Who made jadeite?
McKee started making jade-green kitchen and tableware around 1930, and Jeannette followed in the early 1930s. Anchor Hocking came later, in the mid-1940s, with its Fire-King "Jade-ite" line, which ran into the 1970s and is the jadeite most people picture.
You'll see three spellings: Jadite, Jade-ite and jadeite. Collectors use "jadeite" for all of it.
Why some jadeite glows
Much pre-war McKee and Jeannette jadeite contains uranium and glows green under a UV light. Fire-King Jade-ite, introduced in the mid-1940s while uranium was restricted, contains no uranium and stays dark.
That makes a UV flashlight a quick first test. A glow points toward older McKee or Jeannette, and no glow fits Fire-King. It's a clue, not proof, so we still check the mark and the shape.
Marks to look for
McKee often marked pieces "McK" and Jeannette used a J in a triangle. Fire-King pieces usually carry a Fire-King Oven Ware or Anchor Hocking mark. Plenty of jadeite was never marked, especially promotional pieces, so shape and shade matter too.
Reissues and value
Jadeite is popular enough that new pieces are everywhere. Anchor Hocking reissued Fire-King designs around 2000 with different marks, and lots of new "fantasy" jadeite was never made in the old days at all. Know the original shapes and marks before paying vintage prices.
Value comes from the maker, the form and the condition. Sought-after shapes and harder-to-find pieces bring the most, while chips, cracks and scratched surfaces pull it down.
Jadeite FAQ
How can you tell if jadeite is real?
Check for a maker's mark (McK, a J in a triangle, or Fire-King), compare the shape with the makers' original lines, and test it under a UV light. Older McKee and Jeannette pieces often glow; Fire-King doesn't.
Does jadeite glow under a blacklight?
Pre-war McKee and Jeannette jadeite contains uranium and glows. Fire-King Jade-ite, made from the mid-1940s, has no uranium and doesn't glow.
Who made jadeite?
The three main American makers were McKee, Jeannette and Anchor Hocking under its Fire-King brand.
Is Fire-King jadeite still made?
Anchor Hocking reissued Fire-King designs around 2000 with different marks, and other companies make new jadeite. Original Fire-King Jade-ite ran from the mid-1940s into the 1970s.