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This is Gene Florence’s 2nd edition of his popular Anchor Hocking and Fire-King book and includes many more mug images than his first edition.  Published in 2000, with values updated in 2002, this book lists probably fewer than 200 different mugs, and many of those are advertising and later Anchor Hocking period mugs.  However, some very rare ones are presented, though many of the prices are now out of date and at only a fraction of today’s value. Exceptional research, high quality photographs, fantastic variety of Anchor Hocking’s other glassware to boot.

2nd Edition, published by Garry & Dale Kilgo and Jerry & Gail Wilkins in 1997.  This book is known for it’s presentation of the dates of production identification of the bottom stamps used by many collectors.  However, it takes the latest genuine Fire-King script only to the late 1970s while I believe this marking was used at least until 1980.  Also includes fewer than 200 mugs and the photography is not quite as good as in the Florence book.  Many mug prices as you might suspect are outdated.

This is the book that is essentially driving the pricing in today’s market.  This is the best mug book on the market but not widely available in the US at the end of 2004.  Published by Satoshi Yamashita, it includes 857 different mugs, though many are advertising and later Anchor Hocking era.  I estimate that around 400 different true standard production Fire-King mugs are featured though.

The layout is excellent, and shows the bottom stamps to date your mugs, codes to identify their age.  Each mug is numbered except at the very end where some pictured mugs were added at the last minute.  Numbered mugs end at 734.  Each mug through 734 is also tagged with a “rarity” guage with 1-5 * marks.  The mugs with ***** are bringing the highest prices and those with * are bringing very little, as a general rule.

However, there are limitations with this book as well, in that the shapes of the mugs are given a special section yet not all shapes are represented.  Also, some very rare and desirable mugs are missing entirely.  Even so, this is still the most comprehensive Fire-King mug book available today and it is indeed very nicely organized and presented.  It is a must have if you are serious about growing your collection even if you can’t read Japanese.  The mug names but very little of the remainder of the book is in English
 

The Fire King Handbook by Kazutoshi Akimoto and published by Kenji Sasamoto, Neko Publishing Co., LTD. (I think) A good general guide to more of Fire-King than just mugs.  Has a section showing major Fire-King retailers and web based shops, and sorted by Japanese City, including web addresses and photos of the shop.  Includes a brief section on newly made Jadeite (reproduction), an identification guide, wonderful color photographs, a grading system like the Fire King Mug Book, some recipes and display suggestions. This book has finally given credit to the ivory shaving mug that has the inwards taper towards the top rim, ranking it with 5 stars for desirability or value.  With the tools in this book you can actually see what these mugs are selling for in Japan.

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Here are a few other resources for you to check out:

• www.spglass.comis a site dedicated to Fire-King glassware and other glass from the Depression era.
• www.anchorhockingmuseum.com is Philip Hopper’s site for his Anchor Hocking museum in San Antonio, TX.  Philip is the author of several books on Anchor Hocking’s glassware and he has them available from his website.
• www.alibris.com is a website for used and discount books.  Consider looking here before buying them new.
•  http://blog.livedoor.jp/redline1968   Here is a site from a Japanese Fire-King Collector Colleague.