The Collectible Pyrex Bowl Set From '69 That Would Be A Dream To Find Secondhand

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A lot happened in 1969. Thousands gathered in Woodstock, New York, for peace, love, and music. Sesame Street aired its first episode. Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon, taking "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." And, in honor of the moon landing and the start of the space age, Pyrex released its Horizon Blue pattern.

The pattern features an Art Deco-esque floral design on white, with several pieces in shades of solid, brilliant blue. While not as rare as certain promotional dishes, like the ultra-rare Black Tulip pattern, Horizon Blue is less commonly seen in thrift stores or from secondhand sellers today, thanks to the relatively small size of its collection and its somewhat short production period. Price points for the pattern are middling on sites like eBay, with a full set of bowls typically costing around $200, and individual casserole pans ranging from $30 to over $100.

Pyrex produced Horizon Blue from 1969 to 1972, initially releasing the pattern to celebrate the successful moon landing of Apollo 11. Pieces in the collection include the brand's iconic and dreamy Cinderella mixing bowls, round mixing bowls, refrigerator sets, and oval and round casserole dishes. While pieces with the distinctive floral pattern on them are easy to spot, it can be tough to determine whether a solid-blue bowl is part of the Horizon Blue pattern or another one.

You're holding a solid-blue mixing bowl in your hands. Is it Horizon Blue or not? Knowing how to identify valuable Pyrex, and which pieces are part of the Horizon Blue collection, will help you determine if you've found the real deal. For example, the Horizon Blue's molded backstamp will differentiate it from other blue Pyrex dishes.

Pyrex released Horizon Blue in a round mixing bowl set, with three bowls. The largest, 2.5-quart, and smallest, 1.5-pint, bowls are opal white with a band of blue, Art Deco flowers across the center. The middle bowl, 1.5 quarts, is a bright blue. The pattern also appears on Cinderella bowls, which have spouts on two sides. The 1.5-quart and 4-quart Cinderella bowls are solid blue, the other two sizes are floral patterned. There's also a solid-blue, 1.5-quart, round casserole dish and two small refrigerator dishes also in solid blue.

Several oval casserole dishes have solid-blue bases, but rather than the typical clear glass lids, have opal glass lids with a blue floral pattern on the top. The floral pattern on the lids isn't identical to the one on the bowls, as it is larger and has different flowers. Whether you nab a mixing bowl, casserole dish, or "fridgie," pay attention to the condition and the presence (or not) of a lid. The more complete the set, the better shape the dishes are in, and whether there's a lid will translate into a more valuable find, all of which is a Pyrex lover's dream come true.