Belle Kogan and Charles Murphy: Designers at Red Wing Potteries
By Ron Linde | Published in the Red Wing Republican Eagle on 5 July 2007 • Click here to download the PDF With improved glass
The history of the Red Wing, Minnesota potteries began in 1877 with the production of utilitarian stoneware. Also produced from the beginning were some art ware pieces. Although there are examples of this earlier art ware, the first known catalog of art ware was distributed in 1894. This catalog included both unglazed and brushed ware items. These pieces would be the foundation of Red Wing art pottery and would eventually evolve to include lines of glazed and hand-painted pottery. From 1929 until 1967, the potteries in Red Wing produced nearly 2,000 shapes of art pottery in an astonishing variety of designs, sizes, and colors.
• View Red Wing Pottery, Glazed Ware Price List circa 1931
By Ron Linde | Published in the Red Wing Republican Eagle on 5 July 2007 • Click here to download the PDF With improved glass
By Ray Reiss | Published in the Red Wing Republican Eagle on 14 June 2007 • Click here to download the PDF Ray Reiss is
Story by RWCS Hall of Famer: Wendy Callicoat • Click here to download the PDF My passion for collecting Red Wing Stoneware began in the
The 1960’s brought tremendous challenge to the Red Wing pottery industry. In 1950 just 10% of the dinnerware was imported by the 1960’s, close to
Imports from Japan were making it difficult for Red Wing Potteries to stay profitable. That wasn’t the only issue at the time. Red Wing employees
Renown designer Eva Ziesel was hired by Red Wing Potteries in the mid-1940’s and developed the “Town and Country” dinnerware line. This was her only
In 1940, Charles Murphy was hired as design director. He first focused on new hand-painted dinnerware designs. He held night classes to find the best
Belle Kogan, a New York-based industrial designer, received her first Red Wing commission in 1938 to design 150 pieces. From these pieces, Red Wing chose
George Rumrill, founder of RumRill Potteries (1929) in Little Rock, AR, partnered with Red Wing Union Stoneware from 1932 to 1937 for manufacturing pottery in
Red Wing’s primary art pottery designers were Belle Kogan and Charles Murphy with Eva Zeisel designing one of her creations after her visit in Red
The 1929 Red Wing Stoneware catalog published the “Red Wing Line,” which included the established “Brushed Ware” and the new “Glazed Ware.” The line consisted
The “Artware Division” of the Red Wing Union Stoneware Company began in earnest in 1894 with the publication of a catalog listing an extensive line