Look For This Dinnerware Brand At Thrift Stores If You Love Vintage Pyrex

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Vintage Pyrex seems to get all the love these days, with certain patterns commanding astronomical prices and collectors on the lookout for tips and tricks for spotting the most valuable pieces. Yet, Pyrex wasn't the only brand making cute dishware in the mid-20th century. It was part of a family of brands, which included CorningWare and its iconic glass-ceramic casseroles, and Corelle. While Pyrex and CorningWare had the prep part of cooking and eating down pat, Corelle focused on the serving part — in the form of plates, bowls, and other tableware.

Like its cousin Pyrex, Corelle was made from a special type of glass, developed by Corning Glass Works in the mid-1960s. The resulting dinnerware was lightweight and practically unbreakable. As a bonus, the pieces were decorated with some of the same patterns found on Pyrex dishware. Known as "Pyrex Compatibles," the patterns included Butterfly Gold, Spring Blossom, and Snowflake Blue.

You're not likely to come across Corelle dinnerware at the thrift store selling for quite the same prices as some of the rarest Pyrex patterns, but that doesn't mean it's not a valuable find, especially if you come across a full set. However, while vintage Corelle dinnerware does look good enough to eat off of, be cautious about doing so, as pieces made before 2000 may contain lead. The company tested products dating as far back as 1978 and confirmed they have safe levels of lead, but it's often better to err on the side of caution.

If you love Pyrex and are familiar with some of its more common patterns, like Spring Blossom or Butterfly Gold, then you're one step ahead when it comes to spotting vintage Corelle dinnerware. While those two patterns were part of the Pyrex Compatibles collection, along with Snowflake Blue, they are just a sample of the many vintage Corelle patterns out there. Other options include "Old Town Blue," "Meadow," "Blue Heather," and "Wildflower," which was also used on vintage CorningWare casseroles.

Vintage Corelle was released in the 1970s through the 1990s, and the brand continues to release dishware today. All Corelle dinnerware is made from Vitrelle, a thin, laminated glass that's created by fusing two layers of glass to a white core. While the dishes may still shatter or crack if dropped, they are relatively chip- and break-resistant. Authentic Corelle dishes will have a backstamp on them that reads "Corelle" and may say "Livingware" for the oldest dishes, and "Corelle by Corning" for later pieces.

Corelle was priced to be affordable when it was first released, with a 20-piece dinnerware set originally retailing for $19.95. The good news is that vintage pieces are still pretty affordable, with some patterns selling on eBay for around $50 or $60 for a full set. If you're more interested in tracking down single pieces at your local thrift store, then you're likely to find even better prices, as single pieces tend to have a lower value than full sets.