The Most Valuable '70s Vintage Pyrex To Score At The Thrift Store, Ranked

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Colorful, practical, and collectible: Vintage Pyrex kitchenware has become many a thrifter's obsession in recent years. Pyrex was invented in 1915, made from heatproof glass that was originally developed by Corning Glass Works for use in lanterns in 1908. The success of these durable baking dishes expanded the range into other kitchenware items, and mass-market Pyrex designs grew in popularity from the 1940s onwards, driven by post-war shifts in American culture. Through the 1950s and 1960s, Pyrex patterns remained very popular, and there are some very sought-after and valuable '70s-era Pyrex designs that antique hunters should keep an eye out for. 

Many Pyrex collectors simply love the thrill of the hunt and creating colorful displays, while others are driven to acquire rare pieces that fetch high prices. The Corning Museum of Glass website has an entire section devoted to vintage Pyrex designs, including distinctive 1970s patterns. While older, rare vintage Pyrex pieces can fetch thousands among passionate collectors, 1970s patterns are slightly more common to see in thrift shops, at estate sales, and on eBay. Many of the 1970s designs accompanied Corning's expanded lines of practical dinnerware, like Corelle Livingware, introduced in 1970.

Some of the most iconic patterns of this era have names reflecting the "country kitchen" design trend that really exploded in the 1970s, including "Homestead," "Old Orchard," "Friendship," "Woodland," and "Autumn Harvest." There are various rubrics to rank the value of collectible vintage items, including pricing guidelines set by experts and the range of prices listed in online auctions on eBay. In the case of a vast and popular collectible category like Pyrex, it's a bit like the Wild West with wildly varying price points, but we go into more detail on how our value rankings were determined at the end of this article.

The "Snowflake Blue" Pyrex pattern was manufactured from 1972 until 1975. This was one of three patterns (including "Butterfly Gold" and "Spring Blossom Green") introduced as "Pyrex Compatibles," designed to accompany Corelle Livingware lines. These lines included new items like butter dishes, salt and pepper shakers, and a cream and sugar set, adding to the variety sought by collectors. The snowflake and dot pattern is sometimes called "Garland" among collectors. Bowl and dish sets of "Snowflake Blue" are in demand: four Cinderella nesting bowls might start on eBay at $189. The same set in the original box starts at $435.

"Friendship" was introduced in 1971, following promotional pieces with a slightly fuller floral motif called "Penn Dutch" (based on Pennsylvania Dutch design), inspired by "country living" decor trends.  This pattern features stylized birds and flowers in bold red and orange on white opalware. Casserole lids had the design painted on clear glass until 1972, followed by painted opalware lids. The casseroles with opalware lids start at $50 apiece on eBay. Single mixing bowls start at around $40. One rare "Friendship" piece, a clear glass painted pixie gratin dish, 2 ounces larger than usual, is listed for $550. Made until 1974, this is a well-loved and collectible '70s Pyrex design.

"Old Town Blue" is a dark indigo blue on white design with an abstract but folksy feel. Introduced in 1972, it was manufactured through 1982. One Corning Museum of Glass blog post on 1970s Pyrex cites an advertisement for "Old Town Blue" describing the pattern as "a breath of nostalgia in an air of fresh design." It was an early Tabletop Compatibles line made to promote Corning's Corelle Livingware (still a very collectible vintage dinnerware brand). Two unusual items are fairly collectible: a glass beverage jug and a pair of linen towels. A rarely seen butter dish starts at $50.

"Woodland" is a lovely earth-toned pattern in cocoa, taupe, and white, introduced in 1978 and sold through 1983, another Compatibles set. The simple line-drawn pattern reflects the graphic and geometric design trends of the late 1970s that are popping up in homes again, yet the forest theme echoes the still-popular country kitchen aesthetic and the nature imagery popular during the era. Nesting bowl sets in this design start at around $50 to $100 on eBay, depending on condition, while a six-piece set of casseroles with lids in the original box feels like a steal at $195. Less common pieces, like butter dishes in white opalware, start at $60.

This autumnal design features a warm earthy color palette reminiscent of earthenware pottery, with a butterscotch background that enhances a rustic pattern of apples and grapes. Two promotional pieces with a similar design called "Harvest" were introduced in 1973, and "Old Orchard" was introduced in 1974, adding the distinctive ombre shading along the rim. Casserole sets had solid brown lids or clear glass lids with painted designs. Full sets of Cinderella or nesting bowls are fairly common on eBay, starting at $44 in fair condition or up to $125 in "mint" condition, but the pair of refrigerator dishes in solid butterscotch and chocolate are rare, with starting bids at $66.

"Homestead" was introduced in 1976 and sold through 1980. This pattern features a speckled pale beige color with deep blue swirls, a look that resembles 19th-century stoneware butter crocks. It was inspired by the success of the popular Pfaltzgraff stoneware designs "Yorktowne" and "Village," introduced in 1967 and 1976, respectively. "Homestead" combines their yellow and blue color schemes, creating a line that would easily mix and match with other Pyrex pieces. Sets of "Homestead" bowls and casseroles are plentiful and vary in price based on condition, but lesser-seen pieces like a small refrigerator dish with cover can start at $25.

The 1970s Pyrex patterns listed here are ranked in relative order of value based on the range of prices listed in online auctions on eBay. We chose the patterns that had some of the highest price points for starting bids of Buy It Now sales. While these patterns all had some high-priced listings, they also had lower-priced listings, which might seem like a contradiction. 

But here's the thing about Pyrex collecting: There's a lot of vintage Pyrex out there, and a lot of collectors busy buying and selling. Some patterns are harder to find than others, and certain promotional or limited-edition items are fairly rare, which tends to drive prices up. Other factors can affect the monetary value of a specific collectible Pyrex piece, including condition (scratches or other wear), whether it's a full set versus a single item, and whether an original box is included. Even things like color trends can affect value, causing prices to go up as collectors and social media mavens scramble to celebrate Pantone's Color of the Year with vintage Pyrex displays. 

Because Pyrex collecting has become extremely popular in recent years, listings on eBay are not always accurate in terms of identifying items by name, item number, or other information. For this reason, potential buyers should be ready to do some research to confirm the accuracy of listings and determine whether pricing is appropriate. Official sources created by the Corning Museum of Glass are the most reliable. Their "Pyrex Potluck" pages include a comprehensive pattern library, a wonderful pictorial archive searchable by keywords including colors and design elements. There is also a blog with many articles detailing the history and culture of Pyrex.