The Vintage Dishware Brand Worth Hunting Down At Thrift Stores

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

With generations of history behind it, Anchor Hocking is familiar to many as a brand of dishware and kitchen accessories. It has roots stretching back to the start of the 20th century, eventually becoming an important part of the glassmaking industry.

The Hocking Glass Company was founded in 1905 in Lancaster, Ohio, taking its name from the nearby Hocking River. The glassware business was a success until 1924, when a fire burned down its facility. However, innovative production methods improved its efficiency following the Wall Street crash of 1929, which allowed Hocking to sell glassware cheap enough for people to still afford it during the Great Depression.

In 1937, Hocking Glass merged with Anchor Cap and Closure Corporation, a container and lid manufacturer, creating the Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation and expanding the product line. Through the 1970s, it began releasing ceramics, plastics, and more. Unfortunately, a hostile takeover in 1987 ultimately led to years of ownership by various private equity firms, which ended in 2018 with the current owner, Centre Lane Partners. And through all that corporate tumult, Anchor Hocking consistently produced good glassware in its hometown of Lancaster, and still does.

Between new production and generations of used pieces still available, Anchor Hocking glassware is not difficult to come by. But there are some examples absolutely worth picking up, if you're lucky enough to find them. Anchor Hocking's cloudy green Jadeite line is responsible for many 1940s kitchen collectibles that are worth hundreds of dollars, including three- or four-piece sets of teardrop nesting bowls. Full sets of this exquisite glass can sell for over $1,500, but sellers of individual bowls still ask for around $100 each.

Anchor Hocking is perhaps best known for its Fire-King product line, particularly a vast range of cups comprising several of the best vintage coffee mugs to look for at thrift stores. Among the most valuable of these is a Kimberly mug made of transparent, amber-colored glass, with a diamond pattern around the side. This general design is common, but the rare light amber color has sold for as much as $500 per mug.

If you're buying or selling something this valuable, it's important to know that it's real. Just like knowing what to look for when authenticating vintage Pyrex, most pieces will have some sort of company marking in the glass. Unlike Pyrex, though, Anchor Hocking's backstamps have varied significantly over the years, and were sometimes omitted entirely. Most pieces made between 1937 and 1968 contain the brand's iconic capital H inside an anchor, so be on the lookout for this logo.