6 Rare Vintage Pyrex Patterns You Should Always Look For At Thrift Stores

Pyrex collectors are a different breed. Their fervor for beautiful, colorful mid-century dishware is unmatched. For some, such passion, and the work it entails (the endless hours of thrift store mining, eBay lurking, and blog post researching), can seem to be, well, a lot.

Here's what I say: you either get it or you don't. But there is no denying the beautiful, color-rich allure of a vintage Pyrex bowl or set. These long discontinued dishes feature gorgeous hues, lusciously semi-opaque opalware, and ever-so-kitsch retro patterns that make them perfect for displaying as show pieces (and really, we think that the brand should bring these showstoppers back on the market). However, if you're looking to start your Pyrex collection, or are just Pyrex curious, it might be hard to tell which pieces are worth snagging and which are better left on the shelves.

Luckily, we have gathered six of the most coveted, rare, and downright drool-worthy Pyrex patterns that should definitely be on your watchlist. You should be warned, though, as some of these patterns can fetch quite the pretty penny. Now, you might not want to cook with this Pyrex, and not just because it may contain lead, but because it is incredibly valuable, and a true slice of culinary history.

Lovely and pink with delicate gold pattern detailing around the center, the Pyrex Pink Duchess pattern is perfectly pretty, and worth an even prettier penny. This pattern was a promotional design first released in 1959 and came in the form of a casserole container complete with a glass lid, metal stand, and warmer. You can find Pink duchess Pyrex items on eBay for around $6,000, depending on the style.

This print was officially called Pumpkin Butterprint when it was first released in 1965. It features an opal backing and a print of farmers and hay bundles. This short-lived print was sold through an S&H Green Stamp catalog. For awhile, the exact backstory of this print was a mystery, and it is rarer than other colorways of the print, such as turquoise. You can find single bowls in this print online for over $300. A full set of Cinderella bowls (the brand's iconic style of nesting bowls) in this print might set you back over $1,500.

This spare, opalware-backed design is everything you could ever want in a vintage Pyrex. Its bright bursts of turquoise diamonds are beautiful, and feel incredibly mid-century. This print was produced as a promotional product during the 1950s. The print was used on bowls that predate the brand's signature Cinderella bowls. You can find vintage bowls in this print online for over $600, which is quite the pretty penny. Then again, this print is incredibly gorgeous, and might just make a great statement piece in your mid-century modern kitchen.

Released in 1966, the Pyrex Blue Stripe design — "barcode" as it is referred to by collectors – is not all that rare. However, barcode pieces in other, more limited combinations such as yellow and green or orange and white are more difficult to find. In fact, an orange and white barcode container has sold on eBay for just under $3,000 in recent years. So make sure to keep an eye out for these striped beauties if you're looking for a hidden treasure.

Produced in 1959, Lucky in Love is one of the most, if not the most coveted Pyrex pattern out there. This pattern was either a test item or a limited release, and very few remain in existence today. Lucky in Love pieces feature a border of green grass along with four leaf clovers and pink hearts (though heartless items have been spotted). Lucky in Love items have been sold for thousands of dollars a pop. In 2017, one collector paid $5,994 for a piece with the pattern. The pattern was re-issued in 2018, but the newer edition isn't on that beautiful, signature semi-opaque surface.

Talk about a golden goose. No, we're talking about the golden colorway of Pyrex's Gooseberry pattern. More often found in pink and white and black and yellow, this pattern is a staple in many Pyrex collections. The golden color scheme, however, is much less common. The design features leaves, vines, and berries. According to the blog Pyrex Love, this colorway may have been a promotional item, though there is no definitive source or origin year for this print. It is likely to have been produced in the 1950s. In 2023, a bowl set in the color was sold for a whopping $4650.00.