They were probably the centerpiece of many a family dinner, but if you inherited grandmas' cooking legacy of Pyrex dishes, you could be served a small fortune.
Introduced in 1915, the more-than-100-year-old Pyrex bakewear is making headlines again, not for its groundbreaking design but for collectors who are willing to pay thousands of dollars for rare pieces.
Vintage Pyrex, which started the trend of being able to bake in the oven and go directly to the table, can fetch anywhere from a few dollars to up to $3,000 for a rare piece, according to NPR.
The cookware was touted to have been designed by women for women. While a man who worked for the Corning company came up with the formula for glass to take quick temperature changes, allowing it to go from oven to table to refrigerator, it was his wife who said to bring that technology into the kitchen.
After she proved her point by baking a cake in a jar that was made of the new glass, women were brought in to test and promote potential products. The women realized that they needed large enough handles and mixing bowls that could hold cake mixes with room to spare, NPR reported.
More than 100 years after the dishes started appearing in kitchens, Facebook groups and Pinterest posts have appeared where the Pyrex people can chat, share their collections and talk about what makes Pyrex timeless.
So which pieces sell the best? The "Today" show said you'll want to scour your cabinets for bright pieces with floral or geometric designs that are opaque.
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