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Jadeite Dishes Identification & Price Guide

  • Collector’s Guide
    • What are Jadeite Dishes?
    • How to Identify Fire-King Jadeite Dish Markings
    • How to Identify Fire-King Jadeite Dish Patterns
    • Jadeite Dishes: Real or Reproduction?
    • How to Collect Jadeite Dishes
    • Do Jadeite Dishes Glow in the Dark?
    • Are Jadeite Dishes Safe to Use?
    • How to Care for Jadeite Dishes
  • Patterns
    • 1700 Line Jadeite Dishes
    • 2000 Jadeite Dishes
    • Alice Jadeite Dishes
    • Banded Jadeite Dishes
    • Breakfast Set Jadeite Dishes
    • Charm Jadeite Dishes
    • Jane Ray Jadeite Dishes
    • Philbe Jadeite Dishes
    • Restaurant Ware Jadeite Dishes
    • Sheaves of Wheat Jadeite Dishes
    • Shell Jadeite Dishes
    • Swirl Jadeite Dishes
  • Prices
    • Fire-King Jadeite Dish Price Guide
    • McKee Jadeite Dish Price Guide
    • Jeannette Jadeite Dish Price Guide
  • History
    • The History of Jadeite Dishes
    • The History of Fire-King Anchor Hocking (Part 1: Intro)
    • The History of Fire-King Anchor Hocking (Part 2: 1905-1969)
    • The History of Fire-King Anchor Hocking (Part 3: 1970 to 2022)
    • The History of Fire-King Anchor Hocking (Part 4: What Happened to Anchor Hocking?)
    • A Woolworths Tribute: The Store to Buy & Enjoy Jadeite Dishes
  • Blog
Home » The History of Jadeite Dishes

Mar 09 2021

The History of Jadeite Dishes

History of Jadeite

Who Makes Jadeite?

The three US manufacturers of the highly popular, minty colored glassware called “Jadeite” were:

  • Anchor Hocking (Fire-King)
  • McKee Glass Company
  • Jeannette

When Was Jadeite Produced?

Jadeite dishes were primarily made from the 1930s to 1970s.

In the 1940s and 1950s it was commonly sold in hardware, department, and five-and-dimes stores, and was also given away in flour bags or cereal boxes.  Companies offered the free pieces as an incentive to complete entire sets.

Fun Fact:  Glassmakers added the cheery green color to their glass formulas to brighten people’s days during the Great Depression.

Plating with Jadeite Shell Bowl
Fresh seafood plated in 3 Jadeite shell bowls. Read more: 5 Tips for Entertaining with Vintage Pyrex & Jadeite Dishes

Anchor Hocking's FireKing Jadeite

Current Prices for Jadeite Dishes

Anchor Hocking

The Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation was formed when the Anchor Cap and Closure Corporation merged with the Hocking Glass Company in 1937. The company’s focus was manufacturing mass-produced cheap tableware and other glass containers.

1939 saw the introduction of the Royal Ruby line of glassware.  Then in 1940, the Philbe dinnerware line was produced in the colors, pink, blue and green.

The FireKing mark was first introduced in 1942 when it was placed on the Philbe ovenware line.  During the mid-1940s, FireKing dinnerware lines such as Alice, Jane Ray and Restaurant Ware were produced and were available in several colors, including Jade-ite.

Both Jane Ray and Restaurant Ware were complete lines, but Jane Ray was designed for retail, while Restaurant Ware was intended for commercial use.

Read More: Our 4-Part Blog Post Series on The History of Anchor Hocking

Part 1: The History of Anchor Hocking (Intro)

Learn More: How to Identify Fire-King Jadeite Markings

Vases, pitchers, refrigerator dishes and bowls were all popular Jade-ite pieces produced by the FireKing division of Anchor Hocking during the late 1940s and 1950s.  Most Jade-ite made by Anchor Hocking was produced between 1945 – 1975.

The majority of FireKing Jade-ite bears some variation of the company’s mark, but specific pieces used for promotion or that were special orders, have no mark.

The production of FireKing ended in 1976, but in 1992,  Anchor Hocking made some FireKing items to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

In 2000, Anchor Hocking reintroduced Fire-King Jade-ite.  The 2000 line was made from new molds and is not the same as vintage FireKing pieces.  The newer line is easily distinguished from vintage Jade-ite with its “Fire-King 2000” stamp.

Fun Fact:  How did the Philbe pattern get its name?

Apparently, Mrs. Hazel Marie Weatherman, a researcher of Depression and kitchen glassware, was responsible for it.

During her research on Fire-King, she learned the design’s creator had not named the pattern.  So, through a conversation with him and his son – Philip B; she decided to name the pattern “Philbe”.

Learn about Jadeite Prices: See our FireKing Jadeite Price Guide

A Jadeite Collector's Confessions of Hoarding
Read more: A Jadeite Collector’s Confessions of Hoarding

McKee Glass Company Produced Jadeite

McKee Glass Company

The McKee Glass Company began its production of Jadeite in 1930.  Some Jadeite pieces were produced by other glass companies prior to this date, but McKee was the first to introduce Skokie green, Jade kitchenware and dinnerware on a large scale.

Current Prices for Jadeite Dishes

The company was originally founded in 1853 in Pittsburgh as McKee and Brothers Glass Works.

In 1888, the company relocated to Westmoreland County due to economic and tax reasons.  Once there, they founded a town and named it Jeannette, PA, after Mrs. Jeannette McKee, the factory founder’s wife.

Their only complete line of Jadeite dinnerware McKee made was the Laurel pattern.  Their line of opaque kitchenware was a series of mixing bowls, shakers, canisters, refrigerator dishes, and orange juice reamers.

In 1951, McKee was sold to the Thatcher Glass Manufacturing Company.  Thatcher was eventually sold to the Jeannette Glass Company, and the operation was moved back to the old McKee plant.

FUN FACT:  McKee was the manufacturer of Glasbake, which was another popular ovenware line they produced for more than forty years, and was the company’s form of Pyrex.  It was first introduced in 1917.

Learn about Jadeite Prices: See our McKee Jadeite Price Guide

Jadeite, Pizza and Cast Iron
3 of our favorites: Pizza, Jadeite & Cast Iron.

Federal Glass Company

The Federal Glass Company, which started in 1900 in Ohio, was also a major producer of glassware during the depression.  They manufactured some now quite collectible pieces, but they never produced Jadeite.  Their trademark bold letter F inside a shield is often confused as a Fire-King mark.

Jeannette Glass Company Logo

Jeannette Glass Company

Founded in 1898, Jeannette was the first company to fully automate the manufacture of pink and green glassware.  The ability to mass-produce their glassware meant lower prices for the consumer, which was especially important and beneficial during the Depression.

In 1932, Jeannette responded to the success of McKee’s opaque glassware, and introduced a similar line.  Like McKee, it included canisters, shakers, leftovers and mixing bowls, and all were available in a variety of colors.

For the first time, this opaque green glass was called Jadite.  Other companies used this same name but varied the spelling to either Jad-ite or Jade-ite.

Jeannette did not produce any Jadite dinnerware lines, but continued to manufacture their Jadite kitchenware until the 1940s.

Sometime during the 1950s, Jeannette purchased the Thatcher Company (formerly McKee) who still retained many of the original McKee molds.  Subsequently, Jeannette produced many of the McKee pieces, including Glasbake until the plant’s closure in the 1970s.

Learn about Jadeite Prices: See our Jeannette Jadeite Price Guide

Do Jadeite Dishes Glow in the Dark?

Before World War ll, it was common to find uranium used in dishware and other household items.

Both McKee and Jeannette Jadeite contained this radioactive element.  However, once the war began, uranium supplies were needed for weapons, so it was no longer available for companies to use.

Read more: Spooky Stuff! These Jadeite Dishes Glow Under a Black Light

Read more: Do Jadeite dishes contain lead and are they safe to use?

Current Prices for Jadeite Dishes

Written by Britt Phoenix · Categorized: History of Jadeite Dishes

About Britt Phoenix

Britt is an enthusiastic Jadeite dish collector from Chilliwack, BC, Canada.

She enjoys building websites and helping other collectors learn about the value of their collection which motivated her to start FireKing Grill with her mom, and fellow Jadeite collector, Connie.

When Britt's not at the computer, you can find her cooking around the campfire with cast iron, or using her Jadeite dishes in the kitchen everyday.

Contact me...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becky says

    September 22, 2022 at 6:05 am

    Thanks for the informative article! I thought Fire King was the only manufacturer until seeing a McKee butter dish at my favorite antique shop.

    Reply
    • Britt Phoenix says

      September 29, 2022 at 7:21 pm

      Thanks for reading! Yes, Fire-King, McKee and Jeannette were the main manufacturers of Jadeite dishes.

      Reply
    • Nicola Merrifield says

      November 7, 2022 at 5:59 am

      @ hi,we have the remains of a green tea/dinner service (a few cups and saucers, 6 tea plates, a soup bowl, dinner plate and an oval plate, plus a couple of small dishes and a sugar bowl), which was purchased by an uncle,we be.ie e in New York, who was a radio officer on a cruise ship in the 1950’s. It appears to be japeite wear but has no markings. Could this be Fire King do you think?

      Reply
      • Britt Phoenix says

        November 8, 2022 at 11:33 am

        Hi Nicola,

        It’s hard to say for sure without seeing pictures, but some Fire-King Jadeite glassware was unmarked, especially during the 1950s so it could be it! Check our Pattern Guides to help identify your dishes.

        Reply
        • Nicola Merrifield says

          November 22, 2022 at 4:21 pm

          Thank you, yes that is what we have, the Jane Ray design. Interesting and no idea it was collectible.
          3 cups and saucers
          Sugar bowl, no lid
          1 small dish
          1 larger dish
          6 tea plates
          1 dinner plate
          1 oval plate/ dish

          Reply

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About FireKing Grill

FireKing Grill is a collector's guide for Jadeite dishes.

Learn about the history of Jadeite dishes, and who made them, like Anchor Hocking's Fire-King. Enjoy early access to our (work in progress) price guides for Fire-King, McKee and Jeannette.

Or check out how to identify Jadeite dish markings, get pattern identification guides, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for some amazing tablescapes.

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