I collect: Fire King teacups

First, I apologize. These pics were taken under less than ideal lighting conditions, and I'm entirely too lazy to try to photoshop them into submission, so they are what they are. I did however play with scrapbook paper to try to give a little nicer background than my sorta-scrappy hand-me-down (but still functional) kitchen table.

These teacups make me happy. But I'll be frank. I don't actually drink out of them. Like many items from this era, these guys just don't hold the half-gallon of coffee it seems to take to get me going in the morning. I do use a modern-made coffee cup by Anchor Hocking (the manufacturer of Fire King), but it is positively huge in comparison. It probably holds the same amount of coffee as all 5 of these teacups put together.

Ah, modernity. Not only is it making us fat, it's giving us unprecedented levels of caffeine buzz.The origins of these teacups is still a mystery to me. I have yet to acquire a Fire King resource book, so I'm going on what I've seen in online auctions. According to what I've read most is that these were giveaways in Mother's Oats boxes.

And I'm unsure if these ever had official pattern names. I believe that the teacups I have & show here were not full dinnerware patterns, with the possible exception of this blue pattern that coordinates very well with the Taylor, Smith, Taylor pattern "Boutonniere".Some of the other patterns available (that I don't have) are indeed full dinnerware patterns. These include "Wheat", "Forget-me-not", "Fleurette" & "Primrose" and quite likely others that I'm not yet aware of.

One thing I enjoy about collecting these sets is that I've reunited many of them from a variety of locations, and very inexpensively. In fact, the only pattern I bought together was when I lucked into a set of 4 of the Red Roses (very top picture) at a Goodwill. The rest have been purchased one teacup or saucer at a time, usually for no more than a dollar.

I also really enjoy the fact that these teacups have multiple colors and smaller, more delicate patterns. As a Pyrex collector, I almost forget this exists. I love my Pyrex, but it's definitely a nice change to have more colors and details going in a single pattern.

I think this is also the reason I find myself picking up certain Glasbake bakeware items, even when I have a Pyrex piece that is just as functional.

Anyways, I am charmed by these teacups. I hope to assemble sets of 4 in these patterns, and perhaps a couple of from the dinnerware lines, and I would consider my teacup collection complete. (I have to give myself some parameters here, lol. For my house, for my husband, limits, girl, must.have.limits...)

So much cute stuff - just not enough cute house to put it all in!