Re:Older Pyrex

[Guest guest]

Your collections sounds amazing.  Are the older pieces thay you have the colored

ones with the glass tops?  I have been finding one or two pieces at auctions,

but I have never found a complete original set. We are going to keep working on

it though, my oldest daughter graduates next year and she has requested a

complete vintage bakeware set, any suggestions on where to look?

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Ande.....

The pieces it sounds like you are talking about, and are interested in, are

probably

pieces made after about 1945.....pieces that have a fired-on color on the

bottom

piece and then a clear lid. Corning made mixing bowls, covered round

casseroles,

pie plates and utility dishes of all sizes, and sets of leftover refrigerator

containers with

the fired-on paint. It can be scratched over time and it can also fade if it

is washed in

the dishwasher. They made it in solid colors and in colors with a design in

another

color from the mid 1940's until the late 80's. There might have been some

sets of

fired-on color pieces made after that but I only look for the older pieces so

don't know

for sure. In the late 80's and 90's, they made a lot of clear glass pieces

again.

 

The very oldest pieces of Pyrex....1915 to about 1934 had a yellowish CAST

to the actual clear glass....this was caused by the addition of arsenic to the

early

glass formula....it was used as a hardening agent. There was no danger to

anyone in cooking with or using the older Pyrex pieces but they wanted the

glass to be more " clear " so the formula was changed in the mid-1930's to

produce the more

clear glass you still see today.

 

Most of my pieces are of the oldest variety.......made between 1915 and 1945

although

I do have number of fired-on color pieces from the 40's, 50's and 60's. My

very favorites in the oldest Pyrex are the

pieces that where hand (by wheel) cut or engraved with floral designs....some

of them

are just drop-dead gorgeous. I also have a number of the beautiful clear

glass Pyrex teapots

that were made between 1922 and 1934.....some were clear glass and some were

engraved

with designs. Round, squat and tall shapes, in three sizes, 2, 4 and 6 cups.

So beautiful.

 

I am pretty sure that I have a series of pictures, somewhere on this computer,

of some of

my teapots and some of the older Pyrex pieces I have that were made in England

and France

in the 1920's and 30's. If you would like to email me privately, I will hunt

the pictures up and

email it to your private email address as soon as I can.

 

I kept hoping that Corning would use some of the

very old molds and reproduce some of the really beautiful and unique pieces

they made

from 1915 to 1940....but, then, they sold out the housewares division to World

Kitchen's,

Inc. and my hopes were dashed. It is fun to watch someone's face when I show

them one

of these pieces of almost a 95 year old Pyrex and watch their jaw drop when

they find out

that this gorgeous piece of glass is that old and still looks virtually new!!

Until about 15

years ago, I thought all Pyrex was like the Pyrex I grew up with in my

Mother's kitchen

in the 50's and 60's.....I had no idea that ordinary kitchen glass could be

such a

treasure.

 

There are even old pieces from the 19teens that are engraved and then the

engravings are filled

in with colored enamal to make the flowers and leaves really stand out....it

is amazing. The

bell-dome shaped covers and small round, shallow open bakers that made up the

Mushroom

Dish that was made from about 1917 to 1927 are wonderful. I have about 6 and

I occasionally

use them to cook in....then serve the whole dish inside another

plate at the table.....amazing. The bell shaped domes measure 4 3/4 " to 5

1/4 " in diameter.

Neat pieces kitchen history.

 

If you are looking for some of the fired-on colored sets, you just need to do

some ebay searches

and there are lots of the older pieces available there. Just remember to

check the seller's feed

back for packing....and even if they have good feedback.....remember to BEG

for good packing.

 

And, remember, be prepared to pay a pretty penny for an original, unused

set....if your daughter

is wanting to use these pieces, I would just search for the individual pieces

and put a set together

that way....it will be cheaper in the long run.....all depending on what

pieces you are looking for.

 

You can find ANYTHING on ebay......it just takes time to do the searches or

patience for what

ever your heart's desire is to turn up! AND, antique malls are good places

to look as well.

Good luck....

Nancy C.

nancihank

 

 

Your collections sounds amazing. Are the older pieces thay you have the

colored ones with the glass tops? I have been finding one or two pieces at

auctions, but I have never found a complete original set. We are going to keep

working on it though, my oldest daughter graduates next year and she has

requested a complete vintage bakeware set, any suggestions on where to look?