Move Over, Pyrex: There's Another Vintage Dishware Brand Worth Hunting For At Thrift Stores

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When it comes to valuable, attractive, vintage dishware, Pyrex isn't the only game in town. There are plenty of other brands to collect if you love colorful mid-century kitchenware. One of these is as all-American as Pyrex, even though its name and style are distinctly Scandinavian: Dansk.

Dansk was founded in 1954, after Ted Nierenberg, an entrepreneur from the United States, traveled to Copenhagen and found the work of designer Jens Quistgaard. Quistgaard created pieces that were attractive and yet functional, such as wood-handled flatware and bright, enamel-coated cookware. The two partnered and formed Dansk, launching the company's first products, such as Købenstyle cookware, in 1955. Købenstyle pots and pans are a type of enamelware and feature lids with crossed handles. When removing the lid from the pot, you can flip it over so the handle is against a surface. This enables the lid to double as a trivet.

Over the next three decades, until the 1980s, the brand produced cookware, dishware, and other kitchen products; the styles of which evolved as tastes changed. While you can find new Dansk products today, notably the brand's iconic Købenstyle cookware, the vintage pieces remain in demand, thanks to their blend of form and function. Keep an eye out for teak serving utensils, earth-toned dinnerware, and enameled pots and pans in a rainbow of colors. If you love Pyrex and Le Creuset, Dansk is another brand to hunt for in thrift stores. 

Vintage Dansk kitchenware falls into four categories: cookware, flatware, serving pieces, and dinnerware. Whether you're hunting for Købenstyle pots and pans, dinnerware, or serving utensils, pay attention to the overall condition of the piece. Similar to Le Creuset Dutch ovens, older Købenstyle Dutch oven casseroles can have damage, such as the enamel coating chipping away from the metal underneath. Look for pieces that don't have significant wear on the enamel or large pieces missing. Flatware and serving utensils with teak handles should have even wear and be free from large cracks or other signs of damage. If you'd like to hunt for dinnerware, keep an eye out for complete sets, which are more valuable than individual pieces. 

Part of the fun of hunting for Dansk is coming across rare colors or patterns. While you're likely to see plenty of red, blue, and yellow pots and pans, colors like avocado or turquoise are much harder to find and more valuable. Also, pay attention to when the item was made. Several details can clue you in as to whether you've found a piece from the 1950s, 1980s, or a modern reproduction. Older pieces from the 1950s will have a backstamp that reads "Dansk Designs Denmark," while newer ones will read "Dansk International Designs" and "Portugal" or another country. Older items will also have "IHQ" on them, which is the designer's signature, Jens Quistgaard.