The 2015 Convention was July 9-11 in Red Wing, MN. Once again the displays were a wonderful part of the Convention. Below are at the results as published by display chair Laura Beall in the RWCS Newsletter.
Interested in displaying next year? Please contact Laura at display@redwingcollectors.org or visit the display page to learn more.
I wanted to let you know that we haven’t forgotten that we owe you commemoratives. Our potter experienced some production issues on the last run and had to remake some commemoratives to meet the “mail delivered” requirements. We thought all was set to ship last week and hit another delay. Just over half of the “mail delivered” commemoratives were shipped on September 1st and 2nd. Due to packaging issues the remainder are scheduled to ship on September 8.
I apologize for this unforseen delay. It seems that pottery making can still a bit more art than science. Please allow until September 14 for pieces to arrive. Enjoy the holiday!
Red Wing, MN – The Red Wing Wing Collectors Society releases it’s 39th Convention Commemorative today.
The 2015 Red Wing Collectors Society Commemorative is a miniature stoneware canteen. First produced in the mid 1890s during the salt glaze era, production increased in the early zinc glaze days. Vintage advertising on canteens includes local Red Wing souvenir pieces, names of liquor dealers/tavern owners, Milwaukee’s Pierron Pottery and special events.
In 2015, the RWCS produced three different versions of its commemorative. Version A is decorated with an ink-stamped RWCS ad. Version B has vintage California advertising also ink-stamped. Version C has vintage advertising from the Pierron Pottery, applied by hand.
Version A makes up 90% of total production. Nine percent are Version B and only 39 Version C pieces were made to match the 39th anniversary of the RWCS Convention.
The canteens were slip cast in a two-piece mold. All canteens have “Red Wing Collectors Society 2015” embossed on the back. There are also three marks on the canteen back where it sat on stilts in the kiln. Production was done at Rowe Pottery in Cambridge, WI.
The RWCS again produced an accessory piece that could be purchased only by members that attend Convention. The accessory piece is a leather strap for the canteen with “RWCS 2015” stamped on it.
The 2015 RWCS Special Commemorative is a stoneware shoe. Eighteen shoes were slip cast and detailed by hand. Half the shoes are cobalt; the other half was glazed with real Albany slip, not available since the 1970s. Shoes are ink-stamped on bottom. The Albany shoes were given to display winners. The cobalt shoes were used for prizes and various drawings. One of each was auctioned in the Commemorative Room during Convention.
A limited number of canteens were decorated for KidsView. The pieces were auctioned off, with proceeds going to the KidsView program.
The 2015 Commemorative is available to all primary and associate members in good standing. Commemorative must be purchased by the last day of the Convention, Saturday, July 11. New members who join before Saturday, July 11 are also eligible to purchase the 2015 Commemorative.Commemoratives can be purchased by mail through our website, coming to the RWCS Convention at Red Wing High School, or Calling 800-977-7927.
We are just a week away from the Convention and the excitement of Excursion Red Wing. I am sure many of you are already packing your bags and cars right now.
The RWCS Website and the Convention Supplement are your sources for all your Convention information. Here are the links to plan your Convention Experience:
Schedule – See the latest times and locations for all the events and activities.
Crock Hunt – Starts Friday, July 3 and runs through Saturday, July 11. Be sure to follow the list on the website to ensure a successful hunt.?? A great way to check out the City of Red Wing shops, eateries and sights. Download the form, grab the supplement, or pick one up at the sites. Every form received will be included in prize drawings.
Wednesday, July 8
Thursday, July 9
Friday, July 10
Saturday, July 11
Other Convention information links:
Information about the City of Red Wing:
One last reminder; don’t forget to bring your red badge holder and volunteer pin! I am looking forward to seeing all of you in Red Wing. Safe travels!
Join Us for “Pottery on the Square”
You are invited to the annual Pottery on the Square Swap Meet in Monmouth, Illinois that is scheduled for June 27th, 2015 starting at 8:00am and running until noon, on Monmouth’s Public Square. Activities will include a pottery and stoneware swap meet and a pottery appraisal clinic. The appraisal clinic will begin at 8:30am, where knowledgeable Illinois pottery collectors will be on hand to examine pieces of Illinois pottery brought by the public. Rare items have been seen at the appraiser’s booth and it is exciting to see what prized item might show up. This event also provides a learning opportunity for the aspiring collector.
In conjunction with the event the Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce is offering to the public an opportunity to purchase a handcrafted limited-edition, bristol jug with a bail handle and a Monmouth Pottery Company TM logo. The jug stands approximately 5 3/4 inches tall (not including bail handle) and 4 3/8 inches in diameter. Place your order now for the jugs that will be available the day of the event. They are priced at $35 and shipping charges vary based on quantity ordered.
Monmouth Pottery Company was formed on February 1, 1893. They manufactured all kinds of stoneware and survived a few plant fires. Monmouth Pottery Company used their name on their products in different fonts and different designs along with various logos. Then on November 29, 1905 Monmouth Pottery Company was sold and by 1906 was merged with six other pottery companies to form Western Stoneware.
For more information on the event or the Monmouth Pottery Company jug please contact the Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce at 309-734-3181 or e-mail amm@monmouthilchamber.com. You may also go to the “Pottery on the Square” page of the Chamber’s website for information and photos from last year’s event, www.monmouthilchamber.com.
Red Wing, MN – The Red Wing Collectors Society announces today that the University of Minnesota has granted permission to display the Little Brown Jug for the week of the 2015 Convention – July 6-12.
The RWCS recently announced that the Convention keynote presentation by Ken Magee, author of The Little Brown Jug: The Michigan-Minnesota Football Rivalry, would be open to the public. It’s slated for Thursday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School.
Magee encouraged RWCS Executive Director Stacy Wegner to reach out to Adam Clark, Director of Football Operations at the University of Minnesota to request having the Little Brown Jug on display for his keynote presentation.
“I always thought in the back of my head it would be cool to have the jug, but never thought it would happen!” Wegner said. “Ken came through for us and working with Clark at the University of Minnesota has been easy.”
Wegner was more than pleased to secure the jug for the keynote session. But when Clark made it clear that the University of Minnesota is eager to share it with the people of Minnesota, she asked if the Society could display the jug for the full week of the 2015 RWCS Convention. Starting Monday, July 6 through Sunday, July 12 the jug will be in Red Wing. The Pottery Museum of Red Wing will be the main viewing location, but it will be at Red Wing High School on Thursday, July 9 for Magee’s keynote address.
“We are excited that the Red Wing Collectors Society was able to secure the ability to display the Little Brown Jug during Convention,” said Robin Wipperling, manager of the Pottery Museum of Red Wing. “Showing this iconic Red Wing stoneware jug in Red Wing is a great opportunity for the RWCS, the Pottery Museum of Red Wing and the Red Wing community as a whole.”
Make plans to see the Red Wing Stoneware Company’s most famous jug during the Red Wing Collectors Society Convention and hear its history on Thursday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School, 2451 Eagle Ridge Dr., Red Wing, MN.
Red Wing, MN – The Red Wing Collectors Society is inviting the general public to hear its Annual Convention keynote speaker Ken Magee, co-author of The Little Brown Jug: The Michigan-Minnesota Football Rivalry The keynote is slated for Thursday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School.
During his writing of the book, Magee contacted RWCS Executive Director Stacy Wegner for information on the Little Brown Jug. Wegner provided Magee with all the information the RWCS had previously published and connected him with collectors as well.
“From Ken’s first contact, I knew he would be a great speaker for our Convention. With the Minnesota Gophers recently winning the jug back from Michigan, it’s perfect timing!” said Wegner.
After the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers’ win last fall, Wegner asked the RWCS Board of Directors to open the keynote session up to the public. This unique invitation has only been done a few times in the past for speakers like Kathy Wurzer, author of Tales of the Road; the Highway 61 story, and Eva Zeisel, designer of Red Wing’s Town and Country dinnerware line.
The RWCS Board of Directors recognized that the excitement of the recent Little Brown Jug win by Minnesota and approved opening the keynote slated for Thursday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School.
“We are very excited to have Ken Magee bring the story of one of the most famous jugs to ever come out of Red Wing, the ‘traveling trophy’ brown jug of the Minnesota – Michigan football rivalry,” said RWCS President Larry Birks. “So many folks from Red Wing are familiar with this jug and because of the rivalry between these two teams, so we’re opening Ken’s keynote address to anyone who would like to hear about the famous jug that is treasured by the winning team each year at the annual football match-up.”
Magee’s book contains more than 200 images that have been donated from the private collections of local sports enthusiasts, photographers and libraries. Many of the myths and stories that surround the famous Little Brown Jug trophy are examined and corrected, and various other tales are revealed for the first time.
Magee will bring a limited number of his book along with some event-only souvenirs for attendees to purchase after his presentation. The book costs $20.00 and a portion of the profits from sales are being donated to the Ken Magee Foundation for Cops, which benefits police officers permanently injured in the line of duty, and their families, to attend Michigan Football games, all expenses paid.
Currently, Wegner is in negotiations with the University of Minnesota to have the original Little Brown Jug on display for the 2015 Convention. They hope to secure the jug for display during Magee’s presentation.
Mark your calendar now to come and learn more about the facts and stories about the Little Brown Jug on Thursday, July 9 at 1:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School at 2451 Eagle Ridge Drive, Red Wing, MN. Admission for Magee’s presentation is free and open to the public.
Rowe Pottery of Cambridge, Wisconsin to Produce 2015 RWCS Commemorative
Red Wing, MN – Red Wing Collectors Society Commemorative Manager Bob Morawski announces that Rowe Pottery Works of Cambridge, Wis. will produce the 2015 RWCS Convention Commemorative. In addition, Rowe Pottery will also produce 2 gallon shoulder jugs to serve as the special pieces that will be auctioned off to benefit the Society during the club’s annual Convention, July 9-11, 2015.
Rowe Pottery Works has been in business since 1974, beginning as a one-man potter’s studio. Although the pottery has grown in their nearly 40 years in business, they continue to stay true to the craft’s tradition. Rowe Pottery has been under the ownership of Bev Semmann since 2013, who has been with the company since 2007 as Vice President and General Manager.
Morawski says this will be the fourth time the RWCS Commemorative will be produced in Wisconsin; the last time was in 1997.
“I am very excited to be working with the potters at Rowe to make the 39th commemorative for the RWCS” Morawski says. “This year’s commemorative will be quite unique.”
The identity of the RWCS Commemorative is a closely guarded secret every year until the piece is unveiled on the Thursday of Convention Week (July 9). With the theme “Excursion to Red Wing”, the 2015 RWCS Annual Convention is slated for July 9-11, 2015 in Red Wing, MN. To learn more about the annual Convention or the Red Wing Collectors Society, visit www.erwcs.org. You can also find the group on Facebook and Pinterest, or follow it on Twitter.
Red Wing Collectors Society to Expand Annual Convention Show and Sale!
Red Wing, MN – The Red Wing Collectors Society announces new opportunities for sellers at their annual Show and Sale held in conjunction with their Annual Convention- Excursion Red Wing – July 9-11, 2015 in Red Wing MN.
The RWCS Board of Directors recognized that many Society members have collecting interest that lies beyond collecting Red Wing stoneware and pottery. With the Show and Sale slated for Saturday, July 10 time was of the essence. The RWCS Board and RWCS executive director Stacy Wegner worked quickly with a small, but driven committee of RWCS members to enhance the Show and Sale to meet the other collecting interest of Society members while still maintaining the focus on Red Wing.
The committee reviewed the show and sale parameters and decided on two significant changes for the 2015 Show and Sale: expand what items could be sold and offer open square footage selling spaces. The RWCS Board approved adjustments to the percent for antique and souvenirs to give sellers the opportunity to include quality antiques, American-made pottery, or other items related to pottery collecting or other period collectibles including furniture.
Expanding to include quality antiques opens the door to offer booth space square footage. The Booth Space option provides sellers the opportunity to design their own display and include period antiques like furniture for sale on the 2015 Show and Sale Floor Plan. The booths will be available in three sizes: Standard (10ft 6 inch W x 8ft D), Booth and Half (13ft W x 8ft D), and Double (21ft W x 8ft D).
“We are excited about these changes and hope that we will attract new Sellers who complement our existing sellers with American stoneware and complimentary pieces.” said RWCS President Larry Birks.
Mark your calendar now to come check out the Show and Sale, Saturday, July 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Red Wing High School at 2451 Eagle Ridge Drive, Red Wing MN. FREE ADMISSION and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!
To learn more about the RWCS Convention Show and Sale visit our website. If you interested in becoming a seller at the Red Wing Collectors Society Show and Sale, contact the RWCS business office at 800-977-7927 or email director@redwingcollectors.org.
Violet Louise Malmquist, 92, of Red Wing, died Tuesday, April 28, at Seminary Home in 
Red Wing
Published by the Red Wing Republican Eagle
She was born on Oct. 21, 1922, to Albert and Maud (Kells) Deden in Red Wing. She graduated from Red Wing Central High School in 1941.
Vi married her high school sweetheart, Royce Malmquist, in Red Wing on May 1, 1942. Following his service during World War II, the two settled down to build a business and start a much longed-for family in Red Wing. Vi helped with the bookkeeping for the family business, Malmquist Home Furnishings, and assisted customers with the interior design of their homes.
A charter member of the Red Wing Collectors Society, she and friends opened River Peddler Antiques in the St. James Hotel in Red Wing in 1981. Collecting Red Wing Pottery and antiques was a pastime she and Royce both enjoyed. Together they took trips around the world. After his retirement, they purchased a condo in Mesa, Ariz., and spent time there every winter for the next 15 years.
Vi liked to play golf and bridge with her many friends. Shopping, eating out and Sunday drives with Royce were her some of her favorite pleasures. Although German and English by ancestry, Vi favored the customs of her Swedish husband. Blue and yellow were her colors. Decorating and entertaining for the Christmas holidays were annual highlights.
Vi was a compassionate caregiver, and loving mother and grandmother. She was a member of First Lutheran Church, the Red Wing Women’s Study Club, the Red Wing Country Club, the Southwest Red Wingers, the P.E.O. Sisterhood and Red Wing Area Seniors, Inc.
Survivors include her son, Craig (Sandra) Malmquist of Red Wing; daughter, Nancy (Mark) Swanson of Red Wing; six grandchildren, Erika (Kyle) Rabine, Elise Malmquist, Ian (Kingkane) Malmquist, Evan Malmquist, Sara (Jay) Underhill and Sam Swanson; seven great-grandchildren; brother, Robert (Mona) Deden of Centennial, Colo.; nieces and a nephew.
Her husband, Royce preceded her in death on June 24, 2007.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 7, at First Lutheran Church in Red Wing, with Reverend Jack Nordgaard officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the time of the service at the church.
Memorials are preferred to First Lutheran Church or Red Wing Area Seniors, Inc.
Funeral arrangements are through Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.