But I don't love the way thrift stores are starting to mark Pyrex. I suppose the fact that they are collectable pieces has started to catch on, and the result is inflated prices and sparse pickings. An employee of a local thrift here in Richmond,VA, informed me that they rarely put Pyrex on the shelves anymore because they can make so much more money by selling it online. It's weird because a couple months ago, Pyrex was everywhere around here and super reasonable. But in the last few weeks? It's hard to find and expensive.
Bummer.
So when I stumbled upon this set of Friendship Cinderella bowls I was thrilled. Until I realized they were marked way up and behind the "Fine Glasswares" cabinet.
Still, the Friendship pattern is one of my favorites, and this set was super minty. I don't own any other Friendship because even the partial sets like this one online go for $45.00 or more. I asked the price.
$22.00.
Gulp. I've never spent that much on one set of Pyrex in a thrift store. The most I've spent was $12.00 for a full set of minty Shenandoah bowls, and I thought that was kind of pricey. I asked if there was any room to lower the price a bit, and she told me no. I've seen how quickly Pyrex, even expensive Pyrex, disappears from shelves, so I decided to bite the bullet. I have to admit, though, as I was leaving the store I had a bit of buyer's remorse and even considered selling them. But, I think for now I'll keep them. They are so pretty, after all. I would have spent at least double online.
So, what determines how much you spend on Pyrex? Do you hunt the online auctions? Or do you stick strictly to thrifting? How do you keep your collection from getting out of control? Is there even such a thing as an "out of control Pyrex collection?"
XO,
Sally @ Exploits of a Military Mama
It is the same around here in the Pacific NW. Prices are high at Value Village. I had to slow down my obsession with Pyrex because of a lack of space and the high prices. Now I just go look and get the thrill of the hunt.
ReplyDeletePS. Have you seen this guys collection?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/people/my_vintage_world/
Wow, I've never seen his collection! Looks like he should open a Pyrex Museum or something. Amazing. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI probably would have bought it still.
ReplyDeleteAw geez Sally, that's a deal! You couldn't find that set here in Minnesota for any less than $50! No joke.. single bowls run around $5-$10 each at the Goodwill and Salvation Army... and I have never ever seen a full set for sale.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with retroscottie. That's a really good deal. I would have bought them in a heartbeat. Friendship is a great, hard to find pattern, rare for thrift stores I think. I once found a complete set of butterprint cinderella bowls for $14 at a thrift store, though I think I will never find a complete set at such a good price again at the thrifts. You did the right thing, no question!!
ReplyDeleteI buy most all of my pieces at thrifts but I have bought a few at antique shops, the most I've ever paid is $20 and that's for one piece so I think $22 for a set is not a bad price to pay. You're lucky to have a full Friendship set!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! The single bowls I'm finding are anywhere from two to four dollars. I was under the impression many of y'all were paying that or less. Wonderful to know I got a good deal :)
ReplyDeleteYou bet! Treasure those bowls!
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, Friendship is so impossible to find! I think you got a pretty good deal there, myself. I have never purchased Pyrex online, have purchased maybe 5% of my collection at antique stores (but I DO have price limits & reserve antique store purchases for rare pieces!), and have found the rest of our hefty collection at thrifts. I agree with Marilyn's comment above though: the Value Villages in the PNW have such HIGH prices on their Pyrex!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an awesome deal (and Friendship is beautiful!). I'm also in the Pacific NW (Seattle, specifically) and I think I started collecting only a few months before every single thrift store caught on and raised their prices to the skies. Now it's pretty rare that I see more than one piece of (dishwashered) Pyrex in the stores, where I used to see multiple pieces every time I went thrifting. Boo!
ReplyDeleteMaybe there's just a lot of us in Seattle! I was in a Goodwill today and found a 2.5 quart casserole that I have never seen in person before. I can't find a name for it but it has a cream colored casserole dish with a clear lid with an orangish and black lacy pattern on it. They wanted $12.99! Good God! I got it for $7.99 because I talked to the manager but jeez!
ReplyDeleteI would have jumped on the Friendship set for $22!! For me, I've learned that if my heart tells me "yes, yes, yes!!" on a piece, I get it. Of course, if the prices is utterly outrageous ($20 for a beat up 444 balloons, no thank you!) I hold off and wait to see if I can find it somewhere else for cheaper. For me, a lot of it is in the hunt :)
ReplyDelete