From: Gary Tefft / locustent@aol.com
Location: Menomonee Falls, WI
Date: 11/28/99
Time: 10:26:29 AM
The Pantry Jars used the small wing almost exclusively, although I believe that I have seen one of the multiple-gallon (which are Extremely Rare, in themselves) jars with a large wing. The Beater jars were not related to the Pantry Jar line. The "classic" Red Wing beater jar didn't have a wing decoration.
The color, hue or tint of the blue bands is not a reliable way to determine the maker of a piece. Unfortunately, the lack of a signature does not eliminate a contemporary producer as the source, either. Most of the decorations on the new Red Wing Stoneware's products are applied by glaze decal, so the wings are quite distinct, rather than blurry. (This might not have been true with their earliest ware, fifteen years ago.) The STYLE of their wing, however IS unique. SO you should compare it with an old piece of Red Wing.
-Gary-