My love of Vintage Pyrex

One of the first things I ever bought as an independent apartment dweller was a big yellow Pyrex mixing bowl.  I got it at one of those NYC flea markets that they hold on the weekends in a parking lot. It didn't have any chips, but was pretty scratched up and I used it mostly to mix bread dough.  I have always loved making my own bread and this little number was a score at $10. 

Growing up, my mother had alot of older and more interesting sets, most of them blue and white or turquoise and white.  There was the occasional sunflower pattern or stray dish with circles on it, but for the most part she had the more traditional varieties. My summers were filled with bowls full of jello, macaroni salad, and marshmallow abrosia.  Strange to say, but I feel like most kids today don't get to experience alot of those kinds of memories.

I have always found extreme beauty in things that were made to be used.  I never viewed these bowls as anything less than useful.  As I became aware of more patterns and sizes, and types (the butter dish is a unique example) somehow the whole collection became more amazing.  William Morris once said "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."  Amen to that brother.

When contemplating new products for our shop at Pocono Modern, I had the idea to pay homage to the ridiculously hip Pyrex of the 50's and 60's by creating a kind of visual documentary.  The result is our new poster which can be seen below (click to enlarge):

Although most of us will never own all of these collections, I am proud to say that my big yellow bowl is perched on the top as a crown sits on the head of a king.  Now everyone can have some retro Pyrex in their own kitchen.

This poster is 11 x 17 and available through the Pocono Modern shop at www.poconomodern.com ($16)