The Red Wing Stoneware Company, the Minnesota Stoneware Company, the Union Stoneware Company sales cooperative, and what remained only on paper of the North Star Stoneware Company all merged in March 1906 under the name The Red Wing Union Stoneware Company. The former RWSCo. and MSCo. factories became known as “Factory R” and “Factory M,” respectively.
In April, 1909 the company purchased the Plymouth Stoneware plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, which had been built and operated only one year previously by interests in Fort Dodge, Iowa who had been involved in the clay industry there. The ware from the Marshalltown plant was the same pair of rubber-stamped “birch leaves” used on USCo. and RWUSCo. pieces before 1909, but often turned sideways. A pair of “fleur-de-lis” flanked the capacity number, a tradition originated by the Fort Dodge Stoneware Co. The Marshalltown plant only operated under RWUSCo. Ownership until May, 1910, making those pieces of special interest to collectors.
The May 25, 1910 Red Wing Daily Republican newspaper contained an article describin g a display of locally produced products in a downtown storefront. Among items noted were examples of RWSCo. items with “… the new red wing trademark.”
This was the first known reference to the introduction of the emblem for which Red Wing stoneware became know to generations ever since.
Machine-turning of large ware ended anound 1917 as a regular production method in Red Wing. The product line continued to broaden, as additional types of items and variations of old standard ones were introduced. Art pottery and kitchenware became particularly important parts of total production. Ultimately, dinnerware lines were introduced in 1935.
