20 Valuable Rare Vintage Pyrex: Patterns And Value Guide

Pyrex was designed to make food preparation safe and easier to do in the kitchen. While people are well aware of what Pyrex is, they are not as familiar with some of their older designs which can be very rare to find. Each dish or piece has a different value depending on what it is and how rare it is.

For years pyrex dishes have been in use and today they constitute what we refer to as vintage. Collectors now hunt this valuable glassware down for exhibition.

I’ve scoured the internet and online marketplaces to bring you 20 Rare Vintage Pyrex Glasses, the various patterns in existence, and their value.

Top 20 Valuable Rare Vintage Pyrex Price List

No.	Name	Year	Price
1	Pyrex Hot Air Balloon Chip and Dip Set	1958	$294.89
2	Rare Vintage Turquoise Fridgies Dish	1950s	$368.61
3	Pyrex Primary Colors Mixing Bowls, Unnumbered	1940s	$180.21
4	Pyrex Bunny Cereal Bowl	1969	$353.44
5	Vintage Casseroles Pyrex Friendship Birds	1960s	$409.57
6	Pyrex Green Polka Dot Bowl	1960s	$265.29
7	Pyrex Daisy Citrus Casserole Dish	1968	$270.31
8	Pyrex Pink Daisy Casserole Dish	1950s	$149.99
9	Vintage Gooseberry Pyrex Casserole	1950s	$103.43
10	Vintage Pink Pyrex Flamingo Nesting Mixing Bowls	1970s	$247.49
11	Vintage Butterprint or Amish Pyrex Casserole Bowls	1957	$159.44
12	Vintage Gaiety Pink Daisy Shallow Space Saver and Lid	1950s	$183.20
13	Pyrex Trailing Flowers Casserole Dish	1960s	$130
14	Vintage Agee Pyrex Bramble Scroll Nesting Bowl	1970s	$336.50
15	Vintage Agee Pyrex Cape Tulip Nesting Bowl Set	1960s	$243.03
16	Pyrex Sandalwood Cinderella Nesting Bowls	1960s	$212.98
17	Vintage Promotional Pyrex Gourmet Gold Casserole With Glass Lid	1960s	$115
18	Pyrex Woodland Cinderella Nesting Bowls	1970s	$121.23
19	Pyrex Cinderella Dish Country Vintage	1960s	$106.49
20	Rare Lime Green Pyrex Bowl in the Dot Square pattern	1970s	$125

1. Pyrex Hot Air Balloon Chip and Dip Set

Year: 1958

Price: $294.89

This milk bowl is made of pyrex and was manufactured in 1958. The pattern is vintage and rare; hot air balloons. These were promotional items from the company which makes them quite rare today. Items like this were usually made and distributed to employees of the company at the time. These rare bowls are valued at $294.89.

2. Rare Vintage Turquoise Fridgies Dish

Year: 1950s

Price: $368.61

This is also a vintage and rare pyrex from the 1950s. This was either part of a promotional item or they were produced and given to employees as gifts in those years. The pyrex here is blue-colored glass and has a transparent cover and a curved body. It was produced for food storage in the fridge. It is valued at $368.61.

3. Pyrex Primary Colors Mixing Bowls, Unnumbered

Year: 1940s

Price: $180.21

This is a charming set of mixing bowls produced in the 1940s in the early days of pyrex’s popularity. They are unnumbered and are done in primary colors which makes them even more valuable and rare. Moreover, older bowls such as this are thicker than later versions. These ones are ready for purchase on Etsy for $180.21.

4. Pyrex Bunny Cereal Bowl

Year: 1969

Price: $353.44

This bowl is seldom seen, very rare. It was produced in 1969 and very little is known about it. There are very few of them in circulation at this time. It features a bunny sitting in the midst of brightly colored mushrooms. It comes at a moderate price even for such a rare piece.

5. Vintage Casseroles Pyrex Friendship Birds

Year: 1960s

Price: $409.57

This rare vintage pyrex from the 1960s features the friendship pattern. The background on the pyrex is white, the art shows two birds facing each other. The bowl is ringed by flowers, all colored in red and orange. This set is offered at the value of $409.57.

6. Pyrex Green Polka Dot Bowl

Year: 1960s

Price: $265.29

This 4 Quart bowl is decorated in the polka dot pattern of pyrex. It is a rare piece that was made in the 1960s. It is hard to find and a collector’s delight. The company stopped making this pattern of pyrex in 1973. The polka dot pattern was very popular in those days which makes it very rare and valuable now. It is valued at $265.29.

7. Pyrex Daisy Citrus Casserole Dish

Year: 1968

Price: $270.31

This pyrex collection is from 1968. It featured plane colors of yellow and orange. The dish comes with handles and lids. They are now rare and sought after. This set is perfect for display or for use if you are looking to set up your own vintage kitchen. These ones are valued at $270.31.

8. Pyrex Pink Daisy Casserole Dish

Year: 1950s

Price: $149.99

This pyrex was made in the 1950s. It features flowers going around the circumference of the dish on a pink background. This pattern is one of the least popular ones from that time. It is nevertheless rare. It comes with a handle and a lid. It is valued at $149.99.

9. Vintage Gooseberry Pyrex Casserole

Year: 1950s

Price: $108.43

Beautiful pyrex bowls with cover and handle. This mold has the Gooseberry design that was among the first four patterns that were released. It features the flora of the gooseberry in black paint on a milky white background. They are vintage and much valued by collectors. This one is worth $108.43 on Etsy.

10. Vintage Pink Pyrex Flamingo Nesting Mixing Bowls

Year: 1970s

Price: $247.49

These Pyrex bowls are presented on Etsy for sale for more than 200 dollars. They are from the 1970s and are considered vintage by collectors. Here is a set of four ascending sizes. They can be a beautiful addition to your pyrex collection.

11. Vintage Butterprint or Amish Pyrex Casserole Bowls

Year: 1957

Price: $159.44

A vintage pyrex from the late 50s in the butter print pattern. There were several colors of this pattern. This green color is one of the rare ones you’ll ever find. They are highly valued and can be higher than what’s quoted here on other marketplaces.

12. Vintage Gaiety Pink Daisy Shallow Space Saver and Lid

Year: 1950s

Price: $183.20

A Daisy Space saver from the 1950s is sure one of the beautiful glassware you can have in your kitchen or at your meal table. This one’s pink and features a floral pattern that runs round the side of the glass. It also comes with a glass cover.

13. Pyrex Trailing Flowers Casserole Dish

Year: 1960s

Price: $130

This pyrex comes with the original cover and sticker. It is one of the most complete sets on this list. It is considered valuable and the price is set at $130. This pattern was made in the 1960s.

14. Vintage Agee Pyrex Bramble Scroll Nesting Bowl

Year: 1970s

Price: $336.50

This pyrex bowl features one of the uncommon patterns. It features the bramble scroll pattern from the 1970s. It is vintage and highly valuable. This set features four colors—green, orange, red, and blue. It is valued at $336.50.

15. Vintage Agee Pyrex Cape Tulip Nesting Bowl Set

Year: 1960s

Price: $243.03

This pyrex is from the 1960s. They’re from Australia though. Corning Inc in America wasn’t the only company making pyrex after it was discovered. This set here is considered rare and in the same league as pyrex made on American soil.

16. Pyrex Sandalwood Cinderella Nesting Bowls

Year: 1960s

Price: $212.98

This design was produced from 1960 to 62 and then ceased. These bowls feature the sandalwood leaves in the design. It runs around the body of the bowl. Here you have two background colors, white and pink. This pyrex is highly valuable.

17. Vintage Promotional Pyrex Gourmet Gold Casserole With Glass Lid

Year: 1960s

Price: $115

If you find the rare pyrex, you can either keep it for your own pleasure or find a way to sell it for what it’s worth. They are very hard to find. These were produced as promotional items alone in 1961. They feature one of the earliest patterns as well.

18. Pyrex Woodland Cinderella Nesting Bowls

Year: 1970s

Price: $121.23

This pyrex is produced in beige and brown bowls. This set of 4 was part of the ones produced in the 1970s. They feature a pattern that started in 1978; a simple white outline of flowers and leaves in a band that goes around the body of the bowl.

19. Pyrex Cinderella Dish Country Vintage

Year: 1960s

Price: $106.49

These colorful casseroles were produced in the 60s. Here you have a white, yellow, and orange casserole. If you are collecting pyrex, this set will make a pretty addition to your collection. They are presented in a rare design that runs around the body of the dishes.

20. Rare Lime Green Pyrex Bowl in the Dot Square pattern

Year: 1970s

Price: $125

Here is a promotional pyrex from the 1970s in the dot-square pattern. This one is colored green. This pattern is hard to find. It comes with two handles on the side and is valued at $125.

The History of Pyrex

Pyrex is a name that was invented by Corning Inc in 1915. It was used to describe borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware. Borosilicate glass is clear glass that has a low thermal expansion property.

Borosilicate glass was in existence before this though. It was first made by Otto Schott, a German chemist and glass technologist in 1893, 22 years before Corning came along to create pyrex, a brand of borosilicate glass.

Otto Schott founded the glass company Schott AG which sells its product under the name Duran.

Around 1908, employees at Corning were already playing around with borosilicate glass. For example, Eugene Sullivan who is director of research at Corning Glass Works developed Nonex, a brand of borosilicate glass to reduce breakage in shock-resistant lantern globes and battery jars. Sullivan himself had studied at Leipzig, Germany where he’d learned about Schott’s borosilicate glass.

A different employee at Corning Glass named Jesse Littleton discovered a further use for borosilicate glass when he gave his wife a cut-down Nonex battery jar to cook with. It worked perfectly.

Corning then removed the lead off the Nonex battery jar and turned it into a consumer product. Thus was born, pyrex.

In 1915, the first pyrex product made its first appearance. The first world war had begun the previous year hence pyrex was positioned as an American alternative to Duran which was made in Germany.

As to the name pyrex, a Corning executive says the word pyrex was an arbitrary word devised in 1915 as a trademark for Corning Glass Works products. And that the word didn’t originate from the Greek pyr and Latin rex as some believed.

Corning already had products with names ending in ex, the first product from the borosilicate glass was a pie plate, hence they simply inserted the letter r in between pie and ex to create the word pyrex.

Corning introduced several other products under the pyrex name that included opaque tempered soda-lime glass used for bowls and bakeware, and another line of pyrex products that can be used on stoves.

People responsible for how pyrex came out of the factory included designers John B Howard who started the internal design department in 1958, Penny Spark, Betty Baugh, Smart Designs, Team Designs, and many others.

In 1998, Corelle Brands was created and divested from Corning. This company became the consumer products company that made pyrex products.

How To Determine The Value Of Antique Pyrex

Vintage pyrex prices and value can be arbitrary and often depends on the condition and how desirable the pyrex is.

It also depends on whether the items are cups, bowls, or plates. The place where you buy the items may also contribute to how valuable they are. The following factors determine the value of pyrex:

• Marketplace
• Condition
• The pattern

Marketplace

At a yard sale, a collection of bowls may sell for $45 to $65. But the same set may cost $500 on eBay or Etsy if they’re in better condition.

Beware of buying online because you can’t always tell from the photos if the pyrex is as pristine as the photos show. In recent times, there’s been an increase in the collectors interested in collecting pyrex products. This has pushed the prices of some items up. The pyrex you have may just be desirable enough for a high price.

Condition

The condition of any antique influences the value. The more pristine the condition the higher the value. Chipped, cracked pyrex will attract less value. So also is when it has lost some color and has become chalky in some places.

Since pyrex is a highly functional antique, most who buy them want to use them all over again, especially if they were young when pyrex was popular in the 50s or 60s. For this reason, many who buy them are not just showing them off on shelves in their homes. Any crack or blemish thus reduces the worth.

The Pattern

Pyrex patterns (more on patterns later) also contribute to how valuable the item is. Certain patterns are more valuable than others. Especially pyrex that was produced for promotional purposes alone, or prototype pyrex. These ones were produced for a short time and discontinued, making them rare and hard to find. The harder the pattern is to find, the more valuable it tends to be.

How To Identify Antique Pyrex

It is easy for you to tell a pyrex made by Corning from another glassware with the following indicators:

• Logo and marks
• Color hues
• Deeper, thicker rim
• Consulting a book guide

Logo and marks

Pieces of pyrex were usually marked by a logo. The pyrex logo is under the item. It features pyrex in capital letters inside a circle with CG for Corning Glassworks. Certain early designs feature a blowing glass in the stamp too.

Pyrex from the mid-1950s added in capital letters, MADE IN THE USA along with a trademark symbol or wording.

In the 1960s the circle format changed to a straight line. Casserole dishes and bowls have inventory numbers included below the stamp.

Some pyrex dishes will include information on where to use them. A dish may miss its stamp, not because it isn’t pyrex but maybe because the stamp has worn off on account of constant washing. Antique pyrex will exhibit at least one of the marks outlined here.

Color Hues

Original pyrex made by Corning was clear in the beginning. In the mid-1940s, the company started to manufacture colored and patterned bowls and casserole dishes.

You can tell an antique pyrex by the following colors: green, pink, or pastel shades of blue. They made items in other primary colors as well like yellow and red (1945—1949).

Deeper or thicker rim

One of the last resort you will have for identifying vintage pyrex is the rim that is more deeply indented. You will notice the thicker and deeper rim in vintage pyrex when you examine it closely.  There’s no way this indention can be removed.

Consulting a book guide

Identifying pyrex can be difficult for newbies. One easy way to Identify vintage pyrex is by comparing what you find with guidelines in books that have been written for the purpose of identification. One of the best books on pyrex identification is Pyrex By Corning: A Collector’s Guide written by Susan Tobier Rogove.

Popular Antique Pyrex Patterns

Pyrex sometimes sold for a very high amount on eBay. While some of these exorbitant sales claims have come under debate with some bloggers probing and sharing reasons why the sales could not be as high as claimed, the truth remains that value is a subjective thing.

Certain pyrex items are truly valuable and are worth high prices. Below is a table showing the rare pyrex patterns likely to pull heavy prices.

No.	Name	Description	Year
1	Turquoise Diamonds	Diamond shapes spot the body of the bowl Made for a brand called Dainty Maid	1950s
2	Starburst Cinderella	Eight sided star Single stars on each side of the bowl Promotional item	1960
3	Pink Stems	Stems of leaves arranged in rows	1960s
4	Pink Daisy	Daisy patterns arranged in a line across the body of the bowl	1956—1962
5	Orange Butterprint	Promotional Pyrex item Drawing of man with spade, woman with rake Pineapple between them	1957—1968
6	Golden Gooseberry	Promotional Pyrex item Features the gooseberry plant on the body of bowl	1957—1966
7	Eyes pattern	Promotional Pyrex item Pattern is shaped like inverted eyes with four-sided stars in the middle	1950—1959
8	Barcode pattern	Pattern features barcodes round the body of the bowl	1966
9	Balloons pattern	Hot air balloons on the body of the bowl	1958
10	Lucky in Love	Test pieces or promotional item Red hearts Green grasses	1959

Turquoise Diamonds

This pattern appeared on bowls in the late 1950s. It was produced for another brand named Dainty Maid. This is why it is so rare. It is also why the bowls do not have any pyrex marks on them.

Starburst Cinderella

This is also a promotional item produced in 1960 and featured in a space-saver casserole dish. This pattern is so rare it is rarely turned for sale on marketplaces.

Pink Stems

Another promotional item was produced in 1962. Little is known about this pattern as well since all pattern names were never standardized by Corning.

Pink Daisy

This pattern was produced from 1956 to 1962. This is one of the long produced patterns which makes it not as rare as the others on this list. The background is actually pink while the daisies are white.

Orange Butterprint

This pattern was produced from 1957 to 1968 as a promotional item. It was first released on opal ware. They were redeemed through S&H stamps back in the days which must be why they are so rare now for it must be that not many people redeemed them.

Golden Gooseberry

These were produced from 1957 to 1966 and were believed to be either employee gifts or test items. They were featured on bowls.

Eyes pattern

Promotional items made from 1950 to 1959 featured on dip and chipsets. This is another rare and hard-to-find pattern that was officially called Hot n Cold chip and dip set.

Barcode pattern

These were promotional and test units of pyrex produced in 1966. The most common of these rare patterns is the one officially called the Blue Stripe.

Balloons pattern

These were produced in 1958 as promotional items. They were featured in chip and dip sets.

Lucky Love

These are either test pieces or promotional pieces which is why they are hardly seen. These elusive patterns date to 1959.

Where To Buy Antique Pyrex

If you were born in the years when pyrex items were produced, you likely remember them in your parent’s kitchen. If you miss them and would love to relive those beautiful gone days, you may want to buy them again.

Here are places where you can buy them:

Local thrift and antique shops

Before looking outside your area check-in thrift shops for pyrex. They are sometimes on sale at places like that. You can also get them at reasonable prices without spending much on shipping.

Auctions

You can buy pyrex at local auctions in your area. Auctions are some of the best places where you can find diverse patterns as people come from different corners of the country to sell antiques.

Online auction

This will cost some shipping expenses but your chances of getting rarer patterns are even higher. The most popular online places to buy antique pyrex are eBay and Etsy. You can find about any type of pattern in those places advertised by experts and other auction houses and collectors.

Last Words

These vintage Pyrex are very popular with collectors and are a great investment. They come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and styles, making them attractive to all kinds of collectors. Over the years, collectors and sellers have loved vintage Pyrex because there are so many rare pieces that makes collecting Pyrex a fascinating hobby. Everyone has their favorite style and color of Pyrex, which makes this hobby much more interesting!