Not The Duchess Set: One Of The Most Valuable Pyrex Patterns Collectors Dream Of Finding

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Pyrex has a long history of delivering durable kitchenware in unique colors and designs, across a variety of dishes and containers. Some designs were made for years, while others were only offered for a single year or season. And with a wide catalog of products, it makes sense that there are certain Pyrex pieces that are so rare that they can be worth thousands of dollars. One extremely rare design that was never actually released, beyond as a potential promotional item gifted to Corning Glass Works employees in the '60s, was the Turquoise Golden Birds on the 575-B space saver casserole dish, which has sold for up to $7,500 on Etsy. In fact, according to WorthPoint, there are only 10 of these dishes that have been confirmed to exist, adding to its value and rarity.

The Turquoise Golden Birds pattern was only produced on the rectangular 2-quart casserole dish with a clear glass lid. While the interior of the casserole dish is the standard white of the opalware glass, the exterior is a vibrant turquoise blue color. Printed on the exterior of the space saver dish in gold is a scene with two birds sitting on a branch, with an abstract print and detailed scroll work, as well as a stripe pattern with diamonds. And the lid of this piece also has a design on it, with the abstract print continuing across the top of the glass. This is a highly decorative print that pops thanks to the vibrancy of the blue background, which delivers on both the mid-century modern vibes and the nostalgia factor.

The Turquoise Golden Birds is one of the more valuable Pyrex patterns to be on the lookout for at the thrift store and other secondhand shops. And since this vintage design was never even on the market, it will be extremely hard to find even if you did want to add it to your collection. With so few of these dishes produced, online reselling platforms may be your best bet for coming across the Turquoise Golden Birds. While the dish has sold for thousands of dollars in the past, there are currently none available for sale, although Replacements does let you select the option for them to try to find this piece for you.

While condition is often very important when picking up vintage Pyrex, this is the kind of pattern that can show some minor signs of wear and still retain its value. Light scrapes and scratches on the interior of the dish are to be expected from silverware use, and do not take away from the piece. 

One thing to pay attention to if you are lucky enough to come across the Turquoise Golden Birds casserole dish is the lid, as the gold paint on the lid has been shown to wear away easily because of the way that it was originally applied. And just like other vintage Pyrex pieces, you'll want to check for the Pyrex trademark in all capital letters with the 575-B code and the "Made in USA" backstamp on the bottom of the dish.