The Simple And Delicate Floral CorningWare Pattern On Every Thrifters Wishlist

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From the mid-20th century to the end, Corning Glass Works designed and produced patterns for its iconic Pyrex and CorningWare brands. If you're a lover of all things vintage glass, you're probably well familiar with CorningWare's greatest hits, from its oldest and most beloved Cornflower Blue pattern to its charming and rustic Country Festival to the widely produced Spice O' Life pattern.

Here's another one that's always a delight to come across at a thrift store or vintage market: Shadow Iris. Compared to CorningWare designs with long production runs, like Cornflower Blue or Spice O' Life, Shadow Iris had a shorter run — it debuted in 1985 and was discontinued in 1995. So pieces with the Shadow Iris pattern aren't as easy to find as those with some of the other CorningWare patterns.

Although it wasn't in production that long, Shadow Iris is relatively affordable should you come across it while out and about. You can snag a three-piece set of casseroles, complete with lids, for around $50, or grab a single casserole dish for around $20, depending on the size. The pattern was also featured on Corelle dinnerware, a companion brand for CorningWare and Pyrex, so you may see plates, mugs, and cereal bowls with the same pattern.

The best way to describe the floral pattern on CorningWare. Shadow Iris dishes is delicate. The design has two or more watercolor irises, with thin green stems and leaves and pale purple petals stretching up the side center of the dish. The understated design was used on the brand's casserole dishes, ranging in size from one-quart to five-quarts. It also appeared on several saucepans, from one-pint to 2.5-quarts and a 7-inch and 10-inch skillet, plus a 6-cup teapot.

If you'd like to head off the beaten path when seeking out Shadow Iris, keep your eyes out for the Crockpot collab, which most likely dates to the early 1990s. CorningWare partnered with Rival to release slow cookers in three of the brand's patterns, including Shadow Iris. Several working early-1990s Crockpots are on eBay, with prices ranging from $31 to $139.

Should you spot Shadow Iris on a store shelf or while browsing eBay or another site, take a look at the underside of the dishe's handle to verify that it's CorningWare. Starting in 1985, the brand used an embossed stamp on the underside of one of the handles. The stamp will list the product's model number and capacity. Whether in the form of a classic casserole dish, a skillet, or a slow cooker, Shadow Iris is definitely a pattern worth looking for.