Introduction (for those new to this website):
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
XRF test results for the Vintage / Antique Fire-King jadeite bowl pictured here:
30-second test – reading #1
- Bromine (Br): 14 +/- 3 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 378 +/- 149 ppm
60-second test – reading #2
- Lead (Pb): 20 +/- 8 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 350 +/- 106 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 25 +/- 10 ppm
- Bromine (Br): 17 +/- 3 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 540 +/- 120 ppm
- Indium (In): 12 +/- 6 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 332 +/- 93 ppm
While I do not have test results up (at the moment) for other jadeite vintage / antique glass pieces on the website, most of the (undecorated / unpainted) antique / vintage green glass jadeite pieces I have tested to date (Jun 2023) have had similar test results. I shared two sets of test results above as an example to demonstrate the change in the level of accuracy of test results that is possible when one does a longer test with an XRF instrument designed to test consumer goods. Not only did a longer test detect all seven metals (vs. the two definitively detected in a shorter test), but the margin of error for one of the metals detected (in this case, Iron) was reduced in the longer test – demonstrating how the longer tests give more accurate results for most metals.
While I would not personally choose to use an item like this in my home for food-use purposes (on principle – as it did test positive for traces of both Lead and Antimony), I gifted it to my adult son (who loves antiques and vintage items) to use as a non-food-use bowl on his desk for holding small items, like coins and keys and dice, etc. [As a matter of principle – given my personal stand for banning the use of Lead across the board in all consumer products – all of the dishware and kitchenware I use in my home is 100% Lead-free (with the only exception being the Instant Pot – link with details here – as that is the lowest-Lead appliance I could find for that purpose). For those who are interested, here’s a link with a video-tour of my kitchen and all of the items in it!]
Some additional reading that may be of interest
- More Fire King brand items we have tested and reported on.
- More Green Glass items we have tested and reported on.
- More Vintage Glass items we have tested and reported on.
- More Glass Bowls we have tested and reported on.
- More “Made in USA” items we have tested and reported on.
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts. Please let me know if you have any questions; I will do my best to answer them personally as soon as I have a kid-free moment.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
This is good to know for me, because I like jadeite things. I also like celadon things. I like the light-green pretty color.
A thousand thanks for testing Fire King Oven Ware. I have a set from my mother and was always afraid to use it. Well, into the garbage it will go.
With much appreciation, Judith
Please don’t waste such a lovely set. Jadite is hard to come by and beautiful. Perhaps if using it isn’t in your risk comfort zone list it to folks who will love and appreciate their history
Wait, did she not just say it was “safe by all standards”?!
What about 1940s Fire King Jadeite mugs and lead, cadmium or arsenic?
And blue bubble Depression glass?
Thank you!
Hi Tina – I would expect all Jadeite would be similar to this (I have tested a lot of it). Maybe there are a few exceptions. I have no idea how to tell the age. I don’t know what blue bubble Depression glass is. You can look through the blue glass category on the blog for some ideas tho! https://tamararubin.com/category/blue-glass/
Tamara
Hello,
I was wondering if you have tested any of the newer reproduction jadeite? Specifically Mosser pieces from the past ten years or so—they make pitchers, salt and pepper sets and sugar/creamers in reproduction jadeite colored glass.
And also the Pioneer Woman pieces recently for sale at Walmart (the jadeite-looking glass stuff, not the ceramic dishes)… There’s a butter dish, sugar/creamer and canisters.
Thank you so much! 🙂
Hi Mandy – I haven’t had a chance to test those yet.
Here’s how to send something in for testing: https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara
Hi Mandy & Tamara,
I am curious. Did y’all move forward with testing the Mosser dishes? I am interested in buying some, but want to be safe.
Thanks!
Hello, I was curious about fire King peach lustre mugs? Recently bought a set for coffee a little nervous to use now. Thank you.
I would not use vintage Fire King items for food use purposes if they have a painted coating (like the lustre coating.)
Concerns noted here:
https://tamararubin.com/topics/does-vintage-and-new-functional-pottery-and-dishware-have-unsafe-levels-of-lead/
More Fire King pieces here:
https://tamararubin.com/category/fire-king/
Tamara
Hi there. I’m a bit confused by the comments. After I read the testing results, I understood that these dishes seemed to be safe and you said in the comments that your results have been similar for other jadeite pieces you’ve tested. However, commenters clearly interpreted the results differently, some saying they were glad because they like the dishes and others saying they would throw out full sets. Can you please clarify whether your testing of green jadeite generally falls within ranges that are considered to be safe?
Thanks so much for your work!
I want an answer to this also. I have a jadeite mixing bowl with a handle and pouring lip from my grandmother marked Fire King oven ware with a number 11 on the bottom.
I am also waiting for you to test Mosser glass and Pioneer woman Jadeite.
me too!