Little-known cookware brand you should always look out for in thrift stores
Shoppers have been told to keep an eye out for a lesser-known cookware brand that could be sitting unnoticed on thrift store shelves.
Second-hand kitchenware has become increasingly popular as people look for durable, vintage, and more affordable alternatives to buying new, particularly when it comes to long-lasting casserole dishes, pans, and serving pieces.
Well-known names such as Le Creuset and Pyrex are often among the first brands people check for, as both have built strong reputations for quality and durability over several decades.
Le Creuset, which began in France in 1925, remains one of the most recognisable cookware brands, while Pyrex has also become a staple in many homes.
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On the other hand, shoppers may be overlooking another name that could be worth checking for.
According to home design website Hunker, as noted by the Daily Express: “Instead, seek out an overlooked kitchenware brand that is both stylish and surprisingly valuable: CorningWare.”
Vintage CorningWare pieces are said to be particularly desirable, with some older designs attracting attention from collectors.
Hunker adds: “Vintage CorningWare items are as iconic a kitchen product as you can find. They also hold an incredible amount of value depending on the type of dish you're looking for.”
“A good quality CorningWare Blue Cornflower casserole dish from 1959 can go for as much as $23,000 [£17,000]. As such, knowing what kinds of CorningWare to look for is vital if you want to nab one of these awesome — and potentially highly valuable — vintage cookware pieces at a thrift store.”
The Blue Cornflower design is one of the key patterns to look for. It features a simple blue floral design on a white background and was the first pattern used by CorningWare, remaining in production from 1958 to 1988.
Other patterns mentioned as potentially desirable include Country Festival, which dates from the 1970s, and Atomic Starburst, which was produced from the late 1950s into the 1960s.
Writing for Hunker, Ryan Cashman says: “Despite being among the more valuable pieces of dinnerware you can find in a thrift store, CorningWare can be easily overlooked if you don't know what signs to keep an eye out for.”
As well as checking the pattern, shoppers are advised to inspect the underside of any dish.
Hunker advises people to ‘look for the backstamp printed on the underside of the dish’, adding that it “needs to contain the CorningWare label, the litre size of the dish and a numerical product number”.
Pieces marked ‘Made in the USA’ may also be worth noting, as this can indicate the item was made before 1998.
Ben Williams