Pyrex is a hot topic in the world today! The collecting craze is a nice and intensely competitive hobby. What’s all the excitement about?
Vintage Patterned Pyrex is valuable for its rarity, beauty, and usefulness. Limited patterns are available since production started in 1940 and stopped in 1986. From Atomic Eyes to Zodiac, these patterned pieces can range in price from $2.50 at a thrift shop to $4,000 in an auction.
With all the variety and excitement on the topic today, people are full of questions about Pyrex! Read on for a complete guide regarding vintage Pyrex patterns.
What Is the Rarest Pyrex Pattern?
The “Lucky in Love” pattern is the rarest, most valuable vintage Pyrex pattern. It consists of green shamrocks and grass wrapped around a round white casserole dish, with hearts hovering above the shamrocks.
Only produced in 1959 as a limited-edition dish, Lucky in Love is extremely valuable. The last available dish sold for $4,000 in February of 2015.
Because they were produced for only a short time, Lucky in Love dishes are rarely found. The Corning Museum of Glass has the original prototype for the dish, which doesn’t have hearts.
The runner-up for rarity among Pyrex patterns is the “Balloons” pattern. It’s only featured on the Cinderella Chip and Dip Set, made for a promotion in the Spring of 1958. In fact, it was the first promotional Chip and Dip Set.
Its background is turquoise blue with a white pattern of vintage hot air balloons. Originally, the bowls came with a gold or brass-colored cradle holder. This would attach to the larger bowl and hold the smaller one so you could easily grab a chip and dip it. (Source)
What Was the First Pyrex Pattern?
The oldest Pyrex pattern known to exist is the “Atomic Eyes” pattern. It was first produced in 1950 and continued to be featured on sets until 1959. This set was originally called the “Hot ‘N’ Cold Chip and Dip Set,” as it was just a large and small mixing bowl with a metal holder to suspend the small one over the large one.
This Chip and Dip set was later paired with a coffee carafe and featured with the eye shape printed on it called the “Atomic Eyes.” (Source)
The interesting thing is that the bowls with this pattern didn’t all have the Pyrex mark stamped onto them, suggesting that the pattern may have been intended for a third party. Little did they know the trend this one pattern would start!
What Is the Oldest Pyrex?
Pyrex Patterns are a hot topic, and vintage Pyrex pieces are all the rage right now. The oldest Pyrex is the Primary Colors Bowl Set, which started production in 1945, five years before Atomic Eyes was made.
Sold for $114.90 from baxbuys on Ebay
These bowls were originally part of a collaboration between the US Government and Corning Glassware for the use of soldiers. We can thank the WWII War Effort, the Railroad, and the push for Science for the beloved glassware we use today.
How Many Pyrex Patterns Are There?
There are 171 Pyrex Patterns, including the color variations. These vary in value and rarity as much as they do in design, and all are listed in the bullet points at the bottom of this post.
When Did Pyrex Stop Making Patterns?
Pyrex stopped designing new patterns in 1983, and it stopped US production in 1986. In a changing world that no longer sought out Opalware with quite the same intensity as they had for the past few decades, clear glass bowls were a more profitable option. This limited the amount of available Patterned Pyrex Opalware, making it into the sought-after valuable we know today.
What Is the Most Sought After Pyrex Pattern?
It is no exaggeration to say that people are wild about Pyrex. With sales of specific dishes going into the thousands, the value is undeniable. These dishes are beautiful, useful, and in limited supply.
Out of 171 patterns, what is the most sought-after pyrex pattern?
As the second rarest pattern and part of the beloved Cinderella collection, many people could agree that the Balloons pattern is the most sought after of them all.
“Balloons” is not the official name for this pattern, but collectors will all recognize it. The pattern has several illustrations on it including a crescent moon, a hot air balloon, a flying boat, a glowing sun, and a flying bicycle. Printed on a turquoise-blue bowl, the white pattern stands out with bubbly, fun energy that enchants today’s collectors just as easily as buyers in the 50s.
The Balloons pattern is only found on the Cinderella Chip and Dip set, which consists of two serving bowls. The pattern was promotional, which accounts for its rarity. After the Balloons Chip and Dip set was released in the Spring of 1958, the pattern wasn’t used again.
The set sold for only $3.95 in 1958. Today, it’s one of the rarest Pyrex patterns and the set sells for around $200-$400 from antique sellers. This doesn’t quite match up with the price of some other Pyrex patterns, but the popularity of this pattern endures.
Honorable Mentions:
Another popular pattern is the “Butterprint” pattern. The Butterprint pattern is also known as the Amish pattern, and it capitalized off of the consumer market’s desire to make a cozy-feeling home. Small illustrations of Amish farmers, cornfields, roosters, and sheaves of wheat wrap around the dish.
The pattern comes in several different colors, including orange and pink, but the white-on-turquoise combination is most popular.
First released in 1957, the Butterprint pattern remained a favorite pattern until it was discontinued in 1968. Nesting bowls, baking dishes, casserole dishes, and other Pyrex products were available with the Butterprint pattern, and they’re increasing in value today.
Like Atomic Eyes, Butterprint has become an iconic Pyrex pattern. It’s often categorized as a Pyrex Americana pattern. A full set of bowls sells for over $500 today. (Source)
The “Pink Daisy” pattern was another extremely popular set in the 50s and 60s, and it continues to be one of the most popular Pyrex patterns today. Featuring a simple pattern of white daisies on a pink dish, Pink Daisies has become a best-seller. Manufactured from 1956 to 1962, the Pink Daisy pattern was printed on casserole dishes, baking dishes, and space savers, which were thinner and smaller casserole dishes than the average size, making it an accessible pattern for many home cooks.
The Pink Daisy casserole dish came with a clear cover. This clear cover could be used to keep the dish warm and could be placed under the dish to protect the table, much like the Snowflake pattern.
The company Pyrex originally called this pattern the “White Daisy.” However, collectors have their own ideas, and they love renaming the Pyrex designs. The popularity of the pink dish gave it the name “Pink Daisy.” These dishes sell for around $150 today.
Vintage Pyrex Cinderella
Pyrex broke the market mold when it came to their popular “Cinderella” shapes. Something about the story of a working girl turned into a princess had struck hearts throughout their consumer population, and Pyrex combined the word association with an interesting new design that demanded attention. Cinderella Pyrex was different in a good way, with tapered sides on mixing bowls and straight sides on casseroles. As Cinderella can attest, what’s not to love about a life-changing glass object?
Cinderella came in a variety of patterns, as the name was most often tied to the shape of the line itself, not any changing color or artwork.
As the cultural popularity of Cinderella died down, the company removed the name from the branding while keeping the useful design. The shapes stuck around until the very last patterns were released!
Vintage Pyrex Snowflake
Along with Pink Daisy, the “Snowflake” pattern was the first patterned dish to be printed with the new screen-printing process in 1956. They quickly caught on with consumers as they were advertised as the “NEW Pyrex Decorator Casseroles.”
A big benefit that consumers liked about these new casseroles was the clear covers that came with them, which could be used both to cover the casserole and to act as a trivet. You could even use it as another serving dish! This functional beauty earned Snowflake pieces their place in collectors’ hearts, and they are difficult to find online.
The Snowflake pattern itself had three different releases, each with its own color combination: white on turquoise, white on charcoal (black), and turquoise on white. The pattern was later re-released on the “Turquoise” line, along with the Butterprint pattern.
Pyrex Lucky in Love
Lucky in Love is a design that only the very luckiest of collectors will ever manage to find. You’ll need an armful of four-leaf clovers just to get close! The simple green clover and pink heart design is only printed on the one-quart Round Casserole dish and was most likely part of a test run or a limited release that employees got to take home.
The pattern is so popular that Corning re-released the pattern onto their modern dishes. These dishes are clearly different, so as to avoid confusing customers and fans, but the nostalgia remains intact.
Online auctions have seen this pattern sell for $4,000, and the recent surge in popularity of Vintage Pyrex is likely to make that number go up. If you run across this piece in your grandma’s kitchen, make sure to let her know what she has. You might have eaten a casserole baked in a piece of history!
What Are the Vintage Pyrex Patterns?
Vintage Pyrex patterns are diverse, which is part of their enduring beauty and popularity. They come in the patterns listed below:
- Amoeba (Not officially listed)
- Primary Colors (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue)
- Atomic Eyes
- Desert Dawn (Desert Pink, Desert Yellow)
- Snowflake (Black, Turquoise, Turquoise on White)
- Pink Daisy
- Black Tulip
- Cradled Decorator Casserole/Pressed Flowers
- White Lace/Lace Medalion
- Butterprint (White on Turquoise, Turquoise on White, Orange, Pink)
- Needlepoint or Embroidery (Black, Turquoise)
- Gooseberry (White on Pink, Black on Yellow, Black, Red)
- Cinderella Buffet Set/Musical Staff
- Balloons
- Delux Chip and Dip Set Gold on Ivory/Golden Scroll
- Mod Kitchen
- Barbed Wire
- Scroll (Pink, Turquiose)
- Rooster Black
- Cinderella Buffet
- Cinderella Twin Server Set
- Bluebird Casserole
- Golden Branch
- Golden Casserole
- Cinderella Divided Casserole/Constellation
- Snack Server/Compass
- Dandelion Duet
- Delux Cinderella Casserole/Golden Hearts
- Lucky in Love
- Golden Acorn
- Floral Casserole/Green Honeysuckle
- Green Wheat
- Golden Leaf Casserole
- Hex Signs
- Salad Bowl
- Golden Grapes
- Royal Wheat
- Meadow
- Holiday
- Cinderella Serving Casserole/Starburst
- Berries
- Blue Wheat or Hostess Casserole
- Sandalwood (Brown on White, White on Brown)
- Delux Buffet or Golden Poinsettas
- Royal
- Zodiac
- Empire Scroll Casserole/Vines
- Bride’s Casserole
- Gourmet (Black, Gold)
- Golden Pine
- Golden Classic Casserole
- Medallion Casserole
- Early American (Gold on Brown, brown)
- Golden Tulip
- Sage Scroll
- Frost Garland or Delux Hostess Casserole
- Town and Country
- Golden Honeysuckle
- Town and Country (Brown on White, Yellow, Orange)
- Town and Country Variation
- Terra
- Olive Medalion
- Blue Tulip
- Ivy
- Foulard (Navy Blue, Light Blue, Gold)
- Rainbow Stripes (Pink, Yellow, Sandalwood, Blue)
- Floral
- Regency
- Empire Scroll or Filigree
- Golden Bouquet
- Green Oak Leaf
- Blue Stripe/Barcode
- Americana (Brown, blue
- Bramble
- Autumn Floral (Verdé green variation)
- Verdé
- Brittany Blue
- Golden Wreath (Black, White)
- Federal Eagle
- Blue Ivy
- Golden Rose
- Saxony
- Daisy
- Nouveau Floral
- Blue Doily
- Dots (Green, Blue, Yellow, Red)
- Horizon Blue
- Daisy (Promotional Pattern)
- Golden Rosette
- Golden Garland
- Spirograph
- Sol FLower
- Celtic Floral/Hearts Scroll
- Horizon Blue (Lid design)
- Floral Bubbles
- Midnight Bloom/Floral
- Willow/Blue Foral
- Arches/Designs Mixer Set
- Wicker/Basket Weave
- Friendship (Red or Orange with Clear Pattered Lid)
- Friendship (Several variations)
- Green Salad/Green Dot-Squares
- Navajo
- Seville
- Orange Fiesta
- Kim Chee
- Crazy Quilt
- Moon Deco
- Butterfly Gold
- Spring Blossom Green (Green on White, White on Green)
- Snowflake Blue (White on Blue, Blue on White)
- Old Town Blue
- New Holland
- Raffia/Brown Onion
- Vintage/Vintage Grapes
- Cosmopolitan Hot Casserole Set
- Flameglo
- Old Orchard
- Pueblo
- Homestead
- Woodland
- Wheat (Designer Collection)
- Spices (Designer Collection)
- Daisy Silhouette (Designer Collection)
- Terra Cotta Rose (Designer Collection)
- Dynasty (Designer Collection)
- Butterfly Gold 2
- Spring Blossom Green 2
- Autumn Harvest
- Speckled Lines
- Trailing Flowers or Sprig
- Garden Medley
- Shenandoah
- Forest Fancies
- Colonial Mist (White on Blue, Blue on White)
