Monday 20 January 2014

Pyrex Makes Perfect

For me, vintage collectibles become extra special if I can use them the way they were originally intended. That's not always possible. Old enamel pots, for example, aren't the wisest choice for cooking, since they might leach toxins into food. And nobody wants rusty cookies; old tin cans are best used only for display.

Pyrex is one collectible that remains useful throughout the decades. Oven safe, strong, and microwavable, these glass dishes can be put into service, doing the jobs they've already done for decades. 

Pyrex has been a part of my life since my earliest memories of cooking with my mother using her set of pastel mixing bowls. Like milk glass, these creamy, opaque dishes are as useful as they are visually appealing, with enough variety in pattern and colour to keep collectors happy forever. 

Pyrex is readily available, too. I see bowls, butter dishes, and other pieces every time I visit a vintage store (often with a price tag that reflects its popularity). In Thrift stores, though, I don't usually see anything but odd little mismatched pieces. Happily, my luck changed a few days ago. 

Here's what I spotted on a bottom shelf of my local Salvation Army, in perfect condition and priced at an affordable $5.50 CDN: 




The handles, colour and pattern easily identify the piece as a mid-century Cinderella bowl in beautiful turquoise Butterprint. Who could ever resist turquoise anything, especially if it has a practical use? 





This smaller, nesting bowl came with it, priced at $3.50. These are the largest two in what originally would have been a set of four bowls, alternating in colour. 





The handles make them practical as both prep and serving dishes. 




The powder blue serving bowl shown below is Pyrex too. I found it nesting inside the Cinderella bowls, priced at $1.50. The glass has a slight swirl of white for a marble look, and the fluted edges are so dainty. My heart fluttered the minute I spied it. Sold!





I don't know this bowl's vintage, but it sports a "Made in Canada" label on the bottom. So far, I haven't been able to identify it. Perhaps it's newer?





So there you have it: three pieces of Thrift store eye candy that sweeten up my china cabinet and add an irresistible splash of turquoise to the dining room. 




Looks like the beginning of a new collection, wouldn't you say?



4 comments:

  1. You hit the jackpot! Those are lovely and so useful too. I have a few pieces of old corning ware. I think the pyrex is a lot more design fun though. Yes...looks like start of a collection to me.

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    1. I love Corning Ware too, Lynne! It was an everyday staple in my mother's kitchen. Still is, as a matter of fact!

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  2. Adrienne... they are delightful, and I especially love the little dainty bowl. Are you planning on using them in the camper, or only the house? ...oh, and I love the dish set in the picture behind your bowls ;) Cheers~

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    1. I'll definitely use them in Bing too, Heather. They're great for holding bananas, serving chips, washing dishes in, or even just set out on the picnic table with a few flowers floating in some water.
      The blue plates behind the bowls were another thrift store find--they were about $1 each and they still had the Homesense price tags on the bottom, so I know where they originally came from. My daughter and I love the birds!

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