Question:

 Hi,

 My name is keri Reinert , my husband found a wm randoms micro killer jug, and 2 other stone where jugs, pictures attached.  These pics are when they were first found their in the process of being cleaned.. What can you tell me about them, and maybe what there worth.  Or what I should look for to identify them.. I can not find another micro killer jug like this one..

Keri

Answer:

Keri, On your  Wm Randoms micro jug, it all depends on condition and if it is signed on the bottom.   In perfect condition and bottom signed, $175 to $200.  Not bottom signed $75 to $100.  The brown top tomato jug could be Western or Red Wing.  Just can’t see enough of it to tell.  Not being decorated nor any advertising and the value is around $15.   Hope this helps.  Al Kohlman

Question:

Hello,

I was hoping you may be able to help me value/price this item.  My grandfather had given me this antique 2 gal red wing butter churner to sell @ a church garage sale (where all the profits are going to charity), but it didn’t sell. I was looking into selling it online but wanted to have a fair asking price for it.  Any way you’d be able to help in this matter (through valuation and what you think it may actually sell for)?

It’s in great condition. I don’t see any cracks on it.  Any help would greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Tiffany

Answer:

Tiffany, the values are down in today’s market.  With the lid your 2 gallon Red Wing churn would hold a realistic value between $200 & $250.    Hope this helps.  Al Kohlman

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