Question:

Hello,
I’m a new Red Wing collectors member.  I have a set of Red Wing that I believe to be Eva Zeisel, Town and Country.  We bought it at auction and that is the way it was presented.  I currently have it for sale on one of the Internet sites, and a viewer is telling me that the set is not Eva Zeisel.  Could you take a look at the photo’s attached please, and perhaps provide me more information about whether this is Town and Country or not?  Thanks in advance.  I’d also like to know what it might be worth – I estimated but it would be great to have an expert opinion.  One piece does have a hairline crack that goes all the way through the bowl.
 
Stephanie

Answer:

The Town & Country dinnerware pattern was the only design that Eva Zeisel produced for Red Wing Potteries.  The items in the photos are not from the Town & Country pattern and were not designed by Eva Zeisel.  Town & Country pieces were not marked, not were they available with the beige fleck glaze.  Most likely they were designed by Charles Murphy.   Red Wing made a number of pieces with three legs in the late 1950s, and the beige fleck glaze was popular from the mid 1950s through the end of production in 1967.  They are not part of any Red Wing dinnerware line, so I am not familiar with them.  I’d guess the value to be $30 to $40 for the large bowl and $10 to $20 for the small bowls, but that is only an educated guess.

Larry

Question:

Hello!  I recently came across a set of a bowl, plate and saucer with the Red Wing mark on the bottom.  Some of the edges have some small dings hut no cracks or major problems.  I then found a small teacup that seemed to match the design but had no markings on the bottom. I was wondering if this is a match and if so what might this set be worth?  Many thanks, meredith

Answer:

The cactus-themed Desert pattern is very popular with collectors and not easy to find. Desert was one of two pattern in the Fancy Free line, the other was Caprice. The Fancy Free patterns were designed by Belle Kogan, a well-known designer from New York who produced many art pottery designs for Red Wing and also a few dinnerware patterns. Fancy Free plates and bowls featured a rolled rim that was very susceptible to chipping. Pieces in mint condition are scarce. These patterns were introduced in 1952 and were made for only a brief period, thus they are rather scarce today.

The photo shows a cup and saucer from the Desert pattern as well as two bowls. No dimensions were provided for the bowls, so I cannot be sure which of the four bowl sizes are represented here. 

Cup & saucer:  $30 to $40

Fruit dish 5.5 inches: $20-30

Cereal bowl 6×7 inches: $25-35

Rim Soup bowl 8 inches: $30-40

Nappy 9 inches:  $50-60

All values are for items in excellent, undamaged condition.  Damage reduces the value by 25 to 75% or more, depending on the extent and location of the damage. 

Larry