Embroidery and Barbed Wire

I had my alarm set for 4:30 a.m. Monday morning.  My intentions were to go to a series of thrift stores in Chicago after they opened at 6:00 a.m.  Half-price Monday is one of my favorite days at the thrift store.  I was outside the thrift store just minutes before they unlocked the doors.  The thrill of the hunt paired with other bargain hunters make it all that more challenging.  Much to my dismay there was no Pyrex at either thrift store.  Then I realized after visiting my regular stores the others wouldn't open for several more hours.  So later in the day I visited one of my favorite antique stores on the far north side.   There I made two new finds.

The first of the two finds was a black on yellow in the "Embroidery" pattern.  It is a #575-B (2 Qt.) utility dish.  It was tucked away in the bottom corner of the dealers booth.  Beneath several pieces of Fire King.  I picked it up and put it at the counter.  I continued my browsing.  One of the gentleman working there asked if he could help.  I explained my love (or sickness) for Pyrex.  Immediately he grabbed a dish from the bottom of the booth to his right.  It was a "Barbed Wire" 1.5 Qt. divided casserole dish.  This dish is not marked besides its capacity.  The lid is marked 945-C.  I was to happy to see it. I checked on ebay to see the going prices.  I paid a little more then opening bids. Plus I took into account what I would have had to pay for shipping.  So home it came with me.

Pyrex Bounty

This weeks Pyrex finds have been plentiful.  In all I have acquired ten new pieces in three days.  Although some of those pieces comprise a set.  On Wednesday I was in the city and visited one of my favorite thrift stores.  The first find of the day was a set of "Forest Fancies"  Cinderella Mixing Bowls.  The set consist of four bowls #441 (750 mL), #442 (1.5 L), #443 (2.5 L), and #444 (4 L).  Once again the bowls were priced individually.  Had the color of their price tag not been discounted that day I would have probably passed them up.  With a combination of it being in Chicago and the Pyrex name  the price was slightly inflated.  With the color discount I was able to get the set for about $20.00.

Also, at the same store there was a near miss.  Tucked away among the coffee cups I found a "Spring Blossom" butter dish.  It was marked $1.49 so I picked it immediately.  This makes the first Pyrex butter dish of my collection.  I am still on the hunt for one in "Butterfly Gold".

Yesterday marked the find of a new pattern.  After picking up my tax documents I decided to stop at a nearby thrift store.  What I found was a 1.5 qt "Gold Acorn" Oval Divided Dish.  Initially I missed it.  While I do not purchase Fire King or Glassbake I always look at it.  I appreciate all vintage bakeware.  Pyrex is just the niche I have fallen into.  I had walked by the divided dish to look at the competitors.  It's when I walked back the gold decoration of this dish caught my eye tucked away among old kitchen appliances.  The piece was under $8.00 without a discount so in my cart it went.  The only gamble was the clear packing tape they had used to secure the lid to the dish.  I was afraid it might remove some of the gold leaf from it.  I got it home and gently removed the tape.  I let out a deep breath when the gold leaf was undamaged.  

I was on my way home when my cousin called me.  We decided to do lunch and visit the thrift stores in the next town over.  For the second time this month I found a set of coffee cups in the "Spring Blossom" pattern.  This time it was the "diagonal handle" coffee mugs.  Less then two weeks ago I found four of the smaller coffee cups in the same pattern.  Also, at the same thrift store.  "Spring Blossom" has been a plentiful pattern this month.  

Butterfly Gold Cinderella Mixing Bowls

Yesterday I attended the funeral of my great-uncle.  After the luncheon I decided to partake in some of my favorite therapy.  Retail therapy of the thrift store variety that is.  First I stopped at a newer antique store in the same plaza as my regular thrift store.  It just turned out to be an overpriced thrift store.  I walked down to the church thrift store and made my most recent find.  Although the pieces were priced individually I got the entire four piece set for under $20.00.  I was ecstatic to find four cinderella mixing bowls in Butterfly Gold.  The set consist of 441 (750 ml), 442 (1.5 l), 443 (2.5 l), and 444 (4 l) bowls.  They are in great shape for the most part.  Although you can tell that the previous owner did use metal utensils in several of them.  I have to thank my niece for lending me her blocks so that I could stack the bowls.

Crazy Daisy Coffee Cups

I have been neglecting my blog this past month.  However, I have not neglected my Pyrex collection.  I discovered these little treasures at a new Goodwill store.  My roommate and myself had gone to breakfast Saturday morning and decided to stop at the new store on the way home.  Initially I had passed them up.  It was at the urging of my roommate that I picked them up.  They were a steal at $.49 a piece.  They are all in excelent shape.  There is a small chip in the handle of one though.  I think I will get a coffee cup stand for the counter to display these.