The Colorful Vintage Pyrex Set Used By Rachael Ray And Alton Brown Is Worth $400+ Today

Though often distinctly retro in ensign, vintage Pyrex pieces hold a certain timeless appeal that make them at home in any kitchen. There are many different vintage Pyrex styles out there, but one dotted design from the late 60s is especially sought after, and has been seen in the hands of celebrity chefs Rachael Ray and Alton Brown.

Often known as Pyrex Dot Bowls, these are a 4-piece set of mixing bowls made between approximately 1969 and 1973. These glass bowls are decorated in humble patterns of red, yellow, blue, and green dots (hence their name), but their price points are anything but understated: depending on condition, full sets have sold on eBay for over $400 and can be listed near $500 or even higher.

These white milk borosilicate glass bowls are all different sizes, increasing in capacity from 1 ½ pints to 1 ½ quarts, 2 ½ quarts, and finally, 4 quarts. Part of the reason they're so valuable is that, in all the designs Pyrex used and reused over the years, this dot pattern only appeared on these mixing bowls, and only for about 4 years. Given that many surviving examples are likely pocked with cutlery scratches and dishwasher fading, higher-quality pieces fetch a pretty penny.

Vintage Pyrex is in demand for many reasons. Many buyers seek pieces made with an older borosilicate glass formula because of its higher resistance to thermal shock (but lower resistance to impacts) than more modern soda-lime Pyrex. These bowls are likely soda-lime glass, but the rarity of their pattern highlights another reason vintage Pyrex is beloved.

The throwback designs serve as a noticeable accent in almost any kitchen, and lesser-seen examples like these can become a point of pride for their owners. But before buying, know that fakes and dupes can be a concern. When authenticating vintage Pyrex, look for a backstamp or trademark reading "PYREX" in capital letters.

There's another thing worth checking for, though less of a concern with mixing bowls that probably won't see the inside of an oven. Chipped Pyrex dishes are generally not worth buying because although the dish may still be intact, that missing piece is a structural weakness that makes eventual breakage more likely. This would still be true of a chipped mixing bowl, although not being subject to an oven's thermal stress might mean it could last slightly longer.