Since starting to collect vintage Pyrex a few months ago, I have learned so much about collecting in general! I’m sure that every collector goes through these lessons at some point (no matter what they collect), but hopefully by sharing my experiences I can help you avoid some of my pitfalls.
1. Buy pieces you can actually use. I think fridgies are cute and all, but they don’t display that well in the space I have set aside for Pyrex. However, they are PERFECT for holding little sewing notions! I got the turquoise one for free at a yard sale, and the other two were $1 each at Deseret Industries. Perfect little containers for safety pins, thread, bobbins, etc.
2. In contrast, don’t buy things you won’t use…and won’t display well, either. I bought about a dozen of these Woodland tea cups because they were actual Pyrex - not Corelle. I also got several in Butterfly Gold. The problem is that I’m not a coffee/tea drinker, and I don’t really have anywhere to display these. They are in a box in my basement now collecting dust. Pretty, but not very practical. Perhaps I will make candles or something out of them? I feel a DIY project coming on…
3. Do buy pieces you love even if they aren’t in a full set. When I first started collecting, I loved finding full sets. The problem was that they were often more expensive then buying individual pieces and putting them together. Thrift stores and yard salers won’t hesitate to charge you $40+ for a good-condition, full set of Pyrex. But I only paid $2 for this perfect 404 Butterprint at Deseret Industries. Now the hung begins for the rest of the set!
Here’s another example of a set-in-progress. This primary yellow mixing bowl needs a good cleaning, but the color is in great condition, and there are no scratches. Now I’m on the prowl for the other three bowls. (I did find a full set at a yard sale, but they wanted $40, and the red bowl was in bad shape. It’s more fun this way - and this bowl only cost $2!)
Another set in progress… I found both of these at Deseret Industries for $2 each.
4. DO buy full sets when the price is right, the condition is good and you love the print. I paid about $25 for this set. Not a steal, but I love the way these colors look in my kitchen.
5. Do make up your own sets for the purpose of display if you like the way they look. Experiment with different color combinations to get the look/feel you’re going for.
I sort of regretting collecting these random bowls until I realized they made a cute set!
6. Do have some fun!! I love this promotional bowl I got for $2 at Deseret Industries (in PERFECT condition!). I’m not a huge fan of gold leaf. And it doesn’t really match the rest of my collection. And it’s Christmas-themed. But I don’t care! I love it! I even used it as the chip bowl at Harper’s one-year-birthday party.
Same goes for this Butterfly Gold gravy boat and matching saucer. The set was $1, I think. I love it because it’s a little rare, and the shape is a nice contrast to the rest of my collection.
So there you have it - my budding vintage Pyrex collection! What are your best tips for collecting Pyrex (or other collectibles?)? What do you think of my collection so far?
laurenydahl
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