The Vintage Dinnerware Brand You'd Be Thrilled To Find At The Thrift Store

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Passionate thrifters always have a few things on their wish lists — items that they keep an eye out for whenever they're browsing the aisles. Whether it's mid-century credenzas in solid wood or the most valuable Depression glass colors to search for, nothing beats the thrill of finally snapping up a prized possession. While there are plenty of vintage dishware brands that will bring charm to your retro kitchen, there's one in particular worth looking out for when browsing thrift store shelves: Corelle. It's increasingly popular with crockery collectors, so you have to be quick to snatch Corelle wares up when out thrifting.

Corelle was first introduced to the U.S. retail market in 1970, and in what seems like a flash, it was gracing almost everyone's table in the country. The dinnerware was prized for being lightweight and virtually unbreakable, making it a must-have for families with small children. The dishes are made from Vitrelle, where three layers of glass are thermally laminated together. It might surprise you to learn that over 2,000 Corelle patterns have been produced since the '70s, with new patterns still being released as old ones are discontinued. Any patterns made before 2005 are considered vintage, and these are the ones to look out for at the thrift store.

Want to know whether that piece of Corelle you've found while thrifting is vintage? Familiarize yourself with the most popular discontinued designs. For example, Corelle released the Spring Blossom Green or Crazy Daisy pattern, with a deep green floral wreath border on a white background, in 1972. Butterfly Gold, which features a gold floral wreath border, is similar. Another vintage pattern worth snapping up if you spot it is Snowflake Blue  — look for the small blue snowflakes on the rim of plates, cups, and more. This pattern was retired in 1976. Abundance was released in 1991 and retired in 2009. This newer pattern features a wreath of colored fruit around the inner rim and two solid-colored outer borders.

As you dive deeper into your Corelle obsession, you may come across information stating that the paint on Corelle dinnerware made before the year 2000 contains lead. Instant Brands, the company that manufactures Corelle dinnerware today, conducted extensive testing on products dating back to 1978. They concluded that because the painted decorations are encapsulated in glass, they comply with FDA lead-safety regulations. If you're still concerned, test vintage dishware yourself using an AAWipes Lead Test Swab Kit. Alternatively, you could take Martha Stewart's style advice and use the vintage kitchenware to decorate around large windows instead of eating or drinking from it.