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From: Chris Jonus Chris.jonus@trw.com winona mn
Date: 29 Jul 2004
Time: 15:24:17
I quit the RWCS a few years ago due to the snobbiness going on. I was so sick of the Have's looking down thier noses at the have nots. I have been collecting stoneware of all kinds for almost 20 years, and for a guy who is only 36, thats a hell of a long time. I currently have only one piece of red wing in my collection of over 300 Pieces. The reason? Well first off, people seem to think its a status symbol to pay outragous prices for even common pieces. You can practically fall off your chair right now and land on a 2 gallon winged piece, but everyone will clammer to buy it for $100. Why is this? I am into the collecting as much as the next guy or gal, but to see people trying to make an impression on others by how much was spent on a piece is sad. I have easily 200 pieces in my collection that are a hell of alot rarer than anything Red Wing that I have ever had a chance to buy. All Salt Glazed beauties, and all older than anything red wing could have ever dreamt of making. I love REd WIng Stoneware, very beautiful stuff, but so common around these parts its sad, and like I mentioned before, too high priced. It dawned on me the last convention I was at(98), that this whole red wing collecting is nothing more than a Dog and Pony show. A chance to one up the next big shot, and definitely not a chance to be heard or considered a Freind, or a fellow collector. The attitude in general was horrid, the prices outragous, and at the end of the day, I had had enough of those folks who thought their shit, and collections were better than me. Well, in the end, I still collect stoneware, but I have a very bad taste in my mouth when it comes to thinking about how the RWCS in general acts to others, and especially to people they do not "know" as a knowledgeable stoneware collector. Case in pont: how many of you still think the Rust or Blue banded advertising rolling pins are made by Red Wing? At that last convention, I tried my best to correct a seller as to the mislabeling of one such rolling pin. You would have swore I just kicked their kid in the teeth! Truth be known, and very well documented I might add, they were made by western Stoneware in the years 1915-16. but since of course all stoneware was made by red wing(turn on sarchasm here), it just could not be true, and because I am just a lowly know nothing, I was the one who was verbally attacked and told to get away from the table they were selling stuff from. Nice attitude people! And I realise that not all members are this way, I have to say that the general attitude from most was this way. Last time I attened, last time I sent in a membership due, and last time I will ever try to correct a red wing collector. To each their own I guess, you can spend all of your money on your precious red wing, I will keep tot he things I collect. its sad to see that nothing has changed in the 6 years I have been gone.