise, I want to be sure that this jug isn’t especially rare or valuable.

It’s in great shape. Apart from a little dirt, the defect I can find is a chip where the handle meets the spout. There’s a light spot on the edge of the base that seems to be a high/low spot that simply has less dirt on it. There are no cracks to be found.

Also, did Red Wing provide corks or stoppers in their jugs? When I found this, I was told the stopper was original. Could that be true?

Thanks for any help.
 Martin

Answer:

Martin, Red Wing beehive jugs are a little soft currently.  With the small chip by the spout, the value would be $200 at best.  Also, the Red Wing Stoneware Company did not produce or sell corks.  This was an item that you would have purchased at your hardware store.  Hope this information was helpful.  Al Kohlman

 

 

Minnesota Stoneware Company salt glazed 6 gallon rib cage butter churn

Question:

Hi there,

Just wondering if you could tell me anything about the crock in the attached pictures ? It had a large chunk out of the rim and a crack in the bac. Jim

Answer:

Jim, you have a Minnesota Stoneware Company salt glazed 6 gallon rib cage butter churn.  This churn was produced sometime between 1883 & 1894.  If it were in perfect condition, the value would be around $600.  In it’s present condition, maybe $30.   Al Kohlman

Red Wing Stoneware Steam Table jars

Question: 
Hello!

Could you please give me some information on these crocks?

They are 8″ tall and 7″ in diameter. The covers are wood. One of them is missing the ball on the top of the cover.

Thanks so much! I enjoy your website.

Carolyn

 

Answer:

Carolyn,  what you have are Red Wing Stoneware Steam Table jars that are bottom signed.  These jars were used in cafeterias to keep food warm while serving students, guess or visitors.   The lids are not original to the jars.  In perfect condition, the value is around $30 each.  Al Kohlman

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