Question:

We have acquired a one gallon beehive jug, marked Minnesota Stoneware Co. What is the estimated value?  How can I tell if this jug is hand turned or molded?  Attached is a photo for your reference. Thanks for your comments.

—
Pete

Answer:

Peter, you Minnesota Stoneware Company jug is hand turned.  Being bottom signed and in perfect condition the value is between $60 & $70.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Yesterday while working my job as an operating engineer in Portland, Oregon we hit a buried garbage pit while excavating for a new building footing.  The pit was about four feet below the existing ground level and contained numerous broken bottles, ash, rusted out cans, etc, and I would guess to be 1940’s-1950’s era judging from the bottles.

One of my crew noticed something other than glass at the exposed edge of the excavation and investigated it, exposing the Red Wing logo and #4 of a stoneware crock.

We carefully unearthed the crock but expected to find it broken on the unexposed side.  We were quite surprised to find it intact with only a couple small chips at the base.

I took some photos with my phone and have attached them with this email.

Sincerely,

Eric

Answer:

Eric, nice little find here.   Your Red Wing Stoneware 4 gallon crock was produced between 1909 & 1915.  In the condition you described the value is right around $50.   Al Kohlman

Question:

Hi – 

I’m not sure if you can help me, I got this address from your site. I am not a collector, but I’ve had this very old vase for many years and am now need to part with it on eBay or elsewhere.

It is a Redwing Minnesota Stoneware Co., so I know it’s quite an early piece. I have never seen another one anywhere in my research, so I am not able to price this with any accuracy, as I have nothing to compare it with!  Could you help me?  Or perhaps recommend someone who could?  I’d be interested to know if this is, indeed, a vase. And what the interesting glaze is?  Is it a form of salt-glaze? I didn’t know if Redwing used that type. It’s has rust brown under-layer with a matte green oxide type wash over the stop…full of wonderful streaks and drips! (If you like that sort of thing, and I do!)  Some of the “spots” that didn’t cover with the wash show it had a slightly glossy layer underneath.

It has no chips,crazing or cracks.  It is 10″ tall and 5-3/4″ diameter at outside rim.

Thank you so much for any help you can give me.

Sincerely, Judith

Answer:

Judith, I am not sure what this is, but it is the second one I have seen.  I thought it was a molded straight sided wax sealer, however the top is wrong.  So what it is, I do not have an answer for you.   However, I do think that being bottom signed & salt glaze that the value is in the $200 range if it is cleaned up.  There looks to be quite a bit of lime deposit on it.  So before you list it on eBay, get some Lime-A-way gel toilet bowl cleaner or any gel toilet bowl cleaner that removes lime.  Cover the piece with the gel toilet bowl cleaner and let set for at least 10 minutes.  Put on vinyl gloves and with a green scratch pad scrub this piece completely inside and out.  The toilet bowl cleaner will not hurt the glaze.  When completely cleaned of all lime, list it on eBay with a number of pictures to cover all sides, top & bottom.  Start the auction low (maybe $25 or so).  Collectors will find it and whatever the top price for this piece is, collectors will take it there.  If you start to high, most collectors will back off and you end up holding it.  Hope all of this helps and I will be watching this piece when it hits eBay.  Good Luck!.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hello,
  I picked up these two 20 gallon, Northstar and Minnesota 20 gallon salt glazed crocks this weekend.  There are no chips at all but there is a hairline in each piece.  In pic#2 you can see a very tight hairline that runs through the 0 on the NS crock. It runs about 5 inches but the rest of the crock is mint.  On pic#3 you can see a tight hairline on the MS leaf crock that runs down to the bottom.  What do you think on value?
 
Take care!

Answer:

Dru, collectors do not like hairlines and that does indeed affect the values.  The 20 NorthStar Leaf, maybe $600 to $700.   Minnesota Leaf  $400 to $500.  Al Kohlman

Question:

I have a 30

Gallon red wong crock not one chip (can send pic) wanting an estimate. Thanks!

Answer:

Your 30 gallon Red Wing Crock is the older version, which is good.  Value $300 to $350.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hi,

I picked up this crock at a sale.  Can you tell me if it’s Red Wing and what it’s value may be.  There are no cracks or hairlines.  It does have a couple chips on the right molded handle.   Thanks!

Answer:

Yes, your 6 gallon elephant ear crock is Red Wing.  It was produced by the Minnesota Stoneware Company between 1895 & 1906.  Value in the condition you stated is $100 to $125.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hello, I was just given a #12 Redwing bowl from my father, and I am wondering if its woth anything and possibly around what year it was made.
My dad was born in 1952 and he says his grandma made bread in this everyday. Other th1an the photo attatched thats all I have foe info. Its in great shape with the exception of a little dirt. The bottom just has a 12 and the words Redwing U.S.A.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much.
Erin

Answer:

Erin, your father’s Red Wing White bowl with blue stripes was produced in the 1930’s.  In perfect condition it is valued in the area of $60 to $70.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hello, 

I found several pieces of what I believe to be Redwing Stoneware.  I have attached the photos and was wondering what you thought the value would be.  

The first photo is what I believe to be a Redwing Sponge bowl

The second photo has two pieces that I think are Redwing salt glaze.  There is what I think is a 6 gallon butter churn and there is another butter churn and the design looks like there are two butterflies on it.  Can you please send me any information that you have and what you think they might be worth?

Thank you for your time.

Marcus

Answer:

The bowl does appear to be Red Wing.  You did not indicate the size.  A 10 inch bowl would sell for around $150-175 in perfect condition.  The other stoneware items are not Red Wing.

Question:

Hi

I just purchased this crock and was wondering what sot a value it might have. There is some cracks on the bottom and few around the back side. Thanks  Mark

Answer:

The Red Wing lily decorated salt glazed crock is not very common.  With the damage you stated, value would be about $700-800.

Question:

can you tell me anything about it please?

Answer:

You have a Red Wing birch leaf crock made in the early 1900’s.  Some early pieces were sold through catalogs (such as Sears) and did not include the manufacturer’s mark