Why You Should Always Grab This '80s Pyrex Design At Thrift Stores

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Vintage Pyrex has been having a moment for a while now. Call it a "victory lap," not a "comeback." Whether you put it to utilitarian use or display it as a cottagecore kitchen art piece (or both), local thrift shops can be a great place to score sought-after retro dinnerware, like pre-1980s Fiestaware. But, card-carrying Pyrex fans should also keep an eye out for opalware pieces printed with the Forest Fancies design on their next thrift trip. 

Pyrex's kitschy Forest Fancies pattern featured opaque white glass that was screen-printed with dark brown enamel mushrooms and wildflowers. Designed by Marc G. Rubin, Forest Fancies was the direct evolution of Pyrex's Homestead pattern, which ran from 1976 to 1980. The company developed Forest Fancies as an updated version of the "folk art" motif that was seeing success with competitor Pfaltzgraff's rustic country design. Diverting from its ancestral Homestead pattern, Forest Fancies replaced dark blue filigree with dark brown mushrooms, cheerfully embracing a friendly, whimsical print while retaining the warmth of Homestead's speckled tan exterior and pearly white interior. The line also bears a striking resemblance to Sears' popular Merry Mushroom collection, which enjoyed a concurrently overlapping run from 1970 to 1987. Pieces from this retired line regularly fetch hundreds of dollars on eBay, and boast a similar almondine color scheme. 

Unlike other brands and collections, however, a Pyrex sales brochure during this time differentiated Forest Fancies as having "a natural, earthy decoration that captures the beauty and spirit of an enchanted forest floor," according to Corning Museum of Glass.

The Forest Fancies design ran from 1981 to 1986, a relatively short tenure considering how coveted it is among modern collectors. Still, perhaps its sought-after status has as much to do with its "granny chic" aesthetic appeal as its historical importance for the Pyrex brand. Forest Fancies was one of the last four patterns to be manufactured before production ceased in 1986, and its retirement marked the end of Pyrex's Decorated Bakeware opalware collection as a whole. By 1984, Pyrex produced just four opalware patterns, and the quartet (which also included the Autumn Harvest, Shenandoah, and Colonial Mist designs) was discontinued when Pyrex ended its Decorated Bakeware line for good. 

Today, Forest Fancies Pyrex dinnerware can be found on eBay. Individual pieces tend to fall within the $20 to $30 range, while complete mixing bowl sets can fetch upwards of $100. Happily, for lucky browsers, thrift store prices tend to be a fraction of this — and it pays to brush up on the history of vintage cookware before buying, so you know what pieces to look for once you hit the shops. 

In total, Pyrex items produced with the Forest Fancies pattern include three- and four-piece mixing bowl sets, the classic Pyrex Cinderella Bowl set, the three-piece Bake, Serve and Store set, the three-piece Casserole set, and larger casseroles dishes which were sold individually. Pro tip: To help increase your likelihood of walking away with one of these coveted dinnerware pieces, there is a "right" time to visit thrift shops for scoring kitchen items worth your while.