Search on eBay or Etsy for Fire-King Jade-ite and the vast number of listings, along with the high list prices, reveal how popular the Jade-green milk glass remains today. Maybe the appeal is its pretty hue or the variety of tableware and ovenware pieces available in matching patterns for everyday use. Perhaps Martha Stewart’s expansive collection of Fire-King Jade-ite—featured in her Martha Stewart Living show and magazine—sparked a craze that continues to this very day. Whatever the reason, the milky-green glassware is in high demand.
The History of Fire-King
The Fire-King brand was first produced by Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, later Anchor Hocking Corporation, in 1942 and quickly became the most popular brand manufactured by the company. Made in the U.S.A., the brand appealed to Americans for its durability—it was heatproof and held up to extensive use. It was also sold at affordable prices in single pieces or sets at grocery stores, dime stores and even given away as premiums or promotional items.
Fire-King was available in several colors and later printed patterns, but Jade-ite was their most popular hue. Anchor Hocking produced the Fire-King brand until 1976. Due to Jade-ite’s growing popularity, the company created reproductions of Fire-King Jade-ite in the year 2000. The reproduction designs vary from the originals in order to differentiate from them. They are also marked “Fire-King, 2000.” For more information about Anchor Hocking Corporation, read our WorthPoint Dictionary page.
Original Jade-ite Patterns
Some common Fire-King Jade-ite designs range from straight vertical stripes like the Three Bands pattern, to swirled vertical ribs like the Swirl and Jane Ray pattens. Another popular pattern includes a horizontal-ribbed design called Manhattan. Some Fire-King designs also resembled what they were named for like the Shell, Fish Scale, and Sheaves of Wheat (also called Laurel) patterns. Another sought-after design is the Alice, which has a ring of flowers with a ridged center. Other common designs are easily identifiable by their signature shapes like the Charm and Restaurant Ware patterns. A hard-to-find design because very few pieces were produced in the Jade-ite color is the thumbprint- or coin dot-shaped Camelot pattern.
Rarer Fire-King Jade-ite Pieces
Ball jugs are the rarest Fire-King piece because Anchor Hocking only produced a limited amount of this ball-shaped jug. Due to its scarcity, original ball jugs sell for hundreds of dollars. Beware, there are numerous reproductions on the market.
bowls are harder to find. This pristine-condition set in Jade-ite sold in January 2020 for $449.89.
Other original Jade-ite pieces that are less common and harder to find include butter dishes, measuring cup sets (single measuring cups were often included as promotional items in bags of flour, sugar, and oatmeal), custard cups, flat-rimmed soup bowls, Swedish teardrop nesting bowl sets, child’s mugs, and more.
Identifying the Original
Anchor Hocking marked their first Fire-King pieces, produced in 1942, with “FIRE KING OVEN GLASS” in block letters. Most later Fire-King Jade-ite includes a molded mark of “Anchor Hocking, Fire King, Oven Proof, Made in U.S.A.” with the Anchor Hocking logo. Other pieces may only include an anchor in a square with an “H” imposed over it which represents the Anchor Hocking logo. Some pieces have an oval foil label with “Jade-ite” in the center above “Anchor Hocking.” Unfortunately, most pieces with a foil label are unmarked today since the label wore off due to continued use and cleaning.
sold in November 2020 for $275.
Identifying original Jade-ite by its color can be difficult since it was produced in varying shades of green. Original pieces are often flawed, with bubbles or defects, unlike newer pieces since quality control was not used back then. There are numerous reproductions on the market that may be advertised as “original” so be sure to carefully examine an unmarked piece before purchasing it.
Collecting Fire-King Jade-ite
Although rarer pieces of Fire-King Jade-ite can be quite pricey, there are many affordable pieces on the market today. Since Jade-ite dinnerware—like plates and cups—was commonly used, these pieces can usually be found for less than $10 apiece. You can easily find them at online sites like eBay and Etsy. But if you are looking for a deal, try shopping thrift stores, rummage sales, flea markets, estate sales, and yard sales. Happy hunting!
Karen Weiss is a freelance writer and enjoys decorating her home with vintage finds from her many collections. She also has an Etsy shop called SimplePatinaFinds.
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