The Rare Vintage Pyrex Mixing Bowls Every Collector Hopes To Find At A Thrift Store

In the world of vintage Pyrex, there are the patterns that are more or less a dime a dozen (though you'll still pay a pretty penny for them), the patterns that are more rare, and the Pyrex patterns that are the rarest and most valuable still. You're likely to encounter the more common patterns, like Homestead and Spring Blossom Green, during an everyday visit to a thrift store. But, if you come across nesting mixing bowls in the Butterprint pattern — in either pink on white or orange on white — you've hit the thrift store jackpot (especially if they are priced under three figures).

While some rare Pyrex casserole dishes are shrouded in mystery, the story of pink and orange Butterprint is well known. In 1957, Pyrex released the Butterprint pattern in turquoise on white and white on turquoise. Due to the popularity of the design, the company created the pattern in three other colorways, as promotional items. The colorways were available through a trading stamp program, a sort of proto-loyalty program offered by grocery stores. Customers collected stamps, and when they had enough, used them to "purchase" various items. The pink on white pattern was released as casserole dishes in the U.S. through the stamp program and featured on Cinderella bowls by Rigopal Argentina, a Pyrex licensee. The Butterprint pattern was discontinued by the brand entirely in 1968, making it even more coveted and valuable — some of these nesting bowls go for several hundred to even thousands of dollars.

When spotting valuable vintage Pyrex at the thrift store, it's important to know what to look for. Butterprint was one of Pyrex's more popular mixing bowl patterns. The design featured a male and female farmer with a bushel of wheat between them. It also had roosters, sheaths of corn, and tied together crops printed on it. The promotional orange and pink colorways may be more popular now for their rarity than they were at the time of their release. Pyrex apparently used some cost-cutting measures to produce their trading stamp program pieces, but that hasn't diminished demand for them today.

The official name for the orange Butterprint pattern is actually "Pumpkin Butterprint." You'll only find the orange print on the Cinderella mixing bowls, ranging in size from 1 ½ pints to 4 quarts. When offered through the trading stamp program in 1965, the bowls were sold as a set of four, available for 1 ½ trading stamp books. These days, a full set of four bowls sells on eBay for over $1,000.

The pink on white Butterprint pattern was also offered as part of the trading stamps program, but in the Cinderella casserole set, rather than mixing bowls. Compared to Pyrex's round mixing bowls and casserole dishes, the Cinderella-style bowls and casseroles have two pour spouts on each side. The dish may or may not have a clear glass lid, and dishes with lids are worth more than those without (potentially in the high hundreds to over $1,000 for a set). Whether pink or orange, authentic Pyrex Butterprint bowls and casseroles will have the PYREX stamp on their bottoms, including the model number of the dish, size, and "Made in the USA."