Monthly Archives: May 2015

Kuhlmann butter crock

Question:

Good Morning,

I was wondering if you could give me a little history and a value on this crock?

Thanking you in advance

Tracy

Answer:

Tracy, from what I know, your Kuhlmann butter crock was produced anywhere from 1909 to the 1920’s or even early 30’s.  Kuhlmann had two stores on Lake street in Chicago and most of there advertising butter crocks were under 2 & 3 gallons.  Also, to have a red wing on your Kuhlmann butter crock is a tough find and makes it much more collectable.   If your 2 gallon Kuhlmann butter crock is free of all chips, cracks, hairlines, & stains, the value would be in the area of $1200 to $1500.   Al Kohlman

Earnest Sohn Water Jar

Question:

Hello,

I am not sure is this is the correct way to contact your organization concerning a question I have but I thought that I would start here.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

I have a E.S USA water jar/cooler?  It appears to be about 1-2 gallon size.  It is green and in the style of the Butter Mold.  I have found so many of his pieces online but nothing

like the jar I have.  I wanted to know where I might find information about it as well as where I might possible find a lid? It is the only thing missing.

Thanks in advance,

Richard

Answer:

“E.S. USA” was the mark used for Ernest Sohn’s Butter Mold line.  Ernest Sohn was a well-known designer who contracted with various businesses to make products for his sales company. He specialized in serving pieces and buffet sets, not full dinnerware patterns. His dealings with Red Wing were not well documented, but the pottery produced at least two lines of dinnerware items for Sohn. “Butter Mold” is the name of the line to which your piece belongs. It consisted of serving pieces such as pitchers, teapots, casseroles, bowls, platters, etc. The pieces had a ribbed effect in the glaze, similar to Red Wing’s Village Green line. Butter Mold colors were dark brown, dark green, or yellow (uncommon). Each piece was marked with a design taken from a vintage butter mold. The design featured a fern and leaves enclosed by 5 rings, and included the letters ” E.S. USA”. Production years are uncertain but most likely fall between the late 1950s and early 1960s. An ad for Sohn’s Butter Mold line appeared in a February 1961 magazine.

To my knowledge no vintage documentation or sales brochure for the Butter Mold line has surfaced, so we don’t know how Sohn named and marketed his items.  It’s safe to say your item is a beverage dispenser or water cooler. The butter mold design appears twice on this piece; once as a decoration on the front (without E.S.USA) and again on the bottom complete with E.S. USA.  Value for this piece in excellent condition complete with cover and spigot would be around $150.  Your item lacks a cover, which will reduce the value by at least half.  Sorry but I have no idea where you might find a cover.  It’s a dilemma faced by all collectors who seek missing parts for a prized piece.

I’ve included two photos.  The first shows this item complete with cover and the second shows the full Butter Mold mark on the bottom.

 

 

 

Minnesota Stoneware Company 5 gallon birch leaf butter churn

Question:

I have a Union Crock that belonged to my Grandmother (lived in Gibbon MN). I’m trying to get some information on the age and it’s value (it has a chip in the top edge, shown in the photo). I believe she used this for making pickles.

Thanks

Mike

Answer:

Mike, your grandmother has a Minnesota Stoneware Company 5 gallon birch leaf butter churn that was produced between 1906 & 1909.  With the small chip on the rim the value is between $150 & $175.     Al Kohlman

3 gallon Red Wing salt glazed single P with ribs butter churn

Question:

Hello,

The attached pictures are of a butter churn that has been in our family for many years.

I know very little about these items and am not even sure if it’s a “Red Wing”

I’m hoping maybe someone there can tell me some more about it (age, brand, value, etc)

I appreciate you time,

Bob

Answer:

Bob, you have a 3 gallon Red Wing salt glazed single P with ribs butter churn.  The lid is the wrong size and would be for a 4 or 5 gallon churn.  You family churn was produced between 1870 & 1895 or so. If in perfect condition the value is in the area of $275 TO $350.  The lid with the chips, $50 to $75.  Hope this was helpful.  Al Kohlman

RWCS Opens Keynote Session on the Little Brown Jug Book to Public

Red Wing, MN – The Red Wing Collectors Society is inviting the general public to hear its Annual Convention keynote speaker Ken Magee, co-author of The Little Brown Jug: The Michigan-Minnesota Football Rivalry The keynote is slated for Thursday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School.Kenneth-Magee.JPG

During his writing of the book, Magee contacted RWCS Executive Director Stacy Wegner for information on the Little Brown Jug. Wegner provided Magee with all the information the RWCS had previously published and connected him with collectors as well.

“From Ken’s first contact, I knew he would be a great speaker for our Convention. With the Minnesota Gophers recently winning the jug back from Michigan, it’s perfect timing!” said Wegner.

After the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers’ win last fall, Wegner asked the RWCS Board of Directors to open the keynote session up to the public. This unique invitation has only been done a few times in the past for speakers like Kathy Wurzer, author of Tales of the Road; the Highway 61 story, and Eva Zeisel, designer of Red Wing’s Town and Country dinnerware line.

The RWCS Board of Directors recognized that the excitement of the recent Little Brown Jug win by Minnesota and approved opening the keynote slated for Thursday, July 9 at 10:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School.

“We are very excited to have Ken Magee bring the story of one of the most famous jugs to ever come out of Red Wing, the ‘traveling trophy’ brown jug of the Minnesota – Michigan football rivalry,” said RWCS President Larry Birks. “So many folks from Red Wing are familiar with this jug and because of the rivalry between these two teams, so we’re opening Ken’s keynote address to anyone who would like to hear about the famous jug that is treasured by the winning team each year at the annual football match-up.”

Magee’s book contains more than 200 images that have been donated from the private collections of local sports enthusiasts, photographers and libraries. Many of the myths and stories that surround the famous Little Brown Jug trophy are examined and corrected, and various other tales are revealed for the first time.

Magee will bring a limited number of his book along with some event-only souvenirs for attendees to purchase after his presentation. The book costs $20.00 and a portion of the profits from sales are being donated to the Ken Magee Foundation for Cops, which benefits police officers permanently injured in the line of duty, and their families, to attend Michigan Football games, all expenses paid.

Currently, Wegner is in negotiations with the University of Minnesota to have the original Little Brown Jug on display for the 2015 Convention. They hope to secure the jug for display during Magee’s presentation.

Mark your calendar now to come and learn more about the facts and stories about the Little Brown Jug on Thursday, July 9 at 1:30 a.m. at Red Wing High School at 2451 Eagle Ridge Drive, Red Wing, MN. Admission for Magee’s presentation is free and open to the public.

Red Wing salt glazed 2 gallon target marked crock

Question:

Hi..I was wondering what you could tell me about my crock, it has a dark brown/black glaze inside an 2 tiny chips off the inside rim..what would its value be?

Answer:

Tom, you have a Red Wing salt glazed 2 gallon target marked crock that was produced sometime between 1877 & 1895.  The value is between $100 & $125.  Al Kohlman

Red Wing Stoneware 2 gallon drop 8 with quotations salt glazed crock

Question:

Hi. This is a 4(pretty sure)gallon crock. It kind of looks like the drop eight Mark is on it. There are no “red wing” stamps on it. There are no markings on the bottom at all. There are no chips or cracks on it. A friend of mine gave me this crock when she moved. It was given to her in potter valley, CA 30-40 years ago.

I am so curious about this crock! Is it redwing? Is it some other brand? How old is it? How much is it worth? Any info that you have about this crock would be very much appreciated! Thanks so much for your time, Amy

Answer:

Amy, you have a Red Wing Stoneware 2 gallon drop 8 with quotations salt glazed crock.  The markings are a little week, however still a nice piece.  Value would be around $100 in perfect condition.  Al Kohlman

Collection of Stoneware

Question:

Hi my name is Kyle and I have a couple of red wing stoneware items that I don’t know much about and the value I was wondering if you could help me out by me sending u photos of them they all are in good conditions . I have attached the pictures of the stoneware I have and I appreciate your time Thank you.

Answer:

Kyle, your 5 gallon stoneware crock is not a Red Wing piece.  Also from the photo I can see a crack in the front.  Not being Red Wing  I have no idea of value. Also, you stated that both pieces are in good condition.  Having a crack is not good.  Whatever value it would be in perfect condition, that crack would reduce the value to half that.  So be sure to be honest with a buyer if you plan to sell a piece. Condition means everything and by not stating it, could generate problems for you selling pieces in the future as word travels fast.  Now the 3 gallon looks to be Red Wing from the photo you send me.  If in perfect condition the value would be between  $125 & $140.  Al Kohlman

Art Pottery Bowl shape 903

Question:

We bought this Fondoso item for $18 yesterday at a flea market. We have a considerable number of Gypsy Trail pieces, but have never seen this, and it does not appear in any of our books. We thought it might be a casserole, but the rim is not flat to support a lid and it’s a little too shallow.

The inside has cloud-like whitish areas, which may be the result of its having been used as a planter and minerals having leached out of the soil, or it might have come that way from the factory. The dimensions are 12x5x2.5.

Can you identify the purpose and name of this item, whether it is a standard piece, and its approximate value? There is no damage. Thank you.

Barbara & Jim

Answer:

At least three items with the Fondoso design were sold as art pottery pieces rather than dinnerware.  Thus they don’t appear with other Fondoso items in modern books and guides because they weren’t included in the vintage dinnerware catalogs that are the basis for those books.

Art pottery price lists from 1940 and 1941 include your bowl as shape 903. The price list includes only shape number and cost, so I don’t know what Red Wing may have named this piece.  Most likely it was intended to serve as a table centerpiece or planter.  Shape 904 was a pair of candlesticks with the Fondoso design (similar in size and shape to the small Fondoso salt & pepper shakers).  Shape 974 was an 8.5 inch bowl, which was essentially a Fondoso casserole without a cover.

The white areas inside your bowl are residue from a previous use, most likely as a planter.  This is a common issue with planters and vases.  The value for a 903 bowl in excellent condition is around $50.  The whitish residue may reduce the value somewhat.

Larry

Red Wing 5 gallon double handle beehive jug

Question:

I don’t know the condition of the item but I was curious what the value of these threshing jugs are?

Thanks, Dru

Answer

Dru, this 5 gallon jug is not a Threshing jug as it has no spigot hole.  It is a Red Wing 5 gallon double handle beehive jug.  With just the number 5 and no wing and oval. the value is around $200 to $250 or so.  Al Kohlman