The Pyrex Series: How to Know What to Pay for Vintage Pyrex

Favorites, originally uploaded by jenib320.

Welcome to The Pyrex Series! Over the coming month and possibly beyond, I will be posting weekly Pyrex posts. We will cover everything from the different types and sizes to patterns, cleaning tips, and pricing. Here is a basic overview to get you started! If you have any questions please let me know in the comments and I can incorporate them into the posts!

Find all the posts in the series here: The Pyrex Series
My favorite vintage Pyrex reference book: Pyrex Passion by Michael D. Barber*
My favorite vintage Pyrex reference website: Pyrex Love

Pyrex 101
When you see a piece of Pyrex, first and foremost don't get too excited! This is especially important if you are at a flea market. Often vendors price items on the spot and if they see you are really interested in one of their items, they are more likely to give you a higher price. Also, if there are a lot of pieces, you will be drawing attention (during your momentary squeals of glee) and possibly attract others to the treasure trove of Pyrex!

The next thing you want to do is thoroughly examine the piece. Pick it up, run your fingers along the edges to check for chips. If possible, hold it up to the light to check for scratches in the pattern. What kinds of stains are on it? If they are brownish and look like grease stains, Mr. Clean Eraser should be able to handle them along with some baking soda paste. Gray metal marks are more difficult but not impossible to get out. Is the dish still shiny? Is the color faded? Is there a lid included? These are all important things to ask yourself when examining a piece.

Flamingo Pink, originally uploaded by jenib320.

One of the hardest things about collecting Pyrex is how to know if you're paying the right price. The most important thing to remember about pricing is that it is worth what you are willing to pay for it. You decide how much it is worth to you. Try not to use the "if I sold this on eBay how much would I get?" mentality when buying. While eBay can be a great place to sell items and to learn a little about pricing, unless you are specifically buying items to resell it is not a particularly wise strategy. I follow a few simple guidelines when evaluating an item:

1. If I found this item in absolutely perfect condition, how much would I pay for it? If the item I am considering is in lesser condition but priced higher than my max, I walk away.

2. How high is it on my wish list? If it is an item I really want, I am usually willing to pay a little more for it.

3. How "rare" is the item? It is important to familiarize yourself with common patterns and promotional items. There are some patterns that were more widely produced than others, or simply vary in popularity among collectors. I set lower price limits for common patterns because I am more likely to run across those items again, hopefully at a lower price.

4. Does it have a lid? A patterned lid, or even a glass lid that doesn't have any chips in it definitely adds value to a piece, and may be worth a dollar or two more than I would pay for that item sans lid.

5. How much would I pay for the whole set? When I find a lone bowl from a mixing bowl set, I like to ask myself how much I would pay for the whole set. This helps me decide about how much I would pay for an individual piece.

Friendship Cinderella Bowls, originally uploaded by jenib320.

*Remember, one of the biggest factors that comes into pricing is location. The trend seems to be that prices in the east and mid-west are generally less than those on the west coast. This is certainly not always the case but from talking to other Pyrex collectors seems to be pretty common.

Next week we will cover the different sizes Pyrex made and go over the numbering system!

Happy Pyrexing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.