While at my local kitchen store, I noticed a sticker on a Pyrex measuring cup that said “Celebrating 100 Years in 2015”. Really Pyrex is 100 years old? Wow! I honestly did not realize the brand has been around this long, did you? Happy 100 Years!
I love Pyrex and own a couple of vintage pieces as well as many modern pieces (they are just so darn handy). So with that discovery I thought it would be fun to put together a blog post on vintage Pyrex advertising as I never really thought to look them up before, and I honestly really don’t know what they even look like. So this post is just as much for me as it is for you. Enjoy!
Source: Etsy
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The Vintage Advertising of a 100 year old Brand-Pyrex
The Brief History of Pyrex
The Pyrex® brand story starts with equal parts of American invention and creativity. The heat-tempered glass that is the foundation of the Pyrex brand was created years earlier by Corning Glass scientists charged with developing lantern glass for railroads. They needed to tackle a particular problem—the heat of the lantern flame conspired with the cold air of winter to shatter traditional glass. They needed a glass that could handle changes in temperature.
By 1913, the glass was used in a number of industrial applications. But it found its way into the kitchen when Bessie Littleton, wife of a Corning scientist, asked her husband to bring home some glass to use in place of a broken casserole dish. He gave her the sawed-off bottoms of some battery jars.
A cake was baked, an iconic brand was born and, as they say, the rest was history.
Over the years, Pyrex was used to make a variety of dishes for consumer use, many with beautiful colors and patterns. Today, those vintage Pyrex pieces are widely collected, and indeed, still put to good use.
The Vintage Ads
1918 – Out of the ice box-into the oven. It’s Science!
“The Ladies Home Journal” – June 1925. Pyrex is meant to last!
“Why not a gift of Pyrex for the Bride?” 1926 Vintage ad.
1937 vintage ad – $0.50 Pyrex Casserole dish! Where do I buy?
1939 Ad-Celebrating their first year of their price reduction. Looks like a fun party.
The ads from the 1940s are pretty colourful and some even make me giggle.
Pyrex Advertisement in Country Gentleman, 1948.
1946 ad for Pyrex. Talking flower heads and bunny’s know that there is only one Pyrex Oven Ware!
1948-Pyrex is Man-bait.
The Australian Women’s Weekly-1955 ad. Lots of different kinds of people are represented in this ad.
What are you cooking for Thanksgiving Dinner? Turkey, Stuffing, Broccoli and more. Whatever your making, put it in a Pyrex (1955 Vintage Ad)!
Source: Etsy
In this 1958 vintage ad, the children do the cooking.
1958 ad. 2 for 1 deal. Honeymoon-House gifts. Very practical. Aren’t the Carafes fantastic!?
And there you have a brief little overview of early Pyrex advertising. If you would like to see more era’s after the 1950s then simply head over to Pinterest and type in ‘Pyrex Ads’ and the year and watch the magic happen (there are so many I simply could not post them all).
Would you like to own your own vintage pyrex? Then you need to check out my collection of vintage pyrex and other fun Kitchen kitsch for sale on my Etsy collection page HERE.
Lastly, it’s Question time: Do you have a love of Pyrex? Do you own a bunch or just admire from afar? Please share.
FURTHER READING:
Liz 🙂
