| The novel, Shades of Darkness, Shades of | | | | Cadillac of pottery." Ten years after the |
| Grace is set in Minnesota among the states | | | | plant closed in 1967, a group interested in |
| many natural wonders, rich history, and | | | | collecting the pottery for both its beauty |
| eclectic towns providing a vivid backdrop | | | | and historic significance founded the Red |
| against which the story unfolds. One of the | | | | Wing Collector's Society. Every year during |
| key plot points involves Red Wing Pottery, | | | | the second week in July, thousands of Red |
| manufactured in the Minnesota town of the | | | | Wing collectors from across the U.S. converge |
| same name for nearly 100 years. The matriarch | | | | on the city of Red Wing for their annual |
| of the Pierson family, Beverly, collects Red | | | | convention, where members buy, sell, barter, |
| Wing Pottery and has gone into the antique | | | | and trade pieces of the pottery. Highlights |
| business opening Past Treasures Antiques in | | | | of the Red Wing Convention include auctions, |
| downtown Wayzata, Minnesota. Red Wing had its | | | | where mint condition salt glaze pottery, |
| origins in the rich clay discovered as the | | | | unusual or one-of-a-kind pieces can sell for |
| area was being settled in the 1860s. Over | | | | thousands of dollars. Want to learn more |
| nearly 90 years the company would produce | | | | about Red Wing Pottery? There are numerous |
| salt glaze pottery, utilitarian stoneware, | | | | web sites devoted to the history, |
| art pottery, cookie jars, and over 100 | | | | preservation, and selling of Red Wing and |
| patterns of hand-painted ceramic dinnerware. | | | | some of the best are listed below. Another |
| Much of the stoneware was marked with a | | | | good place to shop for Red Wing is on eBay, |
| distinctive red wing on the front, in later | | | | where more than a few Red Wing aficionados |
| years the art pottery and dinnerware was | | | | like Beverly Pierson have caught the |
| stamped with a red wing on the bottom. In the | | | | collecting bug and developed spectacular |
| novel, Beverly and Bill Pierson give their | | | | collections of the pottery. Resources: Red |
| son Paul and his bride Pamela, a blue tinted | | | | Wing Collector's Society - Founded in 1977, |
| lily bowl and pitcher, a stunning example of | | | | the Society is a great place to learn more |
| Red Wing artistry. Officially advertised as | | | | about the pottery and its lasting legacy. Red |
| "Ewers and Basins in blue tint" - the set was | | | | Wing Collector's Society Foundation - This |
| offered in the 1920s and 30s along with | | | | non-profit foundation's mission is to |
| hundreds of other stoneware items for the | | | | preserve the history of Red Wing Pottery. The |
| household and farm. Because few of these | | | | RWCS Foundation maintains a museum in Red |
| gorgeous sets survived intact, in mint | | | | Wing, MN and provides educational materials |
| condition they are extremely valuable. As | | | | and scholarships. Red Wing Dinnerware - Todd |
| Kay, the narrator of the story notes, Red | | | | Hintz and his wife Ivy Loughborough are avid |
| Wing Pottery is an integral part of | | | | collectors of Red Wing Dinnerware and have |
| Minnesota's history. But the pottery also | | | | designed an extensive web site on the topic. |
| holds an important place within the history | | | | Every pattern is represented. Schleich Red |
| of America and the pottery industry, as in | | | | Wing Pottery Museum - In October, 2001, Jerry |
| the early 20th Century the company was the | | | | and Louise Schleich opened this one-of-a-kind |
| largest manufacturer of pottery in the United | | | | museum in their hometown of Lincoln, NE. |
| States. Other Red Wing pieces of note | | | | Since then, hundreds of visitors from around |
| mentioned in the book include Nokomis vases | | | | the world have viewed the collection. Over |
| that were part of the art pottery line during | | | | 5,000 pieces on display chronicle the history |
| the 1930s; cherry band pitchers which were | | | | of Red Wing Pottery. |
| manufactured during the same time period as | | | | |
| the lily pitcher and basin; and cookie jars | | | | Catherine Johnson is the author of Shade of |
| produced until the plant's closing. Today, | | | | Darkness, Shades of Grace published through |
| Red Wing Pottery is highly sought after by | | | | iUniverse. For more about the novel, visit |
| collectors and is often referred to as "the | | | | Catherine Johnson Novels. |