Collecting 101: Pyrex! History, Popularity, Patterns and Value! Episode 4

Hey guys, what's going on? Welcome to episode four of Collecting 101 and today we're going to delve into Pyrex. Now I'd like to talk about the history of Pyrex, the popular patterns out there, and the value of the Pyrex species you could be looking for or already have in your collection. So let's get started today with history. Alright, so let's go all the way back to the year 1893 when German scientist Otto Schott discovered that adding boron oxide to glass was a great way to reinforce the glass while also increasing its resistance to thermal shock. So he used that information to start producing a product called Duran in Germany at that time. Now it wasn't until 1908 that Eugene Sullivan of the Corning Glass Company, who did most of his college studying on what Schott did in Germany, started infusing his glass with boron oxide and produced a product called Nonex. Now he did that to be used in the railroad signaling lanterns as well as battery jars. Now a worker from Corning actually sawed a battery jar in half and brought it home to his wife because his wife was having such a hard time finding a baking dish that would be able to be used more than once or twice without breaking. So she brought it home and used this half a battery jar and baked a cake in it. Now she baked a cake and it turned out phenomenal so she started testing a whole bunch of different foods in it to see what this product could do. She found out that it was resistant to temperature change, there was no discoloration, the food didn't change taste being used in here, and it also didn't offer any bad smells on the product once it was done, and you could watch the item cook because it was clear glass so you know if it was underbaked, overbaked, or that perfect golden crispy brown that we all love. So she took all the information, sent it off to Corning, and Corning found out real quick that hey we might have something on our hands here. So by 1915, right at the beginning of World War I, they introduced this product we know today as Pyrex pretty much as a counterpunch to what Germany's product called Duran was doing at the time. Now it was a huge success in the states all the way into the 1930s where in 1936 they actually partnered with a glass company out of Pennsylvania to produce that colorful opal glass we're talking about you know we want to talk about today because it offered the same features as the clear glass but in a more eye appealing you know eye appealing look to it. So again this product was actually used in all the way up until 1945 before it even hit homes and once it hit the homestead it was a huge success all the way into the 1980s when the actual the colorful opal glassware was actually discontinued and they went back to just the clear glass. Now they went back to the clear glass and you know don't think the Pyrex is you know doing bad because they're still alive and well today. They have great products, high quality products. I mean that is the best baking dishes you can get today are Pyrex dishes. So yeah it was a great product when it started for its durability and all of the things it could withstand in a baking it could go from a freezer to an oven and be just fine. So yeah Pyrex an amazing amount of history. So let's go on today to popularity and we're going to talk about the popular patterns. So when I talk about popularity of Pyrex I really want to delve into the patterns. Now Pyrex produced 150 different patterns so I can't touch base on all of them but I definitely want to highlight a few. So but first I gotta start talking about standard patterns and promotional patterns. Now standard patterns are ones that were released for over two years. Promotional patterns were only released on a limited amount of time with a limited amount of pieces so they're definitely rarer and harder to come by. So we're going to start it off with some standard patterns back with the first one in 1945 with the primary color nesting bowls. Now these are very popular due to their easily because they were easily storable but as well as they offered a great Now in 1956 they came out with the pink daisy which was originally called the white daisy but as you guys will see throughout the years Pyrex had issues confusing different patterns with one another so it started as a white daisy turned into the pink daisy to avoid confusion later on. Now in 1956 they also came out with the snowflake pattern which was originally out in a turquoise which is Pyrex's or Pyrex is one of their most popular colors but it's also available in a black which again is harder to come by but again Now in 1957 they came out with the butter print which is the Amish farmer and his wife again which is a very popular piece to collect but it also comes in a yellow and a pink which is even harder to come by so again ones you definitely want to be looking for. Now in 1962 they came out with the early American which I consider you know one of the more plainer patterns but again it was one of Pyrex's more longer running patterns it was actually one of the most popular decorating themes of that decade. And then in 1968 they came out with the daisy pattern because flower power you know was so popular in the 60s so Pyrex knew that and they came out with this pattern and it turned out to be a really big success. Now in 1971 they came out with the friendship pattern which again was very uh definitely signified the times you know holding hands, peace and love, you know working together, friendship you know I mean it was amazing and again one of the popular you know patterns they had. And then in 1972 they came out with the garland pattern. Now the garland pattern was originally called the snowflake blue but again it goes back to what I was talking about before when they didn't want to confuse patterns because the original 1956 snowflake pattern you know was very confusing to the snowflake blue pattern so collectors started calling it the garland you know avoid that confusion. Also in 1972 they came out with the butterfly gold pattern. Now this is significant because they started coming out with other compatible pieces with that as well so you can get the casserole dish, the salt pepper shakers, the butter dish so you could have all this you know um you know so your kitchen could have this like nice great theme to it all the different pieces could have the same pattern. Now also in 1972 they came out with the spring blossom green. Now I consider this again kind of like with the early American one of the more you know plainer patterns but again it was one of the most longer running patterns in you know Pyrex history. Now also in 1970 or 1980 they came out with the autumn harvest which again I say this is uh very collectible because that's one of the other patterns I get asked about a lot in our shop so I definitely want to include it on the list because it's one of the more collectible patterns just based off of my experience. Now in 1983 they came out with the colonial mist. Now this is significant because it was actually the last uh pattern that Pyrex produced so definitely one that people go after because again the last one ever produced no more after that so. So yeah that was just a highlight of some of the standard patterns I really like and I think that are very collectible you know amongst Pyrex collectors. Now I want to touch base on a few of the promotional patterns so I'm going to kind of say the name and kind of give it a second so I show you guys some pictures of them too. So we're going to start off with the hot air balloon again really cool piece uh we also have the ivy and then we have the barbed wire the dandelion the bluebird the eyes and the starburst. Now these are only just a few ones I picked out of the the promotional patterns that are out there there's so many more out there. If you guys are going to definitely start getting into collecting Pyrex look up um all the patterns so you guys could have you know which ones you like and kind of kind of base it off of that because there's so many cool ones out there but I definitely want to show you some of the promotional ones that have this different side of look to them that were made it so much more collectible so definitely ones you definitely want to be looking out for. So all right let's get on to value. All right guys so when we talk about value in your in your Pyrex I want to start talking about condition. Now obviously your Pyrex pieces need to be crack free chip free and no discoloration and also next you want to start doing some studying on the standard patterns and the promotional patterns because do you want to start collecting all the Pyrex or do you want to start collecting specific patterns because certain patterns are going to have different sizes different colors and different pieces you're going to be looking for so the more research and knowledge that you have the better off you're going to be. Now after that you to achieve your highest value on your Pyrex you definitely want to have the complete set so if the set comes with three different size bowls you want to have all three sets of those bowls not only for the value down the line but just it makes your collection look better. Now when you're if you want to get into promotional pieces like I talked about before they're definitely rarer harder to come by so you might be paying a little more money for them but down the line they're probably going to be worth more money as well. So I mean that's something definitely to consider if you want to get into the promotional pieces but your standard pieces too like I was talking about you know when I was talking about the popularity the Gooseberry the Autumn Harvest are just two of the ones I talked about that we get asked about all the time and we've sold pieces like those for 40 50 60 70 dollars in the store depending on size condition and color you know so those are those standard pieces are not nothing to shake it you know shake your fist at there's definitely some money out there as well in those too so definitely something I want you guys to be out there looking for and then when we come down to prices guys like there's so many different sizes colors pieces that I don't really I can't really sit here and give you you know one price that's gonna you know cover everything so my suggestion is to hop on eBay and go to sold listings now when you go to sold listings it's easy to do just search for your item go to the filter button hit and go all the way down to see more and then it should say sold listings click on that it's going to give you a better idea of what your stuff's selling for which is pretty much at the end of the day the value for it so it gives you something if you do already have a pyrex piece that's going to help you find out what it's worth or if you're looking to get into them you want to know how much to pay for something that's a good you know a good barometer what you should be paying for as well so so yeah guys that's kind of what I wanted to talk about today with pyrex I mean I could have delved into a lot more of the patterns but again you know I don't want to keep these videos so long I want to compress it down so hopefully you guys got a lot of information today and hopefully you know I got you gave you guys a little more info and wanting to get into collecting pyrex because I was telling Amber if I was to start collecting one more thing it might be pyrex because there's so many cool pieces out there and the hunt would be the funnest part because there's so many different colors you know there's something to be something fun to do so maybe something I'll consider down the line I'll keep you guys up to date so thank you guys all so much for watching if you guys want to give this video a thumbs up comment below are you guys pyrex collectors did I intrigue you to maybe start collecting pyrex um and if you guys already you know if you guys already collecting pyrex what do you collect or what do you have I mean let's kind of see what's out there I mean there's some really cool pieces out there I hope you know maybe you guys have that'd be awesome to talk about so if you guys get some time subscribe to the channel we got some lot we got a lot of more great content coming out we got an unboxing video coming up next week we have one of our awesome fans that sent us in a couple boxes of antiques she wants us to open up and kind of go through so that's going to be a really fun video we got coming out next week and then episode five of collecting 101 next week is going to be Roseville pottery a highly requested video that we're going to touch base on next week so be ready for the Roseville pottery and like I said when we always talk about collecting guys we always talk about memories over money so see you guys