The Nature-Inspired Pyrex Dish That's A Rare Find Collectors Wish For

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One of the ways to design your dream retro kitchen is to collect an eclectic array of old and sought-after items. For example, vintage Pyrex is in high demand due to its mixture of form and function. Its colors and patterns define mid-century chic and stir up nostalgia, but it's also very durable. While people might appreciate all kinds of products from this brand, certain rare and valuable Pyrex dishes are must-have thrift finds. Among them are dreamy, nature-inspired dishes in the Green Oak Leaf pattern.

The Green Oak Leaf pattern is four leaves outlined or filled in with a teal-ish green hue. It was primarily used on the 505B Loaf Pan, a lidded casserole dish. The Green Oak Leaf Loaf Pan debuted in 1965 and was part of Pyrex's opal ware line. Opal ware items are valuable in their own right. Pyrex's manufacturer, Corning Glass Works, figured out how to make the same incredibly heat-resistant glass they'd been making since 1915 in opaque opal glass in 1936, which led to a wide range of colors and patterns. But Opalware was discontinued in the 1980s, so collectors seek out secondhand pieces. Among those, Green Oak Leaf is especially rare. It's hard to nail down the date of its discontinuation, but it seems to have petered out before all of Opalware did, and not many Green Oak Leaf pans were made.

Due to the rarity of this 505B Loaf Pan in oak leaf-painted Opalware, it can sell for as much as $1500. Finding it requires a lot of patience and luck. Resale sites like eBay and Etsy aren't flooded with Green Oak Leaf pans. When Part-Time Pickers shared an image of the Green Oak Leaf casserole dish on Facebook, one commenter noted they'd just seen it at their local thrift store. The trick is to know exactly what you're looking for, then keep your eyes peeled at secondhand stores, flea markets, estate sales, etc. Consider joining a Pyrex collectors group, which you can find on Facebook, where enthusiasts swap tricks of the shopping trade. 

In the meantime, there are other nature-inspired Pyrex finds in similar hues. They're also a bit easier to come by — and easier on your wallet — while still bringing a similar aesthetic to your kitchen. Spring Blossom Green is a motif of green painted flowers on Opalware produced in the 1970s. You can find a Spring Blossom Green mixing bowl on Etsy for under $25. Or, there's Verdé, a pattern combining avocado green Opalware with white Opalware painted with matching green olives and leaves. It was produced from 1967 to 1972, and you can find a casserole dish in this pattern for under $50 on resale sites.