Those nostalgic items from the era surrounding the 1950s are hot items on the collectibles market today. Jadite glass was particularly popular during World War II and is one of those mid-century items that continues to have a following. This milky green kitchenware included all sorts of items from dinnerware, to vases, to mixing bowls, to canisters and more. Often made from leftover slag because it was considered an inexpensive line of the day, the green color will vary dish to dish.
Jadite was first introduced in the Victorian era, however interest in it waned until the 20th century. It was first produced in America by a company called McKee in the 1930s and can be identified with the maker's mark "McK" in a small circle. It was another company called Jeannette Glass (maker's mark "J" in a triangle) that gave the green glass its moniker calling it "jadite." It's a term that collectors like and use for glass from not only from McKee and Jeannette but also Anchor Hocking and others. Though there are several companies that produced this lovely green milk glass, purists will particularly seek out goods made by these three companies.
Anchor Hocking introduced its line of jadite and called it Fire-King. Their goal was to have a line of kitchenware that could go from the oven to the table and then to the refrigerator. "Multiple purposes" was the angle they pursued, so one might even find trays, pitchers, bakeware and all manner of usable glassware in this collection. Since it was made for oven use, one could actually use Fire-King wares for cooking, if they avoided the microwave and dishwasher.
In the 1950s, Fire-King introduced a line of restaurant ware that was much heavier and sturdier than their regular offerings. These dishes were also sold to hospitals and other institutions. Martha Stewart is a well-known collector of this particular kind of jadite. She became so enamored with it that she produced her own line using original molds through Fenton glass and once sold it through her catalogs. Some collectors heartily criticized her over it at the time, however most of it is marked with an "M." Many felt there was a danger of getting it mixed up with the true vintage glassware because early on it was not marked. This is why one should always look for the maker's mark to ensure authenticity.
Jean McClelland writes about antiques for The Herald-Dispatch.
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