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When you first moved out of your parents’ house and into your own place, did you reject your mom’s kitchen hand-me-downs because you wanted to pick out your own brand-new stuff? But what if we told you that yesterday’s everyday kitchen items are some of today’s hottest collectibles — just like vintage toys?
Some vintage kitchen items — maybe even your mom’s — could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, like this "Holy Grail" Pyrex bowl that sold at auction for almost $6,000. So, the next time your mom or grandmother tries to pass on their old kitchen stuff to you, do yourself a favor and accept!
What kind of vintage kitchen items are the hottest on the collectibles market? The kitchenware most in demand includes Pyrex cookware, CorningWare, vintage dinnerware sets, vintage cookie cutters, vintage mason jars, vintage cocktail shakers and barware, vintage coffee mills, and vintage tea kettles.
If you've discovered any retro treasures hidden away in your kitchen, garage, or basement, the next step is figuring out where and how to sell them. Just Vintage Home has a handy guide that’s a good start.
Vintage mason jars and other items worth up to $100
1. Cookie cutters
Some cookie cutters are hundreds of years old, but you’re more likely to come across metal and plastic varieties from the 20th century. Their prices depend on rarity, age, and condition, and most cookie cutters are worth under $10. But there’s an amazing exception: Martha By Mail Cookie Cutters. These Martha Stewart pieces are avidly sought by Martha collectors and superfans, and their prices can reach above $200.
2. Vintage 20th-century dinnerware
Whether the dinnerware in question is quirky atomic age, sleek mid-century modern, earthy 1970s, or traditional floral, there’s someone out there buying it. Some of the most popular brands are Corelle, Steubenville, Mikasa, Syracuse China, Franciscan, Hall China, and Metlox. Most individual pieces sell for under $100, although prices can go much higher for complete sets of rare patterns.
3. Vintage mason jars
With the popularity of modern farmhouse style comes a heightened interest in vintage mason jars. Some of the most popular brands of vintage jars you’ll find in kitchens and basements are Ball, Atlas, and Lightning. Most go for under $50 or less, but a few of the rarer jars sell in the hundreds. If you’re lucky enough to come across a Van Vliet Improved Jar, you might be $23,500 richer, according to Nerdable.
4. Vintage tea kettles
Collectible vintage tea kettles can encompass anything from rustic 19th-century cast iron kettles to 20th century designer pieces, like this stunning Michael Graves for Alessi model.
No matter their age, tea kettles are in demand. Although most fall below $100, the more coveted models can sell for hundreds of dollars.
Vintage Pyrex and other items worth over $100
5. Vintage CorningWare
Back in the day, these white casserole dishes decorated with blue flowers were in everybody’s kitchens. Created in 1958 by the same company that produced Pyrex, this glass cookware was manufactured from Pyroceram, a material originally used by NASA, and was introduced into homes as space-age cookware that could be used in the oven, on the stove, and even on the table. CorningWare generally retails for up to $150. Rarer patterns are more expensive, but according to an exposé by Insider, even the rarest are probably NOT selling on eBay for thousands of dollars.
6. Vintage Pyrex
One of the most coveted and collected items is Pyrex. 26-year-old Texas mom Megan Telfer told AP News she has over 300 pieces of vintage Pyrex. "We don’t use 90 percent of it,” Telfer said. “I display it.” Invented in 1915, Pyrex became a kitchen staple. In 1957, the company began producing their iconic mid-mod casserole dishes. Ever since original Pyrex was discontinued in 1998, it has become a collector’s item, spurred on by renewed interest in mid-century modern design.
“It’s going up in price because all of a sudden they’re not making them anymore. They have these lovely colors. It’s almost an artistic thing,” Paul Anavian, managing director at the Manhattan Art and Antiques Center, told Marketwatch. Sets usually go for over $100 on Etsy, while individual bowls cost less. Like other antiques, their prices depend on condition, age, and rarity.
7. Vintage Coffee Grinders
With the explosion of popularity in coffee culture came a new fascination with old-fashioned coffee grinders. Many coffee lovers purchase these grinders for use, so refurbished ones are in demand. Generally, they range from under $100 to $400. A few even fetch thousands of dollars, depending on age and condition. Most collectors look for items from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Vintage cocktail shakers and other items worth $350 and up
8. Vintage cocktail shakers and barware
The heyday of retro cocktail culture was the 1930s, and elegant, streamlined silver and glass Art Deco cocktail shakers and sets from that era can fetch hundreds of dollars on specialty antique markets like The Hour. Vintage items from later in the century are also prized by collectors. Some mid-century barware, often featuring bold colors, dynamic designs, or whimsical cartoons, can be equally as valuable.
9. Antique cupboards
If you've been staring at that ancient cupboard in the corner of your kitchen, wondering who you can pay to haul it off, you might want to reconsider. Vintage stand-alone cabinets — like this one listed for $630 on eBay — are in demand now, for everyone clamoring to redecorate in the popular farmhouse style. You should probably cancel that junk pickup now.
