Category Archives: Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

Cobalt Brushed Stoneware

Question: {mosimage}
Hi, I am a collector of midwest regional pottery, particularly Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois. Recently found this piece in Milwaukee area thrift shop. Definite salt glaze/cobalt brushed – handthrown, heavy stoneware, clay very similar to Red Wing stoneware 1920-30′s. Inscribed initials on bottom – MH (Mary Huhn?) Size – 3 1/8" height, 5" major diameter, 2 1/2" opening. Flat, slightly concaved dry bottom, glaze drips over bottom ridge.

At first purchase, I thought this might be a Max Howell (of Century House , Madison, WI 1948-63), but further inspection leads me to believe this a a potential RWS lunch hour item . Piece does not appear contemporary (appears true salt glaze) and is too well modelled for a " ceramics class " item or student item.
Thanks, Anthony

Answer:
Anthony, the only photo I received is of the bottom with the initials MH incised in the clay. The initials, small dark specks in the clay, along with the photo make me believe (at this point) this piece is not Red Wing. Also, the thought of a piece being a lunch hour piece again makes things difficult as there is not another known piece such as this to compare it to. Al Kohlman

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Vase

Question:
I have a small RW vase that I would like to have identified and an an opinion as to its value. The vase is 6 1/2" high with a 3" base and 2 3/4" mouth that tappers to about an 1 1/2" where it attaches to the base area. It is a deep green color with four window like areas that are shades of yellow and have a raised design in it that look like tree trucks with limbs or post like. These window areas are located on the upper 1/2 of the vase. It has a handle on each side starting at the top of the vase and running down the side just a little over 2" long that divides the four window areas into two on each side These windowed areas are mostly yellow with some shading of green. The remainder of the vase is a deep green in color. The markings on the bottom are Red Wing Pottery written to form a circle with Red Wing on the top and Pottery on the bottom half of the circle. In the middle of that area created by RWP is the word Art. There is also a number raised just above these words 163. Your help will be much appreciated. Thankyou, John

Answer:
Hi John, You have an early Red Wing vase, circa 1931. The shape 163 came in 3 sizes, with yours being the smallest. In excellent condition it may bring around 80.00 or so. Thanks, steve & rose

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5 Gallon Jug

Question:
Hi I have a 5 gallon shoulder jug, I can’t find anything about it. Maybe you can help? In the Red Wing Stoneware book on page 37 is a jug that looks something like it. My jug doesn’t have a dark brown top it looks like carmel to me, it has a 5 with a wing under it with an oval under that. Oval Red Wing Union Stoneware Co. Red Wing, Minn. Hope you can help and what is it worth? Jerry

Answer:
Jerry, Your jug is Red Wing and would be in the same price range as stated in your Red Wing Stoneware book. The Albany slips came in both the dark shiny color (more desirable with most collectors) and the carmel color. Also, the size of the wing on your jug would also contribute to the cost. The larger the wing, the greater the demand. Either way, this is a rare jug. If no damage, your jug is worth between $400 & $500 depending on wing size and appeal. Al Kohlman

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Haarmann Jug

Question:
I am an avid collector of advertised red wing stoneware. I have my eye on a piece and wonder if it is Red Wing or not. This advertised piece is a tall 1 gal or little less jug. It doesn’t have a shoulder and is more like a beehive except it is taller and skinnier. The shape of the jug doesn’t come off as Red Wing, but the advertised stamp does. It is stamped with the shield design. It reads "Haarmann Pickle and Vinegar Co. Established 1897 Omaha, Neb." The shield and print is dark blue. There is a Haarmann’s Bros. bailed jug on redwing net under the advertising part of the gallery section with a outlined red shield. That piece is bottomed marked Red Wing and the shield is identical to the one I’m looking at except it is not red. Thus I know Haarmann’s did do business with Red Wing. In my research, whether this is true or not, it was noted in a Q&A part of a red wing website that Haarmann’s did business with other stoneware companies.

So my questions are as follows:
1. How do I know if this Haarmann’s is Red Wing? This will be the deciding factor on whether I buy the piece.

2. Is there any signs that it is or is not that I should be looking for?

3. If it is Red Wing, what is a fair price? I don’t mind spending some money, but on the other hand, they don’t need to get rich off me.

4. Sorry, I don’t have a pic.

Do you consider it inappropriate to walk into an antique mall and take a pic of an item that you are interested in just for the sake determining the maker? I think it is crossing the line, but with all the info. out there, we do live in a tech world. Etiquette?

Thanks for your help.
Dan, Red Wing Collector in Omaha.

Answer:
Dan, without seeing a photo of this jug, it would not be fair to say it is Red Wing or not. The shape of the jug as described in your email has me concerned. So without the photo I am not comfortable in giving you advice on this piece. If I were you, I would take a digital camera to the mall and take a photo of this jug. I do this all the time in both malls and homes. Haarmann’s had a few pieces of Red Wing advertising on their molded bailed jugs that used the shield design. However, your description of the jug does not sound like a bailed jug. So grab your camera and shoot me a photo and I will be happy to try and help you out on this one. It sounds like a great piece of advertising so don’t let it just slip away without making every effort to identify it to make sure it is what you want. Al Kohlman

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Teapot

Question:{mosimage}
I have a Red Wing one cup teapot that was given to me by my Grandmother. She was a collector of teapots and had several Red Wing pieces. I would appreciate an estimated value of my teapot. My Grandmother paid $8.50 for it in 1993 at an estate auction of an old friend.

Thank you for your time. Daisie

Answer:
Daisie, your little teapot is part of the Gypsy Trail Hostess Ware line and it was made for about two years. It is listed in an April 1940 catalog and continues on through the January 1942 catalog. But it is not included in the June 1942 catalog, so production had ceased by that time. The April 1940 catalog is the earliest we have for the Hostess Ware line. We believe it marks the introduction of the Hostess Ware pieces but are not certain.

The 1940 catalog refers to your teapot as "Streamlined". This teapot was made in two sizes: 2 cup and 5 cup. The catalog also lists three other items in the Streamlined shape: water jug, covered casserole (in two sizes), and covered ice box jug. All were available in the four traditional Gypsy Trail "deep" colors (blue, orange, yellow and turquoise) as well as pastel pink and pastel green.

The 2 cup version of this teapot is more readily found today than the 5 cup. I would place the value of a pink 2 cup Streamlined teapot in excellent condition in the $40 to $60 range. Your description does not mention the condition of your teapot. The photo does not show any obvious chips or cracks, but if such damage exists the value of the teapot will drop significantly. The photo does reveal significant crazing in the glaze. Some collectors find crazing to be attractive; others do not. Personally I prefer pieces without crazing so I would value your teapot $20 to $25 lower than the range given above. But another collector could see the crazing as a positive rather than a negative and be willing to pay more. In the end, value is in the eyes of the beholder.

Larry

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Serving Plate

Question:{mosimage}
I found this (serving) plate at a thrift shop. Fell in love with the colors. The back of the plate has a red bird, with the word REDWING creating the wings and HANDPAINTED seperating the body from the wings. I was told that the word handpainted may be an indication that it really wasn’t? Is this a real Red Wing? and if so, is there any value to it. The plate does have a very small chip on the edge, that has caused the plate to take on a slight change in color about a half inch into the plate at the chip. You can’t see the chip, but you can feel it. Thank you for any help you can give me. Joyce

Answer:
Joyce, your plate was indeed made by Red Wing. The name of the pattern is Morning Glory. This pattern was made in two colors: Morning Glory Pink and Morning Glory Blue. Yours is obviously the pink version.

Take a closer look at the mark on the back of your plate. The logo is a not a bird, it is a stylized wing. And since the color is red (or at least dark pink) it’s a RED WING, thus making it a play on the company name as well as an extension of the famous red wing used for many years on Red Wing stoneware. The RED WING letters form the feathers on the end of the wing. "Handpainted" is included because handpainted dinnerware was a Red Wing claim to fame. Most of their competition turned to other ways to decorate their dinnerware that were less labor-intensive and thus less expensive. This logo was used on Red Wing dinnerware throughout most of the 1950s.

Morning Glory is not considered a "hot" pattern by collectors, thus common serving pieces such as your plate do not have great value. The chip and discoloration on your plate significantly reduces the value because plates in excellent condition are readily available. The size of your plate was not provided; the plate in your photo could be a dinner, salad or bread & butter plate. In excellent condition these plates would be worth $5 to $15 apiece; with the described damage the values would be half or less.
Thanks

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Red Wing B2500

Question: {mosimage}
Hello! I recently acquired this piece of art pottery (see attached picture) which is marked Red Wing USA B2500. I believe it to be "The Nymphs" vase from Belle Kogan’s 1951 DeLuxe line. Is this correct? Can you help me identify the official color of the glaze? It is a light bluish-gray color. From picutures I have seen in books, it seems most similar to the "Luster Gray" color, but the color chart I found in the Reiss book for the DeLuxe line did not list this color as an option. Also, I saw a 1997 estimated value of $40-100. Is that still the current valuation of this piece? Thank you in advance for sharing your time and knowledge so freely with newbie collectors like myself.
Heidi

Answer:
Hello, You are well studied for being a "newbie". The B2500 is from Belle Kogan’s Deluxe line, 1951. The "nymphs" are a nice item, worth 90-125 or so. Your pic didn’t come thru too well, but it sounds like Luster Gray. If there are dark flecks in the glaze it would be Luster Blue. I also see a Platium Gray listed, which was usually used with Canary yellow. Some pieces have also been found in Celadon. There were carry overs between the years, and some of the more popular shapes were we made many years also. If a certain color was popular, it was used on more items.
Thanks, Steve n Rose

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Appraisals for Insurance

Question:
This question is for all of the experts since all of you have collections worthy of being insured. We live in an area devoid of anyone who has enough knowledge of Red Wing products to be able to give a value for insurance purposes. The foremost antique appraiser in the area has said outright that she doesn’t know much, if anything, about Red Wing. How then do we provide a statement of value that an insurance company would accept? Book value, eBay, RWCS auctions, something else? Charlotte

Answer:
I certainly don’t consider myself an expert on the subject but I’m not shy about sharing my opinions. Very few Red Wing collectors have had a formal appraisal of their collections. For most of us the cost of the appraisal exceeds the value gained. Very valuable pieces (more than $1000) might warrant an appraisal, but for most Red Wing items market value can be established in other ways.

The correspondent is on the right track. Auctions, sales, eBay, pricing books are all ways to establish market value. An actual sale of an item is a better indicator of value than a listing in a book. Generally "book value" is acceptable but sometimes the book can undervalue an item significantly. Consider saving (printout or save electronically) an eBay listing for an item that sells higher than book value. Auction results are good; an insurer would probably give more credence to a results price list from the auctioneer than one written in by hand during the auction.

The most important concern is to document ownership of your collection. I have every item we own listed on a spreadsheet which includes a detailed description of the item along with condition, date purchased and price paid. I keep a copy at home and on a disc at work. If our home is destroyed I’ll have a record of what we own. Photos and/or videos of your collection are also essential. While it would be a hassle, market value can always be established after the fact.

Larry

I agree, photo’s and documentation are most important. Book values would be ok for average items, one of a kind-rare, may be a little different for insurance. Steve n Rose

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Brown Jug

{mosimage}Question:
Hi, Is this jug a Redwing? Beehive? It measures aprox. 13 1/2\" high x 10\" across the bottom. No makers marks on the jug. As you can see it has a three on the front. Please id this jug and give aprox. value. It is in great condition. Thank you, Allen

Answer:
Mark, the only photo I received of your jug was a left side view. In viewing this photo, the left side of the handle base in which it was applied looks to be Red Wing. I would be extremely helpful to know how the 3 was applied. Is the 3 stamped into jug or was it etched into the Albany slip by a sharp object such as a nail?

Knowing this would better identify the jug. Now as far as value. The most common of these Red Wing beehives is the 5, follow by the 4′s. I see very few 3′s. If your jug is Red Wing and in Mint condition, I would place the value between $300 & $500. If not Red Wing $50 to $100.

Hope this helps. Al Kohlman

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REDWING 155 Blue Vase

{mosimage}Question:

I just purchased a gorgeous piece of Red Wing Art Pottery at an auction. I know nothing about this type of pottery, I just fell liked the piece. It is just over 15" high, and the most intese cobalt blue color. It is marked 155, and stamped Red Wing Art Pottery. Could you tell me more of it’s history/value? Also, what would be the best way to sell it, if I decide to. Thanks alot, Sincerely, Maria

Answer:
Hi Maria,

You have a nice early vase. It dates from around 1926-1929. The glaze is officially called "dark blue", but most people call it cobalt. There were 3 sizes of this shape, with yours being the largest. Prices have been down a little, but it should still be popular with it’s size. Many Redwinger’s just collect the early ink stamped art pottery. It should bring around $250.00 or so. Ebay is probably your best bet to sell, unless you can attend a Redwing convention.

Thanks, Steven & Rose

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