My Pyrex Collection
I’m certain that I’ve had a love affair with vintage glassware long before I started collecting it. If you grew up in middle-class America, chances are that Pyrex was on your dinner table, whether you remember it or not. I spent my childhood mixing brownies in my mom’s “Spring Blossom” bowls and eating macaroni and cheese out of my grandma’s flamingo pink casserole dish. They’re memories that I treasure and when I think about many Pyrex designs, they evoke memories of holidays, potlucks, get-togethers, family and friends.
My husband and I are longtime collectors of vintage items, with our first dates pre-marriage often being trips to thrift stores and flea markets. When we started collecting Pyrex, we also began learning more about rare and hard-to-find Pyrex pieces. The Corning Museum of Glass is a valuable tool to learn about different Pyrex designs, what year they were produced and how long they were in production. There are also various Pyrex collector groups on Facebook that offer a wealth of information on not only US Pyrex but also JAJ Pyrex (UK) and Agee Pyrex (AU) as well as other similar brands like Fire-King/Anchor Hocking and McKee Glass.
My first pieces were two turquoise “Butterprint” Cinderella bowls (1957-1968) I found for a good price at an antique store followed by a thrifted red (“Friendship”) Cinderella bowl (1971-74). Later on, I inherited my great-grandmother’s primary bowl set – the ubiquitous 1940’s mixing bowls passed down to me from my grandma. That well used primary set is my favourite and every time I mix bread or biscuits in the big yellow bowl, I think about my grandma and great-grandma doing the same thing in that very bowl.
Our collection has greatly expanded from those early finds as we’ve hit estate sales and antique fairs looking for pieces we don’t have and completing sets. My other favourites include our orange “Butterprint” Cinderella bowls (late 1950s/early 1960s), “Golden Hearts” casserole (1959) and turquoise “Balloons” chip and dip Cinderella bowl (1958). My heart nearly lept out of my chest when we found each of those pieces as that feeling of finding vintage “in the wild” is unmeasurable.
I used to limit the storage of our Pyrex to our 1920s Hoosier cabinet in the kitchen, but eventually, we had more than the Hoosier could handle, so I took my grandmother’s china and tea sets out of my china cabinet and set up a display in our parlour. I have to say that that was one of the best things that I ever did as every time I walked by that spot, I had a huge smile on my face. This also led to moving inherited silver, crystal, and china out of our dining room hutch and replacing that with Pyrex as well. It may not be fancy or elegant, but the colourful pieces and the displays that I’ve created have made me happier than fine china ever could.
A question I’m often asked is if I actually use my Pyrex. My answer is emphatically “YES!”. Pyrex was made to be used. I have no problem mixing and baking in any of my Pyrex pieces. I just try to be careful with them. That means hand washing, being mindful of temperature changes and watching to make sure that I don’t drop them. I also don’t lend out my prized pieces and it would be very unlikely if I took the rarer ones over to someone else’s house.
If you’re thinking about starting your own Pyrex collection and don’t want to invest too much into it, I would suggest searching for 1970s and ‘80s Pyrex designs like “Spring Blossom”, “Early American” and “Autumn Harvest”, which are often easier to find. In my area, it’s becoming more and more difficult to find Pyrex at thrift stores, and we’re more likely to come across some for a fair price at estate sales and antique malls. Don’t pass up pieces that are dirty or stained. I’ve successfully cleaned up many pieces using Barkeepers Friend, Peek, and lots of elbow grease. Dishwasher damaged Pyrex may not look great for display, but it can still be used. My DWD lime green brownie pan is one of my most used dishes.
Like many Pyrex collectors, my collection is beginning to outgrow my cabinets. In my attempt not to be a hoarder, my new adage is that if I don’t use it or it’s not on display, then it’s time to part with it. Passing Pyrex on to someone else who can love it is much better to me than storing it, and maybe someone else will have that wonderful feeling of finding their next treasure.