Dust off your CorningWare dishes! Your old collection could be worth thousands

There’s a good chance you or someone in your family has owned a CorningWare set at some point over the years. And, it looks like they’re making a comeback, so if you’ve got any lying around at home, it may be time to dust them off as they could be worth thousands of dollars.

Glass expert Dean Six told 7News that one piece of CorningWare recently sold on eBay for US $7,000 (AU $9,000). “One piece of CorningWare, in a pattern not widely produced, sold on eBay recently for US $7,000 (AU $9,000),” he said. “It was a 1970s product that fizzled. Collecting is often what you remember, which is why this is big now because Baby Boomers are buying back what they grew up with.”

It all seemed a bit too good to be true, so we decided to do some research to see if Dean was right, and it looks like he was. A quick search on eBay shows a five-litre casserole dish being sold for $5,000!

A vintage baking dish is also priced at $5,000, while someone is selling a vintage CorningWare five-litre L’Echalote La Marjolaine casserole dish for an eye-watering $10,500.

So, if you’re wanting to make a bit of cash on the side, why not test the waters and pop one up for sale? Alternatively, if you’re a big fan of these nostalgic cooking-ware dishes, it may be a good time to jump on the bandwagon before they get even more expensive!

Remember cooking with a CorningWare set

First introduced in 1958 by Corning Glass Works, the range of glass-ceramic based cooking ware was hugely popular through the 1960s and ’70s. Its versatility was its strong point, as it could be taken from the refrigerator or the freezer and used directly on the stovetop, in the oven, microwave or under a broiler and then placed straight on the table.

Back when the popular cookware was first launched, there were 70 different pieces available in a range of colours, including white, white with the famous cornflour emblem, and white with an avocado print. Other patterns were later introduced, including ones labelled cool pansies, country rose, dainty flora, dandy blossoms and herb country.

As a bonus, handles could be attached and detached to transform the dish from cooking ware to store ware. And if users liked the main piece that much, they could purchase a matching coffee maker and serving dishes, including a platter.

Sadly, in 2000, the original CorningWare set ceased production and then re-launched the following year as a line of stoneware-based bakeware.

However, about seven years later, the much-loved stovetop line made a resurgence when it was reintroduced by Corelle Brands. The popular cooking items are still manufactured in France to this day, at one of the only remaining factories in the world to produce Pyroceram-based cookware.

In 2017, CorningWare (the company) launched a set with a cornflour pattern that was similar to the original, in celebration of its 60th anniversary.