The serving ware that likely delivered your most cherished (and possibly some of your least favorite) meals as a child might be worth a lot of money. With the sudden popularity of vintage and mid-century everything, people are going nuts, trying to get their paws on pieces of vintage Pyrex. Most popular are the brightly colored, opaque pieces in primary colors. On eBay, Pyrex pieces manufactured anytime between 1915 and the 1970s are fetching upwards to a couple of thousand dollars a piece in auctions, so check your kitchen cabinets!
Lifestyle
Are You Sitting on a Goldmine? Vintage Pyrex is Worth Serious Cash!
By |
A Staple in American Fridges, Ovens, and on Tabletops
Photo: Facebook/Corning Museum of Glass
Pyrex has been a staple in many homes for as long as most anyone can remember. Discovered by Bessie Littleton, the wife of a Corning Glass Works physicist, Littleton baked a cake in a sawed-off jar made of laboratory-grade Pyrex, thus proving that Pyrex glass could be used in an oven. The revolutionary product hit store shelves in 1915, in the midst of World War I. When Pyrex was introduced to consumers by Corning Inc in 1915, it was marketed to American housewives as being the complete “oven to table” kitchen product.
Sold to American Housewives by American Housewives
Photo: Flickr/AquaOwl
Not only was Pyrex marketed to American housewives, but it was sold by American housewives who became enthusiastic endorsers of the revolutionary product. These women flew from one side of the country to the other, touting the benefits of Pyrex, with its useful handles, lids, and ease of use. Thanks in large part to the work of these ladies, Pyrex quickly became known as, “America’s Favorite Dish.”
How do You Spot a Pyrex Gold Mine?
Photo: Facebook/Vintage Pyrex
Pyrex was originally made of borosilicate glass, which is comprised of silica and boron trioxide. Then, in the 1940s, Pyrex changed its formula to a soda-lime composition–making the discontinued borosilicate glass pieces very valuable. So, how do you know if you have some of the valuable vintage Pyrex pieces?
The brightly colored Pyrex pieces, which hit the shelves in 1947 are currently the most coveted pieces in auctions. The most valuable pattern of Pyrex is called “Lucky in Love” and debuted in 1959, but it was only available for a short time. The pattern features pink hearts and green shamrocks on an opaque white background. Pieces from the “Lucky in Love” collection sell for over $4,000 a piece in online auctions. So, when you’re home for the holidays, steal a peek into Mom or Grandma’s cupboards and see if you can spot some of these vintage pieces… then begin the daunting task of convincing her to sell her beloved kitchenware!
