Skip Pyrex: The Antique Dishware Brand To Search For At Thrift Stores

For many homeowners and renters alike, the desire for sleek, white kitchens with pristine, clear countertops doesn't hold the same sway as it did even a few years ago. Today, more and more people are rediscovering the joy of collecting eclectic kitchenware. Burgeoning collectors are keeping an eye out for Depression glass patterns at the thrift store and vintage Pyrex casserole dishes are having a moment in the spotlight. However, since the old glassware and bakeware has become chic once again, prices are rising. Nice pieces are fast becoming out of reach to those on a budget. Enter Mottahedeh, a luxury ceramic dinnerware brand that seems to have slipped under the radar. Could it be the next thing savvy secondhand shoppers are perusing thrift store shelves for?

Like Pyrex, this classic American brand — founded almost a century ago by Rafi and Mildred Mottahedeh — is still in the servingware business. Today, Mottahedeh specializes in reproducing historic designs on dinner plates, tea cups, cookie trays, and an array of other dishes with incredible authenticity, licensing fine china reproductions from organizations like the Historic Charleston Foundation, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and the Winterthur Museum and Gardens. The brand has even created special collections for the White House and the U.S. State Department. Today, vintage Mottahedeh pieces are highly collectible, with beloved patterns like Tobacco Leaf and Blue Canton particularly coveted by enthusiasts.

As older generations downsize, everything from wedding china to single plates is ending up in thrift stores. How do you know you're getting the real deal — and a deal price-wise at that? Mottahedeh dishes are largely produced in Portugal, where each piece is stamped with the brand's name, possibly a pattern number, and the words Vista Alegre or the letters VA (or both). If the reproduced image on the dish was licensed, the name of the organization will also be included.

While many of these pieces can be found on popular reseller sites like 1stDibs, Etsy, and eBay, you'll find the best deals at the thrift store. That is, of course, if you're lucky enough to nab a Mottahedeh dish before someone else spots it. Look for the brand's signature vibrant colors, crisp lines, and 22k gold detailing. The vintage dishware pattern you should keep an eye out for while thrifting is one of the brand's most popular, Tobacco Leaf, which is particularly beloved by Mottahedeh fans for its unique mix of colorful flora and fauna. Other favorites, like Blue Canton, Lace, Cinnabar, and Faimille Verte are Chinoiserie in style.

If you can't find these valuable patterns, don't worry. With such a lengthy history, there are bound to be plenty of other Mottahedeh designs that call to you. A pair of mid-century modern porcelain birds, for example, or some graphic daisy plates from the 1960s. Mottahedeh pieces rival any artwork. Style them in a vintage hutch or china cabinet, stack them on open shelving, or hang them on the wall. Mix and match dishes to add color, flair, and personal style to your home. You'll never see matching dishes in Joanna Gaines' kitchen for just that reason.