Question:
I have what appears to be a piece of Redwing dinner ware that was a gift to my parents around 50 years ago. It consists of a large serving tray that has a metal rod base supporting it with two matching handles on the base it is also set up for two candle type heaters beneath it, along with that goes a large glazed matching carafe with cork and glazed stopper this also has a base of heavy wire that has provisions for heating candles or oil. It was given to my parents a gift from a friend of theirs that I barely remember and my siblings were saying just dump it but I had to check it out on the web and am glad I did as I do enjoy older things that have a history behind their manufacture. Any help you gould give me of if would be greatly appreciated. If a photo or 2 would help just let me know . Thanx Paul W.

Answer:
Paul, it’s a good thing you didn’t listen to your siblings. Dumping these beauties would have been a real shame. You have two wonderful and valuable pieces of Smart Set, a pattern from the 1950s. Smart Set was Red Wing’s first pattern in the Casual shape and was introduced in 1953. Production continued into the late 1950s. While Smart Set is not a rare pattern, the classic 1950s design is very popular with collectors and commands good prices. Most everyday serving pieces can be found with relative ease, but accessory pieces such as yours are much harder to locate.

You have a 20 inch platter and a beverage server with cover, as well as the accompanying wrought iron stands. The platter and server are valuable on their own, but together with the stands they are worth significantly more. Over the years many of the stands were lost or discarded by their owners; today they highly sought by collectors looking to build a complete set.

You don’t mention the condition of your items but from the photos they seem to be in excellent condition. Chips, cracks, stains, etc reduce the value significantly but your items appear to be very clean. The stands seem to be in excellent condition (no rust or tarnish) and they still have the little rubber feet that fit on the end of the legs. Assuming excellent and complete condition, the Smart Set covered beverage server with stand and the 20 inch platter with stand are each worth around $150 to $200.

Larry

Question:
I just received a set of Daisy Chain Redwing dishes with service for 12, I believe. I am interested in selling the china. Any thoughts about the most effective way to do this? Thanks Sue

Answer:
Sue, It is difficult to answer this question because your location, condition of the dishes and ability to ship the items are just some of the considerations. The most typical ways people sell items in through Ebay, newspaper ads, Garage or Estate sales, Antique Malls or you could purchase an ad in the RWCS Newsletter Classifieds. Jeff and Sue

Question:
We just bought a set of cups, saucers, creamer etc. at a flea market and the sign said the pattern is "Crazy Rythms." I cannot find this pattern on your page and wonder if there is a coffee pot that goes with it. Thanks Michael

Answer:
Yes Michael, Red Wing made a beverage server with cover in the Crazy Rhythm pattern. Most people would consider this a coffee pot, and undoubtedly that was its primary use. It’s about the size of the 2 quart water pitcher but it has a spout and cover instead of an ice stop. It’s not an easy piece to find but there are some out there. Value is around $100 to $125 in excellent condition.

Larry

Question:
I would like more information on the Redwing pattern "Leaf Magic". Who or where should I contact. Thank you. Lana

Answer:
Lana, the only piece made with the Leaf Magic design is the dinner plate. It was made to go with pieces from the Quartette pattern.

Quartette first appears in a January 1951 price list. This documention does not mention Leaf Magic, so apparently it was introduced after the initial production of Quartette. Quartette consists of Concord shaped pieces in four solid colors — Ming Green, Chartreuse, Copper Glow and Mulberry. All pieces, including covers for the casseroles, teapots, sugar bowls, etc, are solid colored. The buyer could purchase a set in any one color or could mix & match colors as desired.

Leaf Magic plates are first mentioned in a July 1951 document, six months after the introduction of Quartette. A January 1952 Red Wing price list describes Leaf Magic this way: "The decoration of this plate has 3 leaves with the color on one-half of each leaf in Chartreuse and the other one-half of leaf is painted one of the remaining Quartette colors, i.e. Ming Green, Copper Glow or Mulberry, with white overglaze. For additional pieces to make up the service Quartette is used." In other words, Leaf Magic was a more colorful dinner plate that could be substituted for the standard solid colored dinner plates when purchasing a set of Quartette dinnerware.

Larry

Question:
We were given, as a wedding gift in 1966, a Lexington (Rose) serving plate. I used it whenever I made blueberry upside-down cake (in a 10 1/2 inch cast iron skillet) because it was large enough that the juices did not run off the edge. It was NOT the oval chop plate nor was it the 11 inch dinner plate (cake would have spread over the edges). Unfortunately, a friend dropped and broke it quite some time ago. Now, when I tell other Redwingers that I am looking for a Lexington (Rose) square/round plate larger than 11 inches, they tell me such a piece does not exist. Are they right and my memory is really that bad? Or is that elusive piece still out there somewhere? If it is, I’m offering a blueberry upside-down cake as a reward for finding me one. Thanks Char

Answer:
Char, unless you had a rare one-of-a-kind piece I don’t think the platter you describe was Lexington. Could you be confusing Lexington with one of the other Red Wing patterns that feature a red rose? Lexington was introduced in 1941 and continued production until 1956. Unless you received a used item, it’s doubtful any new Lexington platters were available to serve as a wedding gift in 1966. On the other hand, unlike other Concord patterns Lexington platters were made in two sizes. The initial 1941 platter was 10.5 x 14 inches — more oblong than oval in shape. It was replaced by the more commonly found 10.5 x 13 inch chop plate in the mid-1940s. But even this hard-to-find larger platter wouldn’t meet your needs since it is only 10.5 inches wide in one direction.

As for other rose patterns, Blossom Time is also in the Concord shape but was never made in the larger 10.5 x 14 platter and was also discontinued in the mid-1950s. Red Wing Rose was introduced in the later 1950s and was discontinued after only a few years, but it’s the rose pattern most likely to have still been available in 1966. A big 15 inch oval platter was available, but your 11 inch cake would likely spill over the sides in the short direction.

That leaves us with Orleans. Orleans was introduced in 1941 and continued production until 1950. Like Lexington, Orleans featured a red rose. But unlike Lexington’s squarish plates and platters, Orleans plates and platters were round. And the platters were made in 12 inch and 14 inches sizes. Your 11 inch cake might be a tight squeeze on the 12 inch platter but would easily fit the 14 inch platter. Like Lexington, the Orleans pattern was discontinued long before your 1966 wedding. But sizewise, of the red rose patterns made by Red Wing the Orleans 14 inch platter would certainly be the best fit for your cake. Could this be the platter you seek?

Larry