Question:
What is the value of my set of Hearthstone Beige dinnerware? The service for eight includes:
8 dinner plates
8 luncheon plates
8 cups with handles
8 saucers
8 sauce dishes
1 salt and pepper
1 butter with lid
1 sugar with lid
1 lg. platter
1 small platter
1 oval relish dish
1 round bowl
All in excellent condition except the creamer has 2 tiny nicks on the lip. I purchased these as I gift for my parents during the strike of 67 when I was warned not to park in the parking lot as there might be nails in it. Even though I was working in Hastings, I was unaware of the strike. A couple of years ago I got this set back. Please give me some idea of the value. Thank you. Gerri Wilson
Answer:
Hearthstone Beige and Hearthstone Orange were introduced mid-1966 and were made exclusively for sale at Sears retail stores. They were two of six patterns in the Ceramastone line and were among the last dinnerware patterns produced by Red Wing. Both patterns were made for only about a year because Red Wing Potteries closed in 1967. From your description of events it appears you purchased this set at the Red Wing Pottery Salesroom rather than from Sears. Because of the short production life and because the orange version sold better, Hearthstone Beige is quite difficult to find today. But it also isn’t highly sought by collectors so values are not especially high. An antique shop would price your set around $250 to $400, assuming excellent condition. Pieces that are damaged or show significant wear from use have considerably less value.
Larry