Pattern Picture Reference Started Up!
Hey, just a note to let you know that we’ve started up our Pyrex pattern picture reference that will hopefully help in quick identification of which items you have. Yes, we know that it is still woefully uncompleted! But we’ll be adding patterns to it, a few a week probably as time permits.
Also, we know that other pattern refs exist in books and other websites. But what we really wanted to do was to provide a quick reference that has nearly all the patterns and that has CLEAR pictures. This doesn’t exist as far as we know. That “clear pic thing” is sorta important to us. We are trying to use pictures of our own items where possible to faciliate that, but it’s not always possible. Because we don’t have every Pyrex piece! If you have a clear, true-color closeup picture of a pattern that we don’t have yet, and you’re willing to let us use it please let us know.
August 29th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Hi, I have looked all over the internet and cannot find the answer to my question, so I thought someone like you might know. I have recently started collecting pyrex and have noticed on the refrigerator dishes that there are two different glass lids. One has grooves on both sides of the lid, but is smooth in the middle. The other has wider grooves over the entire top of the lid.
Here is a link to a picture of the two:
http://i12.ebayimg.com/06/i/08/04/ce/55_1_sbl.JPG
The first one bears a raised “pyrex” name, while the second does not, which makes me suspect that the second type of lid is a replacement. Am I correct? As a collector, would you recommend that I stay away from buying the dishes with replacement lids? Thank you so much, this has been driving me crazy!
August 29th, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Stacy - thanks for writing in. I am actually pretty sure that both of those lids are Pyrex lids. We have several in both the wide grooves as well as the smaller grooves with space in the middle. The wide grooves is a later lid version for refrigerator boxes introduced in the 50s. The smaller groove one is an earlier version and while it is true that this one has the word Pyrex on it and the other does not, the larger groove one DOES at least have the marking ”501-C” on it. This is definitely a Pyrex lid, because the different size refrig boxes are numbered 501B, 502B or 503B so that matches. (I believe ”C” is for cover, ”B” is for base) I don’t believe modern reproductions exist (though I haven’t looked into that).
Interestingly, the older small groove lid has the 501-C on it as well, but on the opposite side of the word ”Pyrex”. Also, in Mauzy’s Unauthorized Pyrex Guide, you can see on pg 149 she has THREE different lids shown. The two in your picture and then a third rarer version hat has narrow lines but only in the middle of the box.
I wouldn’t necessarily stay away from a fridge box if it had a newer lid… more important is the condition of the lid. These things chip so easily - I think I only have 1 or 2 that don’t have chips.
Hm.. now I think we should be writing up an article on the lids since i’m sure this is a common question! =)