Question:
I have inherited a complete service for 12 of the Red Wing Golden Viking pattern (Futura Line). I believe this was produced in 1955. Can you tell me how I can determine pricing so I can sell these dishes? Thanks Nancy

Answer:
Nancy, The best price guide currently available is "Red Wing Dinnerware Price and Identification Guide" by Ray Reiss. It’s a 40 page softcover book that retails for $12.95. It is available at shops that sell books about antiques and collectibles, or can be ordered directly from the author via his website: http://www.rayreiss.com/property.html. Be sure to obtain the most recent price guide, which was released in 2003.

Keep in mind a price guide is just that — a guide, not a list of absolute values. Antique dealers will offer you prices well below the "list price" because they need to resell the items and realize some profit to stay in business. Finding a collector to buy an entire set can be difficult, especially if you hope to sell for top dollar. A significant discount is usually necessary. Selling individual pieces yourself may fetch top dollar for the most desirable items (accessory pieces such as pitchers, teapots, S&P shakers, etc) but could leave you holding the more common serving pieces (plates, bowls, cups) without a buyer. Selling pieces individually will also likely take more time and effort on your part. These are all factors. There is no right or wrong way, it’s a matter of what works best for you and your situation. Larry

Question:
I recently inheritted a set of my grandparents Red Wing BRITTANY ware. Though it’s extensive, some pieces– such as sugar bowl and some tea cups– are missing. Can you refer me to someone, or a company, from which I can purchase pieces? I’ve tried Replacements.com, but they don’t have anything. Thanks! Erik

Answer:
Erik, While I’m happy to identify Red Wing dinnerware and provide an estimate of value, I am not willing to attempt to connect buyers and sellers. My recommendation of specific seller would not be fair to others who might also have the item for sale, some of whom are likely members of the organization that sponsors this website. Brittany pieces are readily available in antique shops and eBay. In fact I’m quite certain I saw a Brittany sugar bowl listed on eBay within the past couple of days. You could also place a classified ad in the RWCS newsletter or a free ad on the Wing Tips website. Larry

Question: {mosimage}
I inherited many pieces of ? redwing pottery. I know the water pitcher is redwing because it is marked. The 21 mugs, creams & covered sugars, salt & pepper set, and onion soup bowls / individual casserole bowls are not marked. Do they look like real redwing and did redwing not mark all the items made? Thanks for any help you can give me, Ruth

Answer:
Ruth, The photo included with your question shows five items. The creamer shown in front to the left side is from Red Wing’s Bakeware pattern. This pattern is commonly called "Oomph" due to misinterpretation of a company brochure. The sugar bowl in the middle of the back row is from the same pattern but has the wrong cover — it should be brown rather than green. The other items in the photo (mug, S&P shakers, small casserole) are not Red Wing. You’ll notice the green color seems a bit more blue than on the Red Wing pieces. "Louisville" is the name I’ve seen used for these pieces, although I’m not sure if that is the name of the pattern or the pottery that made them.

Red Wing’s Bakeware and Village Green patterns, as well as "Louisville" and perhaps other patterns, feature a combination of dark brown and green colors. They are easily confused with each other, and it is very common to find these patterns mixed and combined in a single collection. Perhaps the original owners preferred certain designs from each of these patterns and combined them?

It’s true that Red Wing did not mark all of their items. Larger items tend to be marked more frequently than smaller ones but there is little consistency from pattern to pattern, or even within the same pattern. Thanks, Larry

Question:
I have a pair of 4 1/2" Trader Vic S&P shakers that were purchased about 20 years ago. They resemble standing pagan, stone gods and are brownish-gray color. Did Redwing make these? Do they have any colletable value? Also: Did Redwing make any early-day Bird Figurines. Many thanks, Ed

Answer:
Ed, We have a pair of the same Trader Vic S&P shakers and I’m quite certain they were not made by Red Wing. The glaze, color and clay don’t fit with other Red Wing items, and they don’t have the right "feel". I’ve seen no documentation that Red Wing made these. Trader Vic contracted with several different companies to make items, and I believe that applies to these shakers.

Trader Vic items are definitely collectable. I really can’t give an accurate value for these but if pressed I’d estimate the value to be in the $25 to $50 range. thanks, Larry

Question:
I have a pitcher, it is light turquoise in color. On the bottom it says Red Wing 547. There are no other distinguishing marks on it. Is it an antique? Mara

Answer:
Mara, There is no reason to think your 547 pitcher is not an original Red Wing item. The 547 ball pitcher was a staple of the Red Wing line-up for many years. As a dinnerware item, the Red Wing 547 pitcher is a part of the Gypsy Trail "Plain" pattern. However, production continued long after most other Plain pieces had been discontinued. The 547 pitcher was also made for RumRill; those pitchers are marked RUMRILL 547 or RUMMRILL 547 and are usually colored with art pottery glazes.

The 547 ball pitcher does not appear in the earliest Gypsy Trail brochures but does appear beginning about 1938. RumRill 547 pitchers were no doubt made prior to this time. Production with the Red Wing name continued on until the mid to late 1940s.

Turquoise is one of the standard Gypsy Trail colors, and 547 pitchers in turquoise are fairly common. The value of such a pitcher in excellent condition would be $25 to $40. Thanks, Larry

Question:
Friar Tuck Cookie Jar 10 1/2\" high x 6\" base – (5\" lid)yellow with beige trim.
1. Do you know where one can be purchased?
2. What would be the cost to purchase Friar Tuck?
3. About when were they made?
Thank you. PJ

Answer:
The Friar Tuck cookie jar was introduced in 1941, along with the Katrina and Pierre the Chef cookie jars. These jars were very popular and sold well for many years. The endpoint for production is uncertain. However, a July 1955 price list includes the Chef but not the Friar or Katrina. This list also introduces the King of Tarts and Carousel cookie jars. I believe the cookie jar line-up was changed at this point, with the Friar and Katrina discontinued in favor of new models.

These jars were made in several colors, and current prices reflect the scarcity of the color. Yellow with beige trim is the most common and thus would command lower prices than other colors. The condition of the jar is another important factor when pricing these jars. Chips and cracks are very common, as are greasy stains from the cookies stored in the jar. Despite the high production numbers, finding these jars today without a chip, crack or stain can be a challenge.

A yellow Friar Tuck would retail for around $100 to $125 in excellent condition. The damage described above reduces the value significantly. Friar Tuck and his companion cookie jars are routinely available on eBay, and the yellow jars usually sell for under $100. While I cannot suggest any specific shop, this jar shouldn’t be too difficult to find in antique shops. They are definitely available out there. Thanks, Larry

Question:
I have a 6 place settings of the Red Wing pattern-MAGIC LEAF. A photo of the pattern is on your website. What can you tell me about the pattern.
1. when and where was it made, history of the pattern
2. what is the value of the set, which includes sugar, creamer, vegetable dish and platter.
3. Are there people seeking to purchase this pattern?
thank you

Answer:
The current value for a Leaf Magic dinner plate in excellent
condition is $25 to $50.

Question:
In the 1940’s in Minnesota my mother purchased service for 12 dinnerware in the Morning Glory Red pattern. Some pieces are now missing are slightly chipped or crazed, but I’d like to find out how much they might be worth and where to go to get the best price for them. She has the large dinner plates (these have the most wear), salad plates, cups & saucers, buffet trays (dinnerware designed for putting your food and cup on the same plate) as well as a couple of casseroles, and some other serving pieces. I see a fair amount of the blue morning glory on eBay, etc. but not much of the red. Any info you can give be would be most welcome. Thanks!

Answer:
Morning Glory Pink is a pretty pattern but doesn’t seem to be highly
collected. Supply appears to be greater than the demand. Common
plates, cups, saucers and bowls don’t attract much attention or many
dollars. Value for these in excellent condition would be in the $5 to
$10 range. Chipped or cracked pieces will have minimal value.

Less common pieces such as your buffet trays (Red Wing called them
Supper Service trays) have greater value. These trays were made in
two sizes: 10.5" rounded square (similar shape to the dinner plate)
and 12" x 9" rectangular shape. Both of these were divided into
three sections and had a place to rest a cup. In excellent condition
the value of these trays would be in the $25 to $35 range apiece.
Casseroles in excellent condition are worth around $25.

I don’t advise people on how to sell their items. eBay is an obvious
option but involves some work for the seller. A local auction house
may be a possibility if it attracts Red Wing collectors. An antique
dealer may purchase your entire set but will not offer retail
prices. Consignment shops are another option. Consignment sellers
are also becoming more prevalent on eBay; you simply drop off your
items and let the consignment seller handle the rest. Of course the
seller takes a cut of the sale so you realize less in return. Each
option has pros and cons. You need to decide what is most important
to you — quick sale of all items, little or no work, highest
possible price, etc. Thanks Jeff and Sue

Question:
I’m looking for a home for a couple of pieces of Redwing pottery. I have a 15" Redwing Pottery Bobwhite pitcher and a roughly L-shaped 14" by 10" Bobwhite two-section serving bowl, both of which miraculously survived my college years and several decades of storage in my attic. Both are un-chipped, although the pitcher does appear to have a 3/8" hairline discoloration adjacent to the spout although the glaze appears intact. Could you tell me what they might be worth?

Answer:
Peter, I found no photo included with your question, but I’ll work with your descriptions. The L-shaped two-section dish sounds like a divided vegetable dish. Shops often ask around $50 for them but the ones I’ve seen at auction usually sell in the $20 to $30 range.

Bob White water pitchers (with an ice stop) were made in two sizes. The 60 oz size is about 11.5 inches high while the 112 oz size is about 14.5 inches high. There is also a beverage server with stopper; it has a flat rim (no ice stop) and is about 12.5 inches high. If your 15 inch measurement is accurate you have a large 112 oz water pitcher, which is a relatively difficult piece to find. Prices seem to range widely for this pitcher. I’ve seen them sell for under $50 and for more than $150 in excellent condition. A good ballpark value would be around $100. The hairline in your pitcher will reduce the value by 25 to 50%. Without a photo it’s impossible for me to assess the damage. Larry

Question:
Hello! Very excited to find the RWCS site! My mother had the Red Wing Lotus Bronze set (pretty much a full set), and I am trying to replace it … starting from scratch. I have purchased a couple pieces via eBay (it’s the piecemeal delivery charges that are killing me! driving the prices up more than twice the price). I wonder if there is a better way to do this. Should I plan a trip to MN and go through the shops? Or, is the convention a better route in the summer? It breaks my heart I no longer have the set, which I love dearly. Any ideas? Many thanks, Mary Zimnik, Atlanta, GA

P.S. This is a dumb question, I know. Once I have the set, is it okay to use it? I know they need to be washed by hand, and I would only use for special occasions, but is it considered, in general, the idea that these collectables are to be used? THANKS!

Answer:
Mary, Ebay can be a great source for Red Wing dinnerware, but as you state the shipping charges can kill you. Lotus dinnerware is relatively inexpensive but it is heavy — the shipping could easily be more than the purchase price. And of course there’s always concern your purchase may arrive as a box of shards rather the dinnerware you expected.

Fortunately the Lotus pattern was made in large numbers and most pieces are quite easy to find. No guarantees of course, but undoubtedly you’d find Lotus available in antique and second-hand shops in MN and surrounding states. And no doubt there will be Lotus dinnerware at the RWCS convention and the many sales that take place in town that week. Somewhere along the way you’ll probably even be lucky enough to find most of the pieces you seek in one location. But where will that be? Who knows?

And there you have the two opposite ways to seek your Red Wing prey: The ease of shopping eBay from your computer, with the expensive and risk of shipping. Or the thrill of hunting out in the marketplace, with no guarantee that your travel time and expense will reap any reward.

You might consider placing a classified ad in the RWCS newsletter or on the Wing Tips website. You might just might reach the person who has what you seek, and if you are really lucky you’ll be able to complete your transaction enroute to Red Wing or at the convention.

But if that fails, you’ll have to resort to hunting in the shops the old fashioned way. Remember, the hunt is at least half the fun of collecting. I tend to seek out common pieces in shops and at auctions, and use eBay to find the more difficult pieces I need.

Once you have your set of Lotus, there’s no reason you shouldn’t use it. Special occasions are fine, but some people (like my family) use Red Wing for our everyday dishes. Try to obtain a few extra pieces on the cheap so you’ll have a spare if one gets damaged in use. Handwashing your collectable dishes is obviously the safe way to go rather than a dishwasher. Good luck! Larry