Question:

Hi, I just found your website, and it’s really useful! I just bought this crock in the hopes of using it to make sauerkraut, but it’s got a chalky residue on the inside that I’m finding it difficult to remove. Any suggestions? It’s a little difficult to photograph, but it’s all in concentric rings on the inside. Also I’m assuming it was made before 1936, but if you have any more specific ideas for dating it, I’d be eager to hear it.
Thanks in advance,
Adrian

Answer:

Adrian, your 5 gallon Red Wing crock was produced between 1909 & 1915.  That white chalky stuff is lime and the best way that I have found to remove it is to use Lime-A-Way gel toilet bowl cleaner (or any other toilet bowl cleaner that is in gel form that removes lime).  Cover the inside of the crock with the cleaner and let stand for about ten minutes.  Then put on a pair of vinyl gloves and get yourself a green scratch pad and scrub the inside of the crock well.  Hose it out and you should be good to go.  Note; you will not hurt the inside of the crock.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hi:

We have this PERFECT beehive and were wondering what it is worth. The lettering is black and the inside is salt glazed.

Thank you,

Carol & Mike

Answer:

Your Red  Wing 5 gallon beehive with just the oval and number 5 is a tough find.  However, it will take a collector looking for the little out of the ordinary that would give you the highest price.  If one were putting a set together and needed this one jug, it could fetch $600 or a little more if in perfect condition.  Al Kohlman

Question

My uncle has some Red Wing crocks he was looking to sell but I wanted to find out what value they might have prior to putting in a garage sale. The first is a 10 Gal Red Wing crock without chips or hairline cracks – handles in good condition – screw hardware a little rusted. Stamped patented Dec 1915. The second is an 8 Gal crock with chip in outer rim, handle mount chipped handles are rusted but still intact, also stamped patented Dec – 1915. Also included a photo of a 2 gal crock in good condition and a crock he owns with nothing but a crown stamp with a 3 inside. Although he has some Western crocks also I am curious to know what company may have manufactured the “crown” crock ?

Answer:

Tregg, your 10 gallon Red Wing crock has a value around $150.   The 8 gallon Red Wing with chip in rim and small wing $70 to $80.  The 2 gallon Red Wing crock with 4 1/2″ wing in prefect condition is around $60.  Your crown crock was produced in Ohio.  No idea of value on it.  Hope this helps you out.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hello found this piece while turckey houting a couple of dates ago and i am so curisou as to what it might be. It was half

Answer:

This is a Red Wing Wax Sealer that is bottom signed.  It was the early canning jar.  Jar was filled with fruit or other eligible items from the garden.  A tin lid was placed on the opening and cover with hot wax to seal the contents.  In perfect condition the value is around $50.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hi–

My husband was going to give this bowl to Goodwill.  think it’s a 7-inch sponge band bowl. It is in great condition. No cracks. Can you identify the piece, the year and tell me what a fair asking price would be?

Yael

Answer:

Yael, your bowl is a Red Wing Gray Line bowl and was produced in the late 1920′s and into the 30′s.  In perfect condition a fair value is around $100.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hello, I have found the website and advice to be very insightful and interesting! I was cheering for the people that found great pieces and was a little sad for those who got fake pieces.

Would you please help me identify this piece? I see no handles, it is about 36 pounds and is from one outside lip to the other about 15 1/2 in across the opening, about 16 inches tall.

As you can see, it says ‘union stoneware co. Redwing, mn.’ The 10 very visible and as I have learned, this piece has what is considered the larger wing. The only flaws I have found: pock mark? inside bottom that does not go all the way through, hair lines only on the inside bottom-these do not go all the way through, a small chip on lower outside bottom (all pictured).

After searching the site for about an hour and learning a great deal, I was unable to find an identical match (though there were many close ones).

Could you please help me determine the date and value? I could not locate date stamp.

Thank you so very much,

Carol

Answer:

Carol, you have an early piece of zinc glazed Red Wing.  It is a 10 gallon Red Wing crock with a six inch wing and has the 1st Red Wing oval (called the ski oval).  It is marked very nicely by the way.  It was produced between 1909 & 1915.  With the spider hairline on the bottom and the small chip (but with excellent markings) the value would be between $125 & $150.   Hope this helps.  Al Kohlman