Question:
Hello, My name is Rick Haggart. I was wondering if these Red Wing French Onion Soup Bowls are collectible. My Grandmother bought them quite a long time ago and I somehow inherited them. Thank you, Rick Haggart

Answer:
A Red Wing brochure lists your small handled dish as a "Petite Marmite", or individual casserole. Your marmite is from the Provincial Cooking Ware line, made in the 1940s during the World War II years. The line included only baking pieces such as casseroles, stock or bean pots, marmites, and open baking dishes. The exteriors are bisque (unglazed), the interiors and covers have a rust-colored glaze, and the sides are marked "Red Wing Provincial Cooking Ware" along with a stock number (on your piece, 22). The bisque exteriors were impossible to keep clean, and surviving pieces today usually have a very dirty appearance.

The values for Provincial Cooking Ware are rather low as they include only baking items and thus don’t attract much interest from collectors, who generally prefer full dinnerware sets. From your photo it appears your marmite is in excellent condition and perhaps has never been used. The piece would would be worth $20 to $25 if it is free from chips and cracks and is as clean as it appears to be in the photo.

Larry