You may not want to use your grandmother’s old kitchen cabinets for your upcoming kitchen renovation, but you may want to take a closer look at what’s inside. Chances are, she’s collected cookware and other pieces over the years that you—or avid vintage shoppers—would love to have. Beautiful, durable materials like copper, enamel, silver, and jadeite were standard wedding registry items when they founded their household, and they never go out of style. (In fact, some of them are still made today.) And certain patterns and rare colors of early- to mid-20th-century pieces, like Pyrex casserole dishes and nesting bowls, are extremely valuable collectibles—we’re talking up to more than $5,000 for one piece.
We spoke to designers and antiques experts to find out about nine hidden treasures from times gone by that are worth every penny today.
Copper pots
You may have to use some muscle power to clean copper pots, but the effort is more than worth it. “Copper pots are heavy, but they cook very evenly, so cooks keep them for a long time,” says Natalie Page, head designer behind NPage Studio and co-founder of Lostinesays. “Antiques from the 19th century seem to be the most sought after.” French set of four copper pots can cost around $1,500.
Cut crystal and glassware
Cut crystal and cut glass can be extremely valuable depending on the pattern and collection. “These pieces are often in perfect condition as they were generally only used on special occasions and stored away most of the time,” says Austin Carrier, co-founder and director of Hommeboys interior design of Sonoma, California, says: Whatever you do, don’t put crystal in the dishwasher—the high heat will cloud the glass.
Solid sterling silver cutlery
“Just like cut crystal, many grandmothers received solid sterling silver or plated silver flatware on their wedding day and cared for and polished these pieces throughout their adult lives,” says Carrier. “They are usually kept safe in their original wooden boxes. Often you can find a complete set, with solid silver being the most valuable.”
Handmade ceramics
Pottery may look plain, but when it’s hand-crafted by artisans and decorated with special glazes and patterns that are no longer made, its value skyrockets. “Brands like Heath and Rookwood Pottery and designs like spongeware are extremely collectible and valuable,” says Carrier.
Pyrex mixing bowls and casserole dishes
Until about 20 years ago, Pyrex dishes were in almost every American kitchen. If you spot one in a cupboard, don’t throw it in the flea market pile. “(Vintage Pyrex sets) are actually worth more than you think,” says Amanda Keller, curator of historic interiors and home accessories at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundationsays. “The most valuable samples are those from 1956 Pink daisies1957 Butter printand the 1983 Colonial Fog“Resale value can range from $50 to $1,400, depending on pattern, set pieces and condition.
This machine-made glassware has been manufactured by Corning Glass Works in Corning, New York since 1915. You can also find Pyrex mixing bowls, cake pans, casserole dishes and bread pans. Keller owns a set of three Butterprint mixing bowls depicting an Amish couple surrounded by crops – it once belonged to her mother-in-law. You can find her three-piece set on eBay for $250. “The glass Pyrex is made from is so durable that it can be used in the oven, freezer and refrigerator – just don’t put it in the dishwasher,” she adds. “Hand wash only! The dishwasher often removes the pattern on the outside of the pieces and ruins the value.”
Corningware Casserole Dish Sets
Made by the same New York company as Pyrex, a Corningware casserole dish was a ubiquitous wedding gift in the 1950s. Don’t throw away any of these casserole dishes without checking to see if the pattern and design is rare or was discontinued shortly after production. “The Cornflower The blue design is the most common pattern, but is still worth quite a lot of money today,” says Keller. “The rarer patterns like Wildflowerproduced from 1977 to 1984, and bouquetfrom 1971 to 1975, can be purchased online for over $10,000.”
Corningware casserole dishes were originally developed for military use in World War II and were made of a nonporous glass-ceramic material that can withstand sudden temperature changes as well as resist stains and odors. In the 1990s, the company transitioned to ceramic stoneware to meet growing demand for a wider range of colors and designs, but the original glass-ceramic cookware was reintroduced in 2009 due to popular demand.
Jadeite Mixing Bowl Sets
The milky green hue of jadeite or jade glass is not only beautiful, but also a reminiscence of the Great Depression. The McKee Glass Company and its rival, the Jeannette Glass Company, began producing jadeite in 1932 and made Mixing bowlscans and shakers. These two companies added uranium to the glass mixture so that the pieces they made glow under black light. By 1945, jadeite dinnerware was also being made by the Anchor Hocking Fire-King division. “You can find jadeite pieces everywhere, although it’s becoming increasingly rare due to its popularity,” Keller says. “The value is influenced by both the quality of the piece and the rarity of the item.” Prices for vintage jadeite pieces on Etsy and eBay range from $300 for mixing bowls to $1,200 for a complete set china.
Mason jars
There are the typical jars that you buy at the hardware store and use to preserve fruit and vegetables, and then there are the Collectibles. Many Americans canned fruits and vegetables during the world wars, especially when food rationing became the norm in World War II. Even the Rockefellers had their housekeeper can peaches, green beans, tomatoes and beets in the early 1940s. “Inverted Ball canning jars are rare, as are jars made of amber glass,” Keller says. Companies other than Ball also made canning jars, so don’t rule them out if you find some. “A Van Vliet canning jar recently sold for $23,000 at auction,” Keller says. Resale prices for these jars range from $700 to $3,900 on the market, depending on the color of the jar, type of lid, embossed lettering and whether it is blown or molded glass.
Vintage enamelware
White enamel bowls with simple black rims are timeless and fit perfectly in a farmhouse kitchen. This style of kitchenware became popular in America in the 1850s and lost its top position in the 1930s due to the advent of plastic, aluminum, stainless steel and Pyrex. As a result, many enamel dinnerware pieces were lost in WWII salvage collections. “Once plentiful, kitchenware is harder to find, making vintage enamelware from the 1940s a favorite of designers and antique collectors,” Keller says. Depending on whether the enamel is used as cookware or bakeware and whether the set is in good condition, these pieces range in price from $50 to $1,500.
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