I’ve purchased a few vintage Pyrex measuring cups at estate sales and yard sales over the years. The internet doesn’t seem to have much information on the age of Pyrex measuring cups by decade, at least not summarized into one place. A few well-known details are fairly common to find online:
- D-handle measuring cups (below, left) are older, open-handle measuring cups (below, right) are newer
- Metric measurements were not added until sometime in the 1970s
D-handle measuring cup 
Open-handle measuring cup
I decided to look through the Corning Museum of Glass’s collection to see what I could piece together about characteristics of measuring cups by age. I also reached out to Casey Barber of Good Food Stories to see if her photo of the measuring cup exhibit at the Corning Museum had anything I couldn’t find online. I looked at a lot of Pyrex catalogs to compare images. Big thanks to The Pyrex Collector for linking to the Corning Museum’s Pyrex catalogs from one page!
This post is a summary of what I’ve found in my research thus far. Sources in addition to the two I just mentioned are linked throughout the post. I have tried as best I can to compile the information and connect the dots, but there are some gaps in my research from the 1970s and the 1980s, which I’m working on. I’ll continue to update this post as I find more information. Throughout this post, ~ denotes that the year is an estimate.
Pre-1940s
- No red markings. Markings are raised/stamped in the glass.
Example: this one from 1926. See also this 1938 catalog.
1940s Through ~1953
- D handle
- No metric measurements
- Red markings
- Do not say “Pyrex” on the sides with the measurement lines
- “Pyrex” and the cup’s capacity is on the spout side of the cup
Example: This one and this one. The 1941 catalog says, “note how easy it is to read red markings.” See also this 1953 catalog vs. this 1955 catalog. I need to find a 1954 catalog to see whether it shows “Pyrex” on the spout side or measurement line sides.
~1955 Through ~1974
- D handle
- No metric measurements
- “Pyrex” is on the sides of the cup with the measurement lines after 1953. 1950-1953 cups are the same as those made in the 1940s. (See this 1953 catalog and this 1955 catalog)
- Spout side of the cup is blank
1950s Examples: this one and this one.
The 1960s measuring cups seem to be the same as the ones made in the 1950s. Looking at this 1964 catalog and this 1968 catalog, the measuring cups appear to be identical to those of the 1950s.
~1975 Through 1982
- D handle. Pyrex introduced the open handle design in 1983 (source: Pyrex).
- “Pyrex” on the measurement sides of the cup
- Metric measurements were likely added in 1975. (See this 1975 catalog, which states, “metric and customary measurement markings.” This same notation was not in the 1974 catalog, but I can’t tell for certain from the image whether it has metric measurements.)
Examples: this one and this one. Here is an example of one from the 1983 with the open handle.
thanks so much for sharing all of your work.
It was fun piecing all of the facts together. I’m glad people are finding the information helpful!
Hi,
Thank you for all of your work. Where did you come across these catalogs?
Andrea
The Corning Museum of Glass had them available online. They have a lot of cool stuff to see online!
Thank you for sharing this work. I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I’m still grateful to you!
Glad you enjoyed the post, but sorry you didn’t find what you were looking for. What were you looking for? I might accept the challenge. 😀
I have a 4 cup that has stamped in the bottom trademark Pyrex for household and photographic use only. Had a d handle and red lettering, no metrics.
And ideas about the “photographic” part??
This is just a theory that I haven’t been able to confirm, but I’ve thought that it meant for use in a photography darkroom. Kodak also made glassware specifically for that use.
Very interesting! I have an 8 cup glass Pyrex measuring bowl with a D handle, no red letters (it’s raised glass) with cups, ML and Liters. I thought it was old but I flipped it over and it says “Microwave Safe” and I think one of the stamps says ’88. I wonder if they came out with a vintage inspired line in the 80’s?
I’m going to do some sleuthing. I’ll let you know what I find!
Great information! I have a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup. There are no measurements on it at all. It is the D handle. The bottom says 532 Trade Mark Pyrex Made in the USA Q – 22 (or possibly 0-22 or O-22) and then it has only for general household and photographic use. Any ideas? I found it when we were cleaning out my grandmothers house.
I’ll do some checking and see what I can find. Any chance she put it in the dishwasher and the measurements washed off?
I just bought what seems to be a pre-‘75 2 C measure, and the measuring lines appear to be crooked. Is this common? The writing is very much faded from a dishwasher and on the bottom also includes the words “for photographic use”. This was the original reason I googled. I guess this was for photographers measuring chemicals for film development?
I think I have the same cup as yours! Mine says 532 and K-2 on the bottom 🥰
Cool article, kicking myself only saving only 1 piece of history!
Anyone have a pattern-svg to redo outside of a quart pyrex pitcher 532 K-18?
It was my MIL and want to pass it down to our son some day. Awesome article and links. Will more time checking them out once moved & settled. Want to get some of the oldies.
I have a couple of pyrex measuring cups that have dots for lines instead of solid lines, with open handles. Please let me know why and if they are special. Thanks!
Are the numbers for the measurements inside the dots? Or are the measurements next to the dotted lines in a dark filled arrow shape?
Thank you for sharing this! I love the photo from the museum. I have a measuring cup that fits into the “1940’s to 1953” category and didn’t know it was “special” until a few days ago. The bottom is stamped with G-11 (as well as the typical logo). Do you know what the G-11 represents?
I’ll ask my fellow Pyrex lovers to see if they know. My best guess is it’s a mold number, but I’m not 100% sure.
I have a 1-cup measuring clear glass with D-handle. #508
M-26. Pyrex on bottom.
Has 2oz/4oz/6oz/8oz./1-cup
On handle side. Any info would be great. Thank you.
Where does it say Pyrex on the cup itself (not the bottom)? That’s a big clue for age ranges. I haven’t done much research yet much based on the bottom markings of the measuring cups.
The word PYREX is horizontal and is under the spout. I found a catalog (online) dated 1940 with a picture of the “new” design.
I have a 1926 Pyrex 1 cup measuring cup #8. Any idea how much it’s worth?
Thank you for your article. I have a 8 cup measuring bowl with a D handle, raised markings for measurements, both standard and metric, the bottom says made in usa.
It has a chicken sitting on the nest as a mark. Can you tell me anything about it?
Older style logo from Pampered Chef/ batter bowl
I have 2 Pyrex measuring cups that are 2 cups. One is the 100 yeses anniversary one that I bought in 2015 and the other is one that says “Rice-A-Roni” on it. I can’t seem to find when that one was released but I think I bought it in the early 90s. The markings are perfectly fine on that one but the one I bought just 6 years ago the markings below 1 cup have worn off. I do put them in the dishwasher but the one has lasted almost 30 years!! So frustrating that I will need to buy a new one already or at least can only use it for more than 1 cup.
Interesting site!
While researching a D handle cup I recently picked up at a second hand store, I believe I’ve discovered a design change that separates the 1955-1962 cups from the 1963-1974 cups, at least from what I see in the catalogs. Before 1963 the spout on the cup starts to rise from the base on the spout side of the vertical Pyrex logo, resulting in a shorter, more pronounced spout. Beginning in 1963 the spout starts to rise from the base on the handle side of the vertical Pyrex logo, resulting in a longer, less pronounced spout. The one I purchased has the shorter spout. Did I find a true difference or were both of these spout designs produced over the two periods?
Any idea on age of mine? It is 4-cup (1000 ml), open-handle with a notable conical shape (much wider at top than bottom). It has red writing on the outside with a large amount of red pigment blocking out the first two cups. The cup numbers are within cup-shaped images. The words “pyrex” and “no stovetop” and “[image of microwave] OK” are printed on the glass in red. All lettering is printed so as to be read from the inside (i.e., it is backwards when read from outside). Internet searches show some people selling it as vintage or discontinued, but no one is listing the age. I’d love any assistance on an age range. It has got to be newer than 1983 due to the handle shape.
I have a 2-cup Pyrex that seems to be in the era of 1953, but now I’m doubting it. I started researching this piece because the glass is tinted yellow. It has the red lettering on the sides and Pyrex down the middle. No metric measurements.
I need to melt some chocolate for a marble cake recipe and remembered that I saw a type of double boiler. It is a one-piece pot with a spout on the side to add water to some space underneath the round-bottom upper part of the pot. I had never had any reason to use it and it was sitting way back in a cabinet. I probably kept it for sentimental reasons because it must have come into our household from the bachelor belongings of my late husband when we married in 1964.
Realizing that it had to be some antique piece, I googled the internet for info and pictures without finding anything that looked like it. However, a suggestion to use a Pyrex measuring cup would be the easiest way to melt chocolate, got me to this blog and I find it most fascinating. Among an assortment of glass measuring cups, I found one exactly as described with the D-handle and Pyrex embossed in the center of the bottom surrounded by an inscription “Only for general household and photographic use.” No mention of being safe for microwave, which explains now to me that I stumbled into another relique.
Enjoyed your article very much. Thank you 🙂