A Pennsylvania woman who specializes in uncovering forgotten treasures stumbled upon one of the most remarkable discoveries of her career after being invited into the basement of a neighborhood jewelry store, where hundreds of untouched vintage Pyrex and CorningWare pieces had been sitting for decades.
Danielle Turner, owner of Ivyland Homestead, said the unexpected find came during a visit to Modern Jewelry in South Philadelphia—a family-owned business that once sold both jewelry and household appliances. In an interview with Newsweek, Turner described the discovery as a "full-circle moment" after nearly two decades of collecting vintage Pyrex.
"My passion is uncovering overlooked pieces, researching their history and finding them a new home," Turner told Newsweek.
Turner said the opportunity came about through an unlikely friendship.
"This opportunity came through a chance encounter," she told Newsweek. "The pizza delivery guy next door to my apartment would always see me carrying my flea market displays in and out of my building. One day, he asked if I needed a watch guy and introduced me to a local jeweler."
That introduction eventually led her to Modern Jewelry, a South Philadelphia business founded by Neil Nigro in 1969 and now operated by his son and grandson, Stanley and Matthew Nigro. Over time, it became Turner's trusted destination for watch repairs.
One visit changed everything.
"While I was dropping off some watches to be repaired, I noticed some boxed Pyrex in the showroom and asked about it," Turner told Newsweek. "The owner told me that the next time I came back, he would show me the basement—and that's when everything changed."
When she learned more about the building's history, the discovery began to make sense.
According to Turner, the store originally operated as Modern Jewelry and Appliances from the 1970s through the 1990s. As big-box retailers became more common, many family-owned businesses struggled to compete. In 1993, the owners decided to focus solely on jewelry, leaving behind a large inventory of appliances and housewares. Rather than throw those items away, they stored them in the basement.
What Turner found below was far more than a few forgotten boxes.
"The collection includes hundreds of pieces of Pyrex and CorningWare, many still in their sealed original boxes, along with cookware, kitchenware and other inventory that has been untouched for decades," she told Newsweek.
Collectors have long prized vintage Pyrex and CorningWare, particularly rare patterns and promotional pieces. According to Newsweek, some uncommon Pyrex dishes have sold at auction for several thousand dollars, with especially rare examples fetching more than $7,000.
For Turner, however, the collection's value extends beyond what it might bring at auction.
"I started collecting Pyrex about 18 years ago after my mom passed away and I was trying to complete a particular Pyrex set," she told Newsweek. "So coming across all this Pyrex and CorningWare felt like a full-circle moment for me."
The experience was almost difficult to believe.
"I remember thinking, 'Is this really happening?'" Turner recalled in her interview with Newsweek. "Then I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that moment in time."
Turner has since purchased the collection and is carefully researching and cataloging every piece before deciding what comes next. While many of the items will eventually be sold to collectors, she hopes their stories will be preserved alongside them.
"I plan on documenting the entire collection first. Part of my excitement about this collection is researching the history behind the pieces," Turner told Newsweek. “Eventually, many of these items will find new homes with collectors, but preserving the story behind them is just as important to me.”
(Courtesy of Danielle Turner/@Ivyland Homestead)
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