Everything You Need To Know About Collecting Anchor Hocking Glassware

Named for the nearby Hocking River, the Hocking Glass Company was founded in 1905 in Lancaster, Ohio, by Isaac Collins and a few associates. During its first year of operation, the company produced and sold as much as $20,000 worth of glass pieces (the equivalent of roughly $516,000 today). By 1929, with the arrival of a machine that automatically pressed glass, Hocking became the largest producer of what we now call Depression Glass, inexpensively produced but elegant glassware that sold for about 4 to 25 cents apiece. The Miss America pattern, produced between 1935 to 1937, proved to be among the company's best sellers. It's available in pink, crystal, green, ice blue and red in plates, tumblers, pitchers and more. After surviving the Depression, Hocking Glass merged with Anchor Cap and Closure to become the Anchor Hocking Company, as the name remains today. Some individual pieces from the Miss America collection are available for less than $10, but a complete service for eight can go for up to $1,000, depending on the color. (Pink is the most popular color with today's collectors.) Here are some highlights from the company's heritage.