Jerry had a passion for Red Wing Pottery, but he had a special enthusiasm for what would come to be called Art Pottery. As the production of utilitarian stoneware began to diminish, Red Wing, like other potteries had to diversify the wares it offered. Between 1929 and 1967 the company produced nearly 2,000 pieces of glazed art pottery in an astonishing number of shapes, sizes, and colors. The Schleich Pottery Collection has on display literally hundreds of art pottery pieces that give visitors a sense of not only how important such pottery was to Red Wing, but to the millions of people who purchased it as decorations for their homes, yards, and gardens.

Art pottery was produced using molds and grew out of the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th Century. There were different categories of art pottery both expensive and lower priced items that were produced for the masses. Red Wing art pottery was of the latter category – affordable pieces that anyone could purchase. The majority of art pottery Red Wing manufactured was vases, but the company offered an extensive list of other pieces, which included:

Ashtrays and ash receivers	Figurines of both animals and people
Bowls	Candle holders
Lamps	Planters
Decorative dishes	Specialty pieces

Some of the earliest examples of art pottery were brush ware and those pieces were in production by the turn of the century. Around 1906 Red Wing produced what it officially called Brushed Ware. In a way, Brushed Ware was a combination of stoneware and the art pottery to come. Made from stoneware clay, the brushed ware pieces were formed using a mold then coated with a colored stain that was quickly “brushed” off revealing the clay underneath. Rough in texture like the stoneware, brush ware pieces were decorated with often intricate leaves, scenery, animals, cherubs, or geometric motifs and such patterns lent themselves to high relief molding, accentuating the various designs. On the Home Page is the beautiful bread box, a superb example of brushed ware. Interiors of brush ware pottery were coated with a solid glaze that gave a shiny, smooth contrast to the rough texture on the outside of the pottery.

In 1929 the era of glazed art pottery officially began with Red Wing announcing the debut of what it called Art Ware. The most unique art pottery in this early period was called Nokomis, which referenced the glaze, which was primarily a matte finish. The line consisted mostly of vases in mixed earth tones of tan, green, gray, and copper. There were apparently problems with Nokomis concerning its glaze which was both hard to produce and apply, and its color which was derided in pottery trade publications as resembling “the weather-beaten face of Hiawatha’s grandmother” whose name was Nokomis in Longfellow’s famous poem. By 1934 Nokomis was on its way out, but limited production has made it one of Red Wing’s most sought after glazes.

As the era of art pottery was getting under way at Red Wing, so was the Great Depression which meant the company was losing money. In 1932 the company hired George Rumrill who had made a name for himself as a terrific salesman working for other pottery manufacturers. Rumrill Pottery was made exclusively by Red Wing from 1932 to 1937 and the museum showcases many of these beautiful pieces. These are the Rumrill nudes from the Athena Group and the museum even has a nude once owned by the actress Mae West. Rumrill Pottery offers a literal rainbow of colors including lilac, numerous shades of green, blue, turquoise, pink, and goldenrod to name just a few. Another interesting fact about the Rumrill line is that the pottery utilized blended glazes for a very distinctive look.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Red Wing Potteries began long-term relationships with two of its most influential designers. The first was Belle Kogan, a prominent New York industrial designer, who was commissioned by Red Wing to design 150 pieces in 1938. From that group the company selected 100 for production, which became known as the “Kogan 100”. Two years later in 1940 Red Wing commissioned Kogan to design the Magnolia Group, ornately decorated pieces with magnolia blossoms in relief.

The second designer who had a defining impact on Red Wing Pottery was Charles Murphy, a talented artist and designer the company hired in 1940. During his tenure, Murphy would design pieces as diverse as cookie jars, figurines, vases, planters, and clocks among others. Jerry and Louise formed a friendship with Murphy’s widow Marie in the late 1990s, and her knowledge and expertise provided additional perspectives on the exhibits of his work.

During the 1950s Red Wing began marketing new styles that heralded the modernism of the period. A sleek, linear no frills approach was central to many of the designs whether they be vases, bowls, planters, ashtrays, or dinnerware. Color was also distinctive of the period and they were bright – pink, turquoise, green, and yellow – and many had a series of new Fleck glazes applied for a more textured look that were introduced around 1954. Also prominent during this period were ashtrays. Ashtrays came in the form of animals, geometric shapes, teepees, and specialty designs. Long before the concept of “no smoking areas” ashtrays were a Red Wing staple and by 1957 ashtrays had their own page in the company catalogue.

Belle Kogan's Prismatique

In 1962 Belle Kogan designed one of Red Wing’s most unique and popular art pottery lines known as Prismatique. According the Minnesota Historical Society, Kogan found inspiration for the line at the dentist’s office in the faceted geometry of a tooth’s roots. Kogan developed a cardboard model of the sharp, angular design that served as the basis for the line. Prismatique came in 15 different shapes finished in five different glazes. The museum exhibits numerous pieces from the Prismatique line, part of which can be seen in the photo at left.

The museum chronicles every era of Red Wing Art Pottery from the earliest brush ware to the sleek curves and sharp lines of the last pieces manufactured in the 1960s. Also on display are many of the specialty items Red Wing produced to commemorate important events or as part of a company’s promotional campaign. Other special pieces include those made to commemorate Minnesota’s Centennial, Baseball’s All Star Game played in Minneapolis in 1965 and the Minnesota Twins playing in the World Series that same year.

Whether you’re a casual or serious collector of pottery, history buff, or simply curious, the Schleich Red Wing Pottery Museum offers something of interest for nearly everyone.

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