Red Wing pottery stolen from antique store

Several pieces of Red Wing pottery were stolen from a southern Minnesota antique store last month.

The Red Wing Collectors Society reported that the pieces — including some Red Wing collectors’ items from past society conventions —were taken from Villager Antiques in Amboy, Minn., April 16.

The most valuable item taken is a very early 4-gallon salt-glazed crock with a cobalt blue bird decoration. Other missing pieces include several water coolers, jugs and chicken waterers.

This is the second major theft of Red Wing pottery in the last six months. Last November, hundreds of pieces were stolen out of a Red Wing storage locker. A few of those pieces were recovered in a Lake City antique store.

While collectors society Executive Director Stacy Wegner said the thefts aren’t believed to be related, she said they do affect the society.

“We don’t like having stolen pieces on the open market,” she said. “It makes it difficult for collectors.”

Wegner said collectors want to make sure that they are buying Red Wing pottery legitimately and aren’t unknowingly purchasing pieces that were stolen from another collector.

As a result, Wegner said she has been working to spread the news about the theft by posting on the society’s Facebook page, posting on its website and sending out press releases.

“It … keeps our collectors aware that there are pieces out there that could potentially be stolen,” she said.

And, Wegner added, she hopes that the society can help recover the missing pottery.

“We obviously don’t want to hear about anybody having their collection stolen or damaged,” Wegner said. “We hope that by us getting the news out, we can get them back to their rightful owner.”

Anyone with information about the missing pottery is asked to contact the Mankato Police Department of Justice at 507-304-4814 and reference case number 12-0372.

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