Union Porcelain Works Pitcher

Q: Can you tell me the history and value of this pitcher? It’s embossed with pictures of a king holding a stein of beer, a goat and Uncle Sam on one side and two men fighting on the other side. It has a walrus head spout and a polar bear on the handle. It’s marked […]

Sleepy Eye Jug

Q: I bought this pitcher when on a road trip with a friend who had a thrift store. I saw an identical one on the Antiques Road Show on television years ago. I’d like to know about my pitcher and its value.

A: Your pitcher has a profile image of Chief Sleepy Eye, whose Indian name, Ish-Tak-Ha-Ba, means “sleepy eyes” or “drooping eyelids.” He was chief of the Sisseton Dakota tribe from about 1825 until his death in 1860. The Sleepy Eye Milling Co., a flour mill in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, used his profile in advertising from 1883 until 1921, when the mill went out of business. The mill offered several premiums over the years, including letter openers, calendars, rulers, match holders, pillow tops, caps, and stoneware and pottery items. Weir Pottery Co. of Monmouth, Illinois, made butter jars, salt bowls, steins, and vases in the early 1900s. Weir merged with six other potteries to become Western Stoneware Company in 1906. Western Stoneware Company made blue and white Sleepy Eye from 1906 until 1937, long after the flour mill went out of business. Pieces are decorated with the profile of an Indian, teepees, and trees. Blue and white pieces are the most common, but pitchers, steins, and vases were also made in white and brown, green, and other colors. The pitchers originally came in only five sizes: 4 inches, 5 1/4 inches, 6 1/2 inches, 8 inches, and 9 inches. Reproductions have been made of all of them. Reproduction pitchers weigh less than old ones. If your pitcher has a sunken hole on the inside where the handle is attached, it’s a reproduction.

There is a club for collectors of Old Sleepy Eye and other blue and white pottery, Blue & White Pottery/ Old Sleepy Eye Collectors Club. The club has a website with more information and an annual convention. Old Sleepy Eye pitchers have sold recently for $50 to $188.

Milk Jug

Q: Is this a milk jug? How old is it and what is the maker’s mark?

A: The letter “N” with a crown above it has been used by many companies. It was first used in 1773 by the Capo-di-Monte factory in Naples, Italy. The pottery operated under various owners until it closed in 1821. Capo-di-Monte was known for its high relief decorations. Several companies have made Capo-di-Monte style porcelain, some using a crown over N mark. It isn’t possible to tell you how old your milk jug or pitcher is or who made it for sure. We can’t tell the quality or value from a picture. It looks like inexpensive quality pottery and might sell for $15 to $25.

Carnival Glass Pitcher & Tumblers

Q: I got this set of pitcher and glasses from my Dad’s estate. He collected carnival glass for many years. He said it was the only set like it he had ever seen. The pitcher is 3 1/2 inches tall and the six glasses are 2 inches tall. The glass is green and there are no chips. I would appreciate any information you can give me as to the rarity and value.

A: This pattern is Flute #700, made by Imperial, a company in Bellaire, Ohio. The company was in business from 1901 to 1984. It began making carnival glass about 1906. The tumblers were made in at least three slightly different shapes. Your tumblers with straight sides and six flutes are version #2. Most Imperial Flute was made in purple or marigold, but some can be found in green and other colors. Imperial reproduced many of its patterns. Some new ones were made in the 1960s when carnival glass became popular again. The pitcher and tumblers in your set are smaller than normal. Carnival glass pitchers are usually either 8 1/2 or 10 inches tall and tumblers are about 4 inches. This is probably a toy set. Try contacting the Imperial Glass Collectors’ Society to see if they can tell you anything about the set. They have a museum and website, imperialglass.org.

TST Beer Set

Q: We inherited this tankard and mug set and I’m interested in finding out the manufacturer’s name. We really appreciate any help you can provide.

A: This “TST” mark with a small star at the bottom was used by Taylor, Smith & Taylor of Chester, West Virginia. The pottery was in business from 1901 to 1982. This mark was used from 1908 to about 1915. This shape tankard and stein is called Chester, which was made about 1915. Monks are often pictured on beer steins and related items. During the Middle Ages most people drank beer instead of water, which was often unsafe to drink. Monasteries made beer for their own use and to sell to support themselves. Hall China used this same decal on a white background on one of its beer sets sometime after 1930. Anchor Hocking bought Taylor, Smith & Taylor in 1973. The factory closed in January 1982.

G. Washington Pitcher