Text by Bethany Adams
Hannah McClain likely didn’t realize when she came across vintage Pyrex at a yard sale in 2016 that a new passion had been sparked. “One of the sets was still in the box,” she recalls. “The seal hadn’t even been broken yet.” The encounter planted a seed that, over the last few years, has blossomed into an impressive collection spanning decades of patterns, shades, and shapes.
It’s a sight that’s common in many homes across the country, as vintage enthusiasts find themselves drawn to the iconic and colorful pieces that remain functional decades after their creation. Surprisingly, though, the Pyrex line began not in a kitchen but in a lab.
In 1908, Corning Glass Works developed a glass dubbed Nonex, which was formulated to withstand changes in temperature for use in railroad lanterns and other industrial settings. But when a Corning employee brought home a cut-down battery jar to his wife in 1915, her experiments using it as a casserole dish revealed the glass’s advantages over available bakeware.
Corning quickly began manufacturing kitchenware, and by 1919, more than 4 million Pyrex kitchenware pieces had been sold. The shift from clear glassware to opalware came in 1936, and the iconic primary-colored stacking bowls made their debut in 1945.
Since then, numerous patterns, colors, and shapes have been introduced to the market—to the delight of collectors who prefer to tailor their displays to their personal tastes. And while flea markets and antiques stores are wonderful places to start your search, Hannah notes that her best resource is friends and family. “People kind of hear that you collect,” she says. “And so, I’ve gotten a lot of pieces that way, from people who just look out for you and pass stuff along.”
The price and availability of Pyrex pieces depend largely on the popularity of the style, with older items often drawing collectors more than those produced in the ’70s and ’80s. From cheerful hues to sweet pinks and blues to earthy tones, there’s a Pyrex pattern for everyone’s kitchen—so long as you’re willing to look for it. As Hannah notes, “You’ve got to love the hunt.”
