The Vintage Pie Dish That's Worth A Pretty Penny

Some people like thrifting to find unique and affordable pieces they'll want to use, while others seek out pieces that will help them turn a profit, such as the most valuable items to seek out at a thrift store. Regularly scouring the thrift store is an opportunity to find items for just a few dollars that are worth hundreds, and on the right day with lots of luck, you might even find a super rare antique item that could be worth thousands of dollars. It sounds unlikely, but if you happened to find something like the Minton majolica game pie dish, it could be like winning the lottery.

The Minton majolica game pie dish is a dish made in the late 19th century in England. It is an oval-shaped glazed earthenware item with a unique and detailed design featuring a three-dimensional rabbit, a duck, and a bird on the lid. There are also nature-based details like leaves and branches dotted throughout, and the bottom part of the dish is intended to mimic the look of a woven basket. The overall appearance is shiny and intricate, making it a piece antique lovers would dream of. The entire dish, including handles, is about 12 ½ inches long and 7 ½ inches tall, including the lid. 

With its unique design and special, historic brand, it's no wonder this antique is worth quite a bit. However, with price tags ranging between $1,000 and $5,000 today, it is natural to wonder why these dishes are worth so much, just how rare they are, where you can find them, and what you can do if you do get one.

The value doesn't only come from the fact that pie dishes are the vintage kitchen collector's item that everyone is looking for at thrift stores. The first factor explaining the price is the reputation of the brand. The Minton brand has many pieces that have held up from the late 1800s and are still in lovely condition today. This, along with the brand's history of quality and design excellence, make the pieces valuable and desirable. In fact, Minton made multiple styles of game pie dishes, and this particular design is not the only one that is currently worth thousands of dollars. The fact that the dish is majolica is also part of the value. Majolica is a shiny glaze that was highly sought out by upper and middle-class English people around the time of the Minton game pie dish's manufacturing.

While it may be possible to find one of these at an antique store, if you want one, your best bet would be to purchase one online from a verified seller. Be sure to check the condition before purchasing and to maintain the dish well so it retains its value. Then, you can display the dish in your home or resell it. Do not use these dishes for actual food preparation, as majolica commonly contains dangerous levels of lead. Overall, while you may not be likely to find this rare dish at random, there are plenty of other vintage kitchen dishware items you should always look for at thrift stores. You never truly know what you'll find!