Not Pyrex: The Valuable Kitchenware Brand To Look For A Thrift Stores

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Pyrex is a household name for kitchenware, but there's actually another overlooked kitchenware brand that's worth keeping an eye out for. Founded in Ohio in 1936 before moving to West Virginia, the Fiestaware brand is famous for producing items with detailed Art Deco silhouettes and bold colors. They can be worth a lot of money, as well: For the right audience, a salad bowl can go for $250, while a turquoise onion soup bowl can be valued at more than $9,000!

And it's not just bowls, either. Fiestaware made dozens of other dishware items over the years. You can find ceramic coffee pots that range anywhere from $500 to $850, as well as egg cups valued from $100 all the way up to $275. These ranges account for condition, color, and age. Of course, these prices are typical of online collectors. It's entirely possible that the items in question would be priced much cheaper at thrift stores, which are often just looking to move stock as quickly as possible. So, if you happen to find a full set of Fiestaware, you could easily scoop up a collection worth thousands of dollars!

If you spot a brightly colored ceramic on the thrift store shelf, it could be Fiestaware. The company keeps a list of all its colors, including the retired colors that are no longer available for direct purchase. If you find one of these, such as 'Cobalt Blue,' 'Butter Yellow,' or the iconic 'Fiesta Red,' you have a rarer and more valuable piece on your hands. Next, you can tell if a piece is authentic by identifying a Fiestaware backstamp. There are a few different versions of this. The first is "GENUINE fiesta" — printed just like that, with the brand name lowercase. Variations include "Fiesta HLC USA" or "HLC Fiesta Made in USA." If the backstamp is missing, the Fiestaware piece in your hands probably isn't authentic.

Finally, because not all plates are oven safe, it's important to know if you can eat off your vintage dishware. This is easy to check at home with a simple kit, like these AAwipes Lead Test Swabs. In Fiestaware's case, you'll also need to know if it's radioactive safe. That's because the company used uranium oxide to make its "Fiesta Red" color. While this only applies to plates created before 1973, you should avoid eating off any red vintage Fiestaware items, just to be safe. Instead, you're better off using them for decoration.