The Start Of A Collection

I’ve always been a collector. As a kid, there was the rock collection. Then came coins, stamps, and even stickers (those 1980s puffy stickers were the best!). As an adult, my collecting now involves Mid-Century Modern furniture. For obvious reasons, this is a much pricier hobby.

Recently, I’ve started a new collection. Or rather, it was started for me, and I’m very grateful for that.

We received a cream and sugar set from my sister-in-law and brother-in-law as a wedding gift. It’s so cool! The black, yellow, and gray modernist pattern has a great Mid-Century Modern vibe. But there’s more to the story.

The two pieces were made by Red Wing Potteries based in Red Wing, Minnesota. They have that MCM feel because they really are pieces from the 1950s. It’s a pattern called Smart Set – one of six patterns in Red Wing’s Casual Line. They made this dinnerware set from 1955 to 1958. It’s now very popular with collectors because of the design and Mid-Century Modern era.

I had always associated Red Wing pottery with their stoneware. Their famous crocks can be found in homes and antique stores throughout the Upper Midwest. In 1947, the company decided to stop making stoneware and started with dinnerware. They continued with other pottery; however, the dinnerware soon became the mainstay of their business. For two decades, until the company closed in 1967, Red Wing produced more than 100 patterns of dinnerware.

Thanks to this simple cream and sugar set, I now have the start of a new collection. I’ll be hunting for more pieces to this pattern at every antique and vintage store I walk through.

A special thanks to Andrea and Mike for the thoughtful gift!