Podcast
Pyrex With Bex
Hosted by Bex Scott · EN
Discussion about vintage pyrex and other vintage home items as well as interviews with collectors to chat about their stories.
15episodes
Episodes
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Mid-Century Modern Show and Sale
May 2, 202500:19:43Tap to summarizeIn this final episode of Season 2, Bex shares her experience as a vendor at her first-ever in-person vintage market, the Mid-Century Modern Show and Sale in Calgary, Alberta. Bex describes how nervous she was beforehand and how much preparation goes into a market booth, from sorting inventory to pricing all items for sale. From setting up her booth, friendly fellow vendors, curious customers, and all the things she learned that she didn’t know she didn’t know, this episode is a walk-through of Bex’s first vendor experience. And it was a good one.One of the first things Bex learned was to get in fast and early to allow enough time to think about the display, sort and pack inventory, and price everything. She didn’t sign up until a month prior to the show, so she welcomed a friend’s help in preparing. Setting up her booth the night before gave her a crash course in clever and creative booth design. Her takeaway was to think vertically and invest in shelves for her next show. Bex relays how neighbor vendors helped ease her nerves, stories of customer encounters, the Pyrex colors people seemed most interested in, and why it was such a great experience for her that she wishes she’d done it earlier. If you missed Bex at this market, she has three more coming up throughout the summer. Thank you for joining Season 2 of Pyrex With Bex. Season 3 is coming soon, and she hopes you’ll be with her for those episodes as well. —Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbexWhatnot: PyrexWithBex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast, where you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. As promised, this is the episode to end season two, where I'm going to talk to you about my experience at the Mid-Century Modern Show and Sale. It happened April 12th in Calgary and it was the most amazing vintage market I have ever been to. This was my very first experience being a vendor at a market for vintage and I have to say, it was incredible. I wish that I had had the courage to do this before, with this hobby and the side business that I have selling vintage, but that was a lesson that I learned that I love doing markets. They are very stressful and a lot of work, but I think as you do more, it will probably get easier. So this one was in Calgary at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Center, and I signed up probably just over a month before it happened, so I didn't have a ton of time to prepare. It might seem like a lot of time, but one of the things I learned is you need to get in there fast, early, so that you have time to think about your display, pack all of your inventory, sort, price everything. Bex Scott: [00:01:50] So I think I started pricing about three weeks or four weeks, let's say four weeks before, and I had a lot of inventory. I went through all of my boxes in my basement. There were probably 30 banker's boxes of vintage items. And knowing that this was mid-century modern, a lot of it was the higher end collectible items. Definitely not garage sale items. I'm used to holding garage sales, doing that, this was not that kind of a crowd. So I started going through all of my boxes, and it probably took me about three weeks to sift through everything, decide what I was going to take there, wrap it all up nicely, put what was on or inside each of the boxes on labels. And that was for the non Pyrex items. So that I felt was a little bit easier to do. The tricky part came with sorting my Pyrex and pricing it and going through everything that I had. And I have to say, I didn't know that I was hiding so much of it in my basement. Luckily, my amazing friend Amanda came over and she helped me kind of push through my anxiety and keep me going that day, pricing everything. It took us about 3.5 hours to go through all the Pyrex, and I had a bunch of full sets, a bunch of just random casseroles and bowls, and we sat there and put everything into the set. Bex Scott: [00:03:24] We priced everything. We did it by color. So I had a little sheet that I printed out that said, purple is this price, blue is this price, yellow is this price. One of my main takeaways? Make sure your stickers aren't too sticky. These were the stickiest stickers I have ever experienced in my life, and this is a public service announcement to anybody who bought my Pyrex at that market. I apologize for the amount of Goo Gone or soaking you guys are going to have to do. Please know I put the stickers on the inside of the bowls so that none of the pattern would be affected, and that you could just soak the bowl in the sink. I hope. So, that was my number one learning. Get better stickers. After we put all of the stickers and prices on the Pyrex, I did smarten up and I got tiny little stickers that were a lot easier to remove. So apologies to everybody if you're out there in the world picking my stickers off. Anyway, so we got all of the Pyrex packed up, labeled, and then about maybe 3 or 4 days before I had my son help me load our big Excursion. So it was floor to ceiling packed with everything. Bex Scott: [00:04:44] And this might seem silly, but I was convinced that I wouldn't have enough inventory. I had booked a ten by ten booth, had no idea how big that is because spatially I'm unable to figure out how big that is in my head. That was three tables and two chairs, and I just have to say that I had more than enough, which is kind of embarrassing because maybe next year I might need two booths. But I packed up the Excursion and I live in Innisfail, which is about an hour away from Calgary, so I had to make sure that everything was ready to go because I couldn't come back home to get anything. And the sale is only one day. So I ended up staying in Calgary with my parents. Everything was packed up, ready to go, and then at the last minute, I decided that I needed to make a sign and postcards for myself. Why I decided to do this like three days before, I don't understand, but I think I was procrastinating because I was nervous. So I designed these postcards to promote the podcast and my Instagram. If you're not following me on Instagram, it's at Pyrex with Bex, and I got them all ordered. I didn't factor in having to pick them up in Calgary and I wasn't there. So this is the first time I've ever used Uber as a courier. Let me tell you, it works. It's a little bit over the top. Bex Scott: [00:06:11] It's expensive, but I didn't plan ahead, so that's my fault. And I was punished with the courier expense of having to pick up my signage for the show. But it's really cool if you guys ever need a courier, you just go on to the Uber website and you can book somebody to go into the shop, pick it up for you, and deliver it for you. So it worked really well. Luckily, I had my signage and my postcards for the show. So we get to the night before and they graciously let us set up for two hours and I get there, my parents, they went with me to help me unpack everything, and I was a nervous wreck. Like everybody there had obviously done this before. They all knew each other. Some people I went in and they were already set up. I think I was there like half an hour after the time that you were allowed to set everything up and they were already done. They were good. I was in awe. So I think it took us a good 20 minutes to even figure out how to set the tables up properly, so that people could walk into the booth and see everything. But we were there from about maybe 20 after 8 to 830 at night until 10:00, and got a good chunk of it, set up everything out. I had already done all the price tags, which was amazing. But looking around at all of these vendor booths, they know exactly what they're doing. Bex Scott: [00:07:37] They have amazing vintage shelves. That's another takeaway that I came away with, is that you need height. You need to go vertical with your displays. You can't just have it flat on a table. So for my markets going forward, or if anybody is going to be doing a market, make sure that you invest in some nice wooden shelves. You could even bring furniture to stack things on. It just makes your booth that much more beautiful and easy for people to go through. And it also adds another layer so that you can add more in. So that was my main downfall, I would say. I ran out of space and Pyrex takes up a lot of room. So if you are selling items that are larger, having a bookshelf, furniture, something to go vertically, is a must. But these vendors had beautiful booths. They were set up like they were in an antique mall. They had furniture. They had shelves. They had, there was one booth that had flat boards set up with pegs, and they had dozens of mugs on them where people could just come look at them, pick a mug off the wall. It was brilliant. There's one booth that was set up like a dining room. It was amazing. The vendors sat at the dining room table and you could go in and just look around at all the things on the perimeter of their booth, around the table. Bex Scott: [00:08:57] Other people had great signage. I was really impressed. So I took a lot away in that sense about what to do, what not to do...
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My first Ever In-Person Show & Sale - Coming Soon!
Apr 11, 202500:01:21Tap to summarizeBex Scott announces her first-ever in-person show & sale, coming up on April 12th. The end of Season 2 of the Pyrex With Bex podcast is nearing, and her final episode will be a recap of her experiences at the Show & Sale. Come out and meet Bex, buy Pyrex, ask to be on the podcast, or just generally enjoy the vibe at the Mid-Century Modern Show and Sale in Calgary on April 12th, 2025, from 10 to 4 at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association. Admission is $3, and kids are free.Bex is thrilled to have had you all join her in Season 2 of the podcast, and the in-person show & sale is the perfect way to cap off a great season. If you can, come meet Bex in person, and discuss Pyrex face to face.Mid Century Modern Show & Sale information__Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey, everybody, this is Bex Scott. And I can't believe that in just a couple of weeks, we will be at the end of Season Two of the Pyrex With Bex podcast. Thank you so much, everybody, for listening. And in a couple of weeks, with that last episode, I will have a bit of a special feature as I will be in the Mid-Century Modern Show and Sale in Calgary on April 12th, 2025, from 10 to 4 at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association. Admission is $ 3, and kids are free. I will be selling a whole bunch of my Pyrex, complete sets, bowls, promotional pieces, and I hope you can come down, buy some Pyrex and chat with me. And if you'd like to be on the podcast, feel free to let me know, and we can set up an interview. But I hope that I'll be able to see all of you guys there. And my last episode of the season will be a recap of the show, where I will go through maybe some of the exciting items that I was able to buy and find there, some of the awesome collectors I met, and just my experience at my very first in-person show and sale. So I hope to see you all there. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Vintage Costume Jewelry with Lulu
Mar 28, 202500:23:38Tap to summarizeBex Scott welcomes guest Lulu from Lulu J Vintage, a vintage costume jewelry collector and seller, to the show to teach her all about the joys of vintage costume jewelry. Lulu started collecting when she was sixteen years old and worked at the Carol Tanenbaum Vintage Jewelry Collection through high school and university. She learned from amazing mentors about the history of jewelry and developed her own collection before starting to sell on Instagram last year. Bex finds out what jewelry Lulu loves best, her philosophy on collecting, and tips for testing authenticity. Lulu describes herself as a “very passionate collector” and her love of vintage costume jewelry shines through in her conversation with Bex. She describes some of her favorite vintage pieces and why she prefers certain styles over others. Though she says she’s not a fashion historian, Lulu teaches Bex quite a lot about the history of costume jewelry and styles through the years. Bex learns about the current brooch resurgence, French designer Léa Stein, how to locate the lost mate of her solo Sherman earring, and how to test for true Bakelite. Lulu stresses that collecting should be about what someone loves, and what they’re passionate about, not simply focused on what will sell or what’s valuable. Join Bex and Lulu for a deep dive into vintage costume jewelry.Resources discussed in this episode:“Vintage Jewellery: Collecting and Wearing Designer Classics” by Caroline CoxKenneth J Lane vintageAvon rose broochCaroline Tanenbaum Vintage CollectionLéa Stein“Sherman Jewelry History” on VintageJewelryGirl.com“6 Ways to Identify Bakelite” by Pamela Wiggins on TheSpruceCrafts.comJoyce’s ClosetBEX VintageMr. Mansfield Vintage—Contact Lulu | Lulu J VintageInstagram: @lulujvintageContact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast where you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. And today I am very excited to introduce to you Lulu of Lulu J vintage on Instagram. Welcome, Lulu. Lulu: [00:00:43] Thanks so much for having me Bex. Bex Scott: [00:00:44] Thanks for being here. So I found you through Instagram and I instantly fell in love with all of your education on vintage costume jewelry and your amazing reels. And every time you post, I want to buy all of the jewelry that you show. So I wanted to make sure I could get you on the podcast to educate my listeners on all of the amazing jewelry. I love jewelry, I have a massive collection of just random things from over the years. I don't wear a lot of it, but I have this thing where I need to buy it and just keep it in a jewelry box and then look at it. So I'm excited to learn from you today as well. Lulu: [00:01:27] I think that's how all collecting starts. You start with coins or jewelry or just things that you love, and it starts to turn in, even your beautiful books behind you and your collection. Bex Scott: [00:01:40] Yeah, it's funny how you don't realize that you're starting a collection. And then you look at everything around you, and you have about 40 more collections than you thought you did. So can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into the world of vintage costume jewelry? Lulu: [00:01:59] Absolutely. And so I am a very passionate collector of vintage costume jewelry. I've been collecting since I was 16 years old. I worked at the Carol Tannenbaum Vintage Jewelry Collection throughout high school and university, and that was the place I just fell in love with it. I was immersed in jewelry. I learned so much from amazing mentors and learned a lot about the history, and slowly just started to build my collection over time. I began selling just on Instagram last year as really a creative outlet from my full-time job and a way to get back into this industry and to meet like-minded people. Bex Scott: [00:02:46] That's awesome. What is it about vintage costume jewelry that fascinates you the most? Lulu: [00:02:51] That's a great question. I mean, I think I've always been a jewelry girl. I loved playing dress up as a kid. Go through my nana's jewelry box? Yeah, just, I've always loved fashion. There was a period through, I guess, my teens where I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer or a jewelry designer, and working at Carol's Collection, it was really that place that started my interest in costume jewelry and becoming really fascinated with it. And it was just, it's more accessible than collecting, I'd say clothing because you can keep it in a jewelry box. You don't need to have a big closet. And yeah, that's where it started. Bex Scott: [00:03:31] And you can have multiple jewelry boxes and still hide them away. You can't have multiple closets as easily. Lulu: [00:03:39] No. It's true. We live in a small apartment, and my personal collection jewelry box keeps growing because it's one of those ones that stacks on top of each other. And then the pieces to sell, I have an Ikea unit and we keep it in our little more like a storage room den. And I think my fiance is very happy that it's just jewelry and not racks of clothes. Bex Scott: [00:04:09] I love that. I can relate to you mentioning going through your grandma's jewelry, because that's what I used to do with my granny when I was little. We'd go to her house and the first thing I do is run up to her bedroom and start undoing all of her clothes and her jewelry and going through her drawers. So, I don't do that anymore, because that would be strange. But that kind of started me with my tiny jewelry collection. Most of what I have is from her, passed down, and she always says she has a few more pieces that she needs to give me as well. So it's nice. Mhm. And have you come across any interesting or surprising stories behind some of the pieces that you have? Lulu: [00:04:55] Yeah, absolutely. I think in my personal collection, a lot of the pieces I have are of sentimental value or just pieces that I absolutely love. And I just would not want to sell. But I actually recently found a piece that I just sold that looked very 50s in the style, and the woman I bought it from thought it was from the 50s. And then when I went to do a bit more research about it, it turned out to be a 90s German bracelet, and it was marked Germany on the spring clasp. And that you only find that marking if it's pre-war or post, like the fall of the Berlin Wall. So it's really interesting that this piece looked very 50s, and it actually turned out to be newer from my vintage perspective, but kind of just shows that all like fashion is very cyclical. Even with vintage jewelry, you can, designers will look into the past. And yeah, I thought that was really cool. Bex Scott: [00:05:51] That is really cool. When you're researching the jewelry, do you often find things that are really surprising or is like from your experience, do you kind of understand most of what you've found now before you do the research? Lulu: [00:06:04] That's a great question. I think I have a good base knowledge of that history, having worked at Carol's Collection for a very long time. But you're always learning as you find new pieces or like, as I just said, I thought that piece was 50s. It turned out to be a 90s piece. I'm not a fashion historian. I went to school for graphic design not fashion design in the end. So I'm no expert, but you have to always keep learning and it's nice to like, get books. And when I find a piece that I don't know, I like so many Facebook groups that you can join to learn more or help identify pieces. So yeah, always, always you constantly learn as you go. Bex Scott: [00:06:47] Nice. I went to school for graphic design as well, so that's very cool to meet another graphic designer, and I think that partially put me into collecting as well, because it's so creative and like all the colors and the research, it's kind of goes hand in hand with that creative side of your brain. Lulu: [00:07:06] Absolutely. And I even say, like making content for social media, even though it's more s...
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1960s Gadgets and Small Kitchen Appliances
Mar 14, 202500:20:54Tap to summarizeBex Scott introduces us to an article from ClickAmericana.com all about gadgets and kitchen appliances from the 60s. She opens with a story about her finds from a recent Value Village thrifting trip that got her thinking about the sorts of small appliances she often finds there. What kind of futuristic ideas in kitchen gadgetry did the 1960s produce? And how did they advertise these new products? Join Bex to find out. From wall and under counter mounted can openers to bun warmers and toaster ovens, it’s all here. The article features stunning images of the retro ads complete with color photos. Follow along with Bex as she learns which meat grinder can also grind hard almonds, the five good reasons for owning a General Electric rotisserie oven, and how 60s visionaries combined a portable mixer with a knife sharpener for the sake of convenience. Do you remember Presto coffee makers in white? Did you have a Redi-Oven? This episode will either make you scratch your head over the idea of owning an avocado colored blender or take you down memory lane with a Salton bun warmer.Resources discussed in this episode:Mid Century Show and Sale in Calgary, AB - April 12, 2025“1960s gadgets & small kitchen appliances made life a little easier” on ClickAmericana.com—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex— TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast, where you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. I wanted to start off this episode with a little Value Village thrift store adventure. So I went into town with my husband and our daughter. Of course, she fell asleep on the way in. We were running some errands and we had some time to kill, so I asked Rob, my husband, if we could stop at Value Village and he said sure. So I let him stay in the car with our daughter, and I ran in to do a quick little ten minute run around the store, see if anything good was there. And lately Value Village hasn't been that great. There's been a lot of just broken things or missing pieces to things that I found. Today was a decent day, so there were some pretty beat up Pyrex. There was a Woodland Cinderella set, only three of the dishes, and it was priced at $35. It had some damage on the largest bowl, and I did consider it for a second, but I just couldn't justify paying $35 for that and the condition that it was in. Bex Scott: [00:01:47] I also found a Homestead 403 mixing bowl that had been through years of dishwasher use, and they wanted $15 for it. And another primary set, blue 401. They wanted $6 for it and it was missing a lot of its color. So that was a bit of what I found today. That was a disappointment. I did, however, find six mugs from the Spring Blossom Tabletopware coordinates set. These are the nine ounce mugs that were sold in sets of four, and I found six in this pattern. So I picked them up and they were a great price. I was a bit sad though because I found them, I grabbed them and then I walked down to the other aisle and this little girl looked at me and I gave her a smile. I thought she was just being friendly, but then I heard her say, hey mom, I just saw somebody take those green flower mugs. And the mom said, don't worry, we left them there for a reason. And I felt so bad because this little girl obviously wanted to take these mugs home, but the mom was set on her not having them for some reason, probably because they didn't need six vintage mugs in their house for their kids to use. But I hope she knows that they're going to a good home. Bex Scott: [00:03:13] I also found this amazing enamel fondue set in like a mustardy color with little flowers all over it, and it came with, I think it was six melamine divided plates and four forks with different colored plastic handles. That whole set is going to be in an upcoming mid-century modern show that I have a booth at in Calgary. It is my very first show that I'm ever doing. I have a ten by ten booth, three tables, so I'm excited to be thrifting to find some pieces that I can put in that show. If any of you are in Calgary and you hear this episode before I go to the show, it's April 12th, 2025, so you can catch me there and come and see some of the awesome pieces of Pyrex that I'm going to have there, and just other, other things that I have found over the last year or so. Going to Value Village today kind of brings me to my episode, where I always go down the appliance section, and I never expect to find anything in this section. It's usually a bunch of really beat up, lately it's been donut makers, those little instant donut makers or cake pop makers, so nothing really great in vintage, but it got me thinking about kind of the small kitchen appliances that people used in their home in the 1960s. Bex Scott: [00:04:47] So I was doing some research and I came across this really great article in, the websites called Click Americana.Com. So go to my show notes and navigate to this article. It's called 1960s Gadgets and Small Kitchen Appliances Made Life a Little Easier, and this episode is going to be a bit of a read through the article and take you through it, but I want you to make sure that you see these photos, because a lot of them are clips taken from old catalogs and magazines, and it'll give you a really great idea of the pieces and the appliances that they had in their kitchens. And a lot of these I have seen at Value Village before, and other thrift stores, and some of them I even have in my basement right now waiting to be sold. So it's kind of a bit of an educational episode and a fun little show and tell as well. Bex Scott: [00:05:40] So the first one we have is the retro wall-mounted manual can opener by Can-O-Mat. And this is from the 1960s, and the ad shows a little lady in the reflection of the can opener opening her can and it says most beautiful can opener made. Its clean, uncluttered beauty tells you Can-O-Mat is a masterpiece of mechanical simplicity. No levers, gadgets, wires or motors, just the easy turn of a single handle opens any can, any size, any shape. Leaves a smooth, safe drinking cup edge. That's why you'll find Can-O-Mat in most kitchens, where quiet, good taste and smooth efficiency are happily wedded. Any wonder its first choice of millions of style conscious homemakers? I struggle with can openers, all of the modern ones. I think they're terrible. I have trouble figuring out how to use them, and half the time they don't even cut properly. So it kind of has me thinking that I should be looking for one of these in the stores when I'm out and about. Bex Scott: [00:06:42] Next up we have the Oster electric meat grinder. It's called the Electric Power Unit. It sits on your countertop and it says versatile and powerful, Oster electric meat grinder slices through foods without tearing, bruising, or mashing. That sounds kind of gross. Speedily and effortlessly grinds all foods from toughest meats to the most delicate vegetables. Even grinds hard almonds. New economies, better meals, and far more pleasure in food preparation are yours every day from the very first day you own the Oster electric meat grinder. I don't know about you guys, but I find a lot of meat grinder parts when I'm shopping or when I've bought a lot at an estate sale or in an auction. They are never complete. I would love to be able to test out one of these meat grinders, but so far I haven't come across one that's a full unit. Bex Scott: [00:07:39] Next up we have the vintage General Electric rotisserie oven. This is really cute, it's a little countertop rotisserie oven and it says five good reasons for owning a General Electric rotisserie oven, in brackets, even if you have a good range oven. Number one is the rotisserie infrared broiler precision oven does so much more than an ordinary rotisserie. Does as many things, in fact, as an expensive range oven, and has range oven accuracy. Number two infrared broiling seals in the natural juices for best ever steaks and seafood. Brown and crusty outside. Delectable inside. Number three bake without heating up the kitchen. Separate baking element on bottom. Thermostatic heat control assure perfect cakes, breads, fancy desserts. Tilt top lid closes completely for baking. Glass window lets you peek in. This is like a fancy Easy-Bake oven. And then there's a picture. It kind of looks like a cat litter box with a lid on the top. Number four it has automatic push button controls. And number five, it's portable. You can cook anywhere with the General Electric rotisserie oven. That's pretty handy. You can take it to your friends houses. You could even cook in the parking lot if you have an outlet. Imagine taking this to a tailgate party. You just pull up your vintage rotisserie oven and put it on your tailgate. I would do that. Bex Scott: [00:09:07] Next up we have a waffle maker and it says makes four big waffles at a time. General Electric Sandwich Grill and Waffle Iron has reversible grids that make ...
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Pyrex Name Challenge with Returning Guest Rob
Feb 28, 202500:24:26Tap to summarizeDISCLAIMER: Please note that I use collector's nicknames for some of the dishes and not the official names they were produced with.— Bex Scott brings back a fan-favorite guest from Season One. In Season One he was called Rex but his actual name is Rob, Bex’s husband. Rob returns to test his Pyrex knowledge (and how well he listens to his wife talk about her Pyrex collecting) by naming Pyrex patterns shown to him. How well does Rob do? Is he a Pyrex savant? Or is he just winging it here? See how you do against Rob by following along with the photo links in the Resources section. Rob’s final score is one. One point. Which one did he get right? No spoilers here. Lessons were learned in this episode. Rob definitely believes he’s better at naming Pyrex patterns than Pyrex was. The 60s and 70s were a wild time for Pyrex colors. Bex throws out some 14-year-old slang terms. Rob learns what a hugger is. And we all learn what the Pyrex names really are for some very interesting and classic patterns. Test your own knowledge along with Rob. And contact Bex to let her know what you think of Rob’s names. Resources discussed in this episode:Pyrex One Rob’s name: Primary Colors Plus an AttaboyPyrex Two Rob’s name: Alternating White Wine Red Wine Vine SetPyrex Three Rob’s name: 70s Throw Up FadePyrex Four Rob’s name: Grenaded GardenPyrex Five Rob’s name: Viney Vinny’s Knobby Dish DelightPyrex Six Rob’s name: Viking’s BreadbasketPyrex Seven Rob’s name: MagnaDoodle Acid TripPyrex Eight Rob’s name: Hypnotic Salad BowlPyrex Nine Rob’s name: 70s Jello Fruit Salad Thingamabobber Calls To YouPyrex Ten Rob’s name: Gandalf’s GardenPyrex Eleven Rob’s name: Blood Red Christmas Doves Sharing a PomegranatePyrex Twelve Rob’s name: Cretaceous Era Battle for Middle Earth—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast where, you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. And on today's episode, I am bringing back one of your most favorite guests, formerly known as Rex in season one of the podcast. It is my husband, Rob. Welcome, Rob. Rob: [00:00:48] Thanks for having me back. I'm really excited. Bex Scott: [00:00:50] It feels like a very long, hard road getting to this recording, because we just spent the last half hour trying to fix my mic, and thank goodness that your mic wasn't working because you were playing jeopardy music in the background, trying to provoke me. Rob: [00:01:05] It was much needed. There was so much suspense. Bex Scott: [00:01:09] There was suspense if we were going to get this done. If, yeah, just all the suspense. So suspenseful that I'm lost for words. Rob: [00:01:18] I can see that. Bex Scott: [00:01:19] That made no sense. Anyway, back to the episode. Today, I thought it would be fun to play a little game with Rob to see just how well he knows his Pyrex patterns, and I've gone in and selected 12 different Pyrex patterns. I'm going to show him the picture. And because all of you wonderful people can't see what I'm showing Rob, I'm going to describe it first, and he'll give his best guess as to what the pattern is. So it's going to be a lot of learning together to see just how much Rob pays attention to me and to my love of Pyrex. Here we go. So I invite all of you to join along and make your best guess and see just how good you are with your patterns as well. I know that going through this, it was very enlightening because Pyrex didn't come up with a lot of unique, exciting names for some of their patterns and their dishes. So you'll realize that as we go through some of these. So I figured it would be nice to start off easy, give Rob a little bit of a break on his first go. Rob: [00:02:34] And you'll understand that by asking me these questions that I should have been chosen by Pyrex to name these patterns. Bex Scott: [00:02:43] I hope so, maybe the names you give will be so amazing that collectors around the world will just adopt them. Rob: [00:02:50] There'll be a fee for that, but no problem. Bex Scott: [00:02:53] Okay, we'll see how great they are, how creative you're feeling. Okay, here's the first set. So for those of you listening right now, it is a four piece mixing bowl set starting with blue, going to red, then green, then yellow. Rob, what is the name of this bowl set or pattern? Rob: [00:03:17] I would call it Primary Colors, plus an Attaboy. Because the green is not a primary color. So you have the primary colors plus the attaboy. Bex Scott: [00:03:31] You would be correct. Rob: [00:03:33] Oh, it's called with the attaboy. Nice. Bex Scott: [00:03:35] Well. No, but I like that rendition better than just the plain old Primary. So. Good job. 1 out of 12. Rob: [00:03:44] Oh, it's called Primary. Okay. Bex Scott: [00:03:45] Yeah. You're winning so far. Next up, we have a lot of this in our house, I'm looking at it right now. Okay. For everybody out there. It is a Cinderella Bowl set, and it goes from white to pink to white to pink, and it has some nice little without giving anything away foliage vine situations on it. Rob, what do you think this set pattern is called? Rob: [00:04:16] I have to call it the Alternating White Wine Red Wine Vine set. Bex Scott: [00:04:29] That's quite the name. Rob: [00:04:31] Well, yeah. Like I said, I should have been hired for this job. Bex Scott: [00:04:35] At first, I thought you were going to say wine spritzer. Rob: [00:04:38] Well, yeah. Well, if you smash them, you could make a spritzer. It'd be kind of pink. Bex Scott: [00:04:44] It's a spritzer. Okay, this is Gooseberry. Rob: [00:04:47] Oh I was close. Bex Scott: [00:04:48] You couldn't have been further away, but that's okay. It has a little, it's hard to see, but there's little gooseberries on there. They kind of look like onions, to be honest. That's okay. Rob: [00:05:02] I couldn't see it in the picture very clearly. Bex Scott: [00:05:05] I'm sorry. That was my fault. Rob: [00:05:07] Absolutely. Anyway. Carry on. Bex Scott: [00:05:10] Okay, next up, we have another mixing bowl set. It's an ombre. An ombre moment, as the kids would say. And it's kind of an orangey yellowy going into a more orangey. Wow. That's a terrible description. Rob: [00:05:30] See why I should have been hired? Bex Scott: [00:05:34] It's an orange ombre. There we go. Rob: [00:05:37] Well, it brings back some traumatic memories of the colors that my parents made me wear. So I would call that the 70s Throw Up Fade pattern. Bex Scott: [00:05:50] Oh, the PTSD is strong in this one. Rob: [00:05:54] Yeah, it goes from like a horrific orange that I remember I had to wear down to like a nasty pastel yellow that I also had to wear. Bex Scott: [00:06:04] The jumper? Rob: [00:06:05] Yeah. Where's me jumper? Bex Scott: [00:06:10] Okay. Rob: [00:06:11] I'm sure that's probably not quite what Pyrex might have used,...
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Value Village - My Process
Feb 14, 202500:35:07Tap to summarizeHost Bex Scott lets you in on her process for going through her local Value Village thrift store in this episode. She explains the layout of the store section by section, how they’re stocked, and what to look for in each. She explains where the good stuff is on the shelf, how to check items for damage, and where some of the hot items are hidden. If Value Village is new to you or you find it overwhelming, this episode will break it down into understandable sections and help you scour for the perfect vintage score that you’re seeking. Bex also shares some key tips for collectors and resellers. Did you know that some of the best items are on the very bottom shelves in Value Village? Don’t be afraid to get on the floor and look down there. Where do they hide the salt and pepper shakers? Should you skip the book section? If you arrive at the store first thing in the morning, is sneaking into the middle of the queue a good idea? Bex answers all these questions and more in this episode. Listen in then share your thoughts and tips with Bex on Instagram @PyrexWithBex. Resources discussed in this episode:Value VillageFind a Value Village near you—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast, where you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. On today's episode, I want to take you through my process for shopping at Value Village. Now, where I live in Alberta, we have quite a few different thrift shops, antique shops, but I find that the one that I have the most success at right now is actually the Value Village in Red Deer. So for those of you who live in this area, I would be interested to see if you kind of have the same process as me for going through the store. Now, I know that everybody has their own sections that they really love to hit up first. I know that when I used to go thrifting every day before we had our daughter, I used to show up way before the store opened and line up at the Value Village, this was in Calgary, not where we live now, but you would see the same people there all the time. The same person was always first, and you would get to know the people who were shopping there, which was kind of fun. Bex Scott: [00:01:38] And you would watch as people who weren't regulars came around the corner and they thought they could sneak into the line or try and create another line to get into the store before you did. And these people were having none of it. So one thing to know for sure is to never mess with a die-hard thrifter or reseller because they stake claim to their spot in that line and they will not move from it. So back when I used to go to Value Village in Calgary, my first stop was always the Pyrex section because there were a lot of other people who went there first. You wanted to be the first one to get the fresh Pyrex that they put out. A lot of times that's how I got my full sets. And you do have to kind of fight people for different things because you can tell, right? As you guys both lock eyes on the same set, it's like whoever is closest to that, you grab it. So you put your hand on it and you just have to be assertive, which is something that I'm not good at. I've learned to be a little more assertive since I've been thrifting for a bit longer now, but it's definitely not in my personality to fight with somebody over something. It's not worth it in my opinion. Bex Scott: [00:02:58] If somebody is going to fight with me over a set of Pyrex, I will gladly give it to them because I'm just, I don't like conflict. I will miss out on a great opportunity just to avoid the conflict with a stranger. But some other people who are there that you get to know, there was one lady, I called her the Teacup Lady because she went and cleared out the full section of teacups at Value Village every single morning, and I would kind of creep to look at what was in her cart. I have no clue about teacups at all. Nothing. No knowledge about china, any of that stuff. So it was fascinating to me to see what she was buying. And I'm sure she was a reseller, because nobody can store that many teacups in their house. Well, that might be a lie because I have that much Pyrex. But anyway, there was also a guy that would go and buy vintage books and then somebody else who would buy video games and electronics. So those were the usuals who would line up with me on at the Value Village. So since I've moved out of the city, I frequent Goodwill, Sally-Ann, Value Village, and then a few of the smaller thrift and antique stores in our town. And Value Village is definitely a big store to search through. It goes in huge cycles of being amazing and just being totally crap for what's in there. Bex Scott: [00:04:33] A lot of it goes with the seasons, which makes sense. So right now it's not too bad because people are clearing out after the holidays. Christmas is over, they have more time. So they're focusing more on clearing out, maybe getting ready to sell their houses in the spring/summer. So there's been a lot of good vintage in the stores recently, but before Christmas, it was all Christmas. That's all you would find there. Everything else was kind of junky stuff. And then right after Christmas, it went through a phase where the shelves were, like, completely bare, except for a few things. So now if, now is February, if you're getting into thrifting or reselling, now is a great time, in my opinion, to start stocking up on your inventory and looking through things before the big garage sale season comes up, which I'm extremely excited about. Bex Scott: [00:05:33] Okay, so I avoid a lot of sections in Value Village when I look for my inventory. That is mainly because it's not my area of specialty. I don't know a lot about it, and I can't buy from every single category, or I would probably be kicked out of my house. Just kidding. But it would, it wouldn't work. So right when you walk into our Value Village, on the right, there's DVDs and board games. Now, I know a lot of people who resell DVDs and resell vintage, and not even vintage, just modern contemporary games, and they do extremely well. Bex Scott: [00:06:12] So I would love to get somebody on the podcast as a guest to talk about just board games, DVDs, music, that kind of stuff, because that is a section that I avoid. The first section that I do go to is the book section. I am a massive reader. I read every day. Right now my goal is to try and read six books a month. I did that for January. We'll see for February. But I have a problem with buying books for myself, never mind books to resell and to collect. But when I do buy them for my collection, it's the Little Golden Books. I love vintage Little Golden Books. Some of the newer ones are cute too, but I buy them for the illustrations and the artwork in them, and this might hurt a lot of people to hear, but I repurposed some of the pages in crafting, so I've been making little coasters and journals, covering journals with like Disney pictures and just really nice old vintage artwork, which I know is terrible to do to cut a book up. But I try to only cut the ones up that are really damaged. I don't ever touch a brand new pristine condition book. So I collect those for myself and to read to my daughter. So I'm trying to collect as many Little Golden Books for her as I can to pass down to her. I also have had great success selling the Little Golden Books. Bex Scott: [00:07:50] So if you can find them for like $0.25 each or a dollar each, they usually resell for like $3 to $4. So not a huge profit there. But if you get enough of them, you can sell them in bulk, you can sell them as a collection. And you might be able to find some good money in that section. Next, I always buy vintage Baby-Sitters Club books and Sweet Valley High, so right now those ones are really popular. I've sold quite a few Baby-Sitters Club books, and they did release, I think it was on Netflix, a Baby-Sitters Club TV show, which is actually pretty good, I'm not going to lie. So it did make a little bit of a comeback, but people are trying to complete their collections that they had growing up. So I always try and grab those books, especially the older Baby-Sitters Club ones. Next is Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. There are some extremely die-hard collectors here, and I know I've talked about this in a previous podcast episode. There are different types of the Nancy Drew, different time frames that they were released with different covers, artwork, that kind of thing. So keep that in mind when you are buying them if you were trying to complete a collection or you're trying to resell, that different ones will have different values just because of the time they were released and the type of cover that they have. Bex Scott: [00:09:25] Okay, so once you leave the book section in my Value Village, you go to this extremely overwhelming vase section where they've just crammed every single vase that has ever been donated ...
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The 5 Pyrex Patterns I DON’T Love - Minus One I Forgot
Jan 31, 202500:18:37Tap to summarizeHost Bex Scott shares the five Pyrex patterns that she doesn’t love in this episode. In addition to naming the unloved patterns, she explores their history and what dishes made up the sets on offer. Everyone’s tastes are different so listeners may love a pattern Bex doesn’t. You may agree with Bex or you may want to bring a case in defence of a favourite that appears on this list. Or possibly you’re new to Pyrex and want to explore different sets. Whichever way you lean, there’s something for you in this episode. All the information Bex shares is from the Pyrex Bible, more formally known as Pyrex Passion 2nd Edition by Michael D. Barber. From Golden Acorn to the infamous Old Orchard, Bex lets you into her opinions on her least loved Pyrex patterns. What is it about these patterns that put her off? What other patterns does she dislike? What is the best way to ruin a gold pattern Pyrex bowl? And is there anybody who will stand up in support of Old Orchard? Listen in then share your agreements, arguments, and collection display photos with Bex on Instagram @PyrexWithBex. Resources discussed in this episode:“Pyrex Passion 2nd Edition” by Michael D. BarberGolden Acorn PyrexGolden Honeysuckle PyrexOld Orchard PyrexForest Fancies PyrexPyrex brown hugger cradle—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast, where you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. On today's episode, I wanted to talk about the five Pyrex patterns that I don't love. I figured that since I've talked in the past about so many of the patterns that I do love, and I've had guests talking about their collections and the ones that they collect the most often, I'd switch things up a little bit and talk about the ones that I don't love as much. Now I do enjoy all Pyrex and I'll use any kind of pattern. I have even put patterns that I don't love in displays just because they go so well. And you'll realize that there's a bit of a pattern to the ones that I don't love once I start going through them. But I wanted to give you an idea of some of the ones that I don't necessarily collect as much of, and I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether you agree with me, which ones you don't love, and get a conversation going. You can find me on Instagram at Pyrex with Bex, and feel free to share your thoughts about this episode there. Bex Scott: [00:01:42] So starting off, we have the first one, and I'll start by saying all of the information that I'm going to give is from the Pyrex Bible, the Pyrex Passion Book by Michael D Barber. I have the second edition, and that's where I get all of my of my information from. So I wanted to, once I say which pattern I don't love, give you a little bit of background information on the dish so that you can learn a little bit more about it if you're a new collector, or maybe you have been collecting for a while, but you haven't necessarily read up about certain patterns. And just to give some fun information on each of the pieces. Because regardless of whether I like it, there's tons of other people out there that do like these pieces, so to each their own. Bex Scott: [00:02:30] So the very first one is the Gold Acorn. And I have owned various pieces of this set, and I believe I started off liking them, but it just wasn't a pattern that grew on me. So this one was produced from 1959 to 1963, and it came in an assorted bakeware set. So it was gold applied to a beige background. It paints a little bit of a picture, and it's like a scrolly kind of ivy leaf pattern with little acorns on it. And it says that the boxes didn't include the pattern name, but marketing materials from the time used the name Gold Acorn on Ivory or Golden Touch in reference to this pattern. And it says that the first edition of Pyrex Passion referred to the pattern as Golden Acorn, but Gold Acorn was more commonly used in the catalogs. And most items were offered from 1959 to 1963, with the exception of the 053 oval open baker, which was dropped in 1962. So the ones that I've had are the oval casseroles, and they come in the one and a half quart and two and a half quart with the clear lids. And I've also had a divided serving dish. And one of the things that I learned early on when I was collecting Pyrex is that you don't put anything abrasive on gold, and this was me being naive. I should have known better. But I remember getting a tube of peek because starting off in my collecting, I had heard that peek is the perfect thing to take the utensil marks off of Pyrex and just clean them up, which it is. But you cannot use anything abrasive on gold because it will wear it off. So I remember squeezing the peek onto a piece of paper towel, and I rubbed off the whole bottom half of the gold acorn pattern. And I still haven't forgotten that it was a good lesson for me to learn, but for any of you that are just starting out, you can use peek to clean your Pyrex but do not use it on the gold. It will ruin it. Bex Scott: [00:04:58] Okay, so the Gold Acorn was also offered in the stamp catalog carousel with a cradle, and the stamp program was where you would redeem your stamps at the store and they would give you the Pyrex in return. So it says the item appears in the 1961 Top Value Stamps Family Gift Catalog. The cradle was the same one used on the 1959 duet, or also known as Dandelion Casserole. And that one kind of has the same colorings. It's more of a yellow, though, actually. And I really like the Dandelion. The oval divided serving dish also came in Gold Acorn and then the oval open baker. And I have to say, I don't love this pattern, but I do have a weakness for space saver casseroles. I just love the size of them, especially if they come with that metal lid. Perfect for the freezer. So these ones were sold individually with a clear lid from 1959 to 1963. And then they came out with another set, same time frame though, with the oven freezer serving set. And they were both packaged in a set that included one clear lid and two metal lids. And I know where I am in Canada at least those metal lids are very hard to come by. I think I have maybe one of them that I was lucky enough to find on Facebook Marketplace, and that's one that I will never resell. That one will stay in my collection, and I'm always on the lookout for more of those metal lids. Now, the Gold Acorn did have a prototype, and they were the 473, 474 and 475. They were the round casseroles with clear lids, and these ones were not standard production items. They have resurfaced in this pattern and are being said that they're possibly manufactured as test items in the early 1960s. Bex Scott: [00:07:00] So next up, you'll see there's a bit of a theme here with which patterns I don't love. We have the Golden Honeysuckle, so it's not all gold that I dislike. There are quite a few patterns, especially the promotional ones that have gold. There's just something about these ones that have the vines or the flowers that I don't know why, it just doesn't do it for me. The Golden Honeysuckle 1963 to 1965. It was testing, Corning was testing the market with new shapes and sizes of casseroles. And I think that's maybe why this one I don't love so much. Now, I've owned all of the Golden Honeysuckle, and they are really nice to bake casseroles in and to heat things in because they're nice and long and they're really deep. There's also shallow ones for vegetables, which is great. But to me, this isn't the standard Pyrex that I know and love. They released four casseroles, and they featured a unique square shape designed by William M Curtis. Bex Scott: [00:08:09] To ensure the gold pattern adhered properly casseroles were sprayed white on top of the opal glass. Walnut serving trays were also available in one size, a 935 that fit the two smaller casseroles, while another size, 958, fit the two larger casseroles. The serving trays were sold separately and also packaged with the casseroles when sold as a set. And these casseroles were sold individually and you have the 033, 035, 055, 058, 935 which is the tray and the 958 which is the tray. And then it came as a casserole serving set. So you have the 33, the 35, the 55 and the 58. And then there were casserole prototypes. So after the casserole style was patented in 1961, Corning tested the new shapes with many different designs. These prototype items are quite rare, but can be found in many patterns such as Early American, Green Scroll, White Snowflake on Turquoise, and White Compass on Turquoise. Bex Scott: [00:09:1...
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1950s Housewife - Husband Hunting
Jan 17, 202500:24:16Tap to summarizeToday, Bex Scott takes us back in time to the days of the 1950s housewife. An article from the New Zealand Herald in 2018 shared a vintage 1950s article on how to attract men and Bex dives into it with us to see how many, if any, of the old tips are valid. Take a trip in Bex’s time machine and learn, from different articles, how to find a husband, how to keep him happy once married, and how to keep looking pretty for this coveted man. How cringe-worthy is this article by today’s standards? Join Bex to find out. Modern dating often involves online dating so in fifty years we may look back on this era and find it extremely cringe-worthy as well. For now, 1950s sensibilities are on glorious display in this vintage article. The article was originally published under the title 129 Ways to Get a Husband in McCall’s magazine and was aimed at women who weren’t married by the ripe old age of seventeen. The suggestions range from simple - “walk a dog” - to baffling - “read the obituaries to find eligible widowers”. Of course, snagging a husband is only half the battle. Once married, he has to be kept happy. Those suggestions, from a 1950s Home Ec book, range from the expected - “have dinner ready when he comes home” - to the old school - “arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes”. Deep dive into the mind-blowing world of 50s husband hunting with Bex.Resources discussed in this episode:“Husband Hunting: Cringeworthy 1950s article advises women on how to attract men” NZ Herald, November 7, 2018—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast where, you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. On today's episode, I wanted to go into a topic that interests me and I'm sure interests quite a few of you as well. It's the 1950s housewife. So we just got through the holiday season. We're in January now. By the time you listen to this episode, it's probably going to be way past that. But over the holidays, I always like going through cookbooks, reading old magazines, and learning a little bit more about the 1950s and 1960s and doing some research. And this past holiday season, I came across a bunch of really good recipes, articles and books. But one in particular that I wanted to talk about today was based off of an article from a while back. It was actually published on November 7th in 2018, in the New Zealand Herald. And the title was Husband Hunting, Cringeworthy 1950s Article Advises Women on How to Attract Men. And this headline caught me right after I read it. Bex Scott: [00:01:50] I had to go through online dating before I met my husband. Dated a whole bunch of really interesting guys, not so great guys. Just ask anybody in my family. I was very lucky to find my husband and now not have to worry about how to attract a man, as this article title says. But I always find it very interesting to learn about what women had to do, or what was kind of expected of them in that time period with beauty, with how they were supposed to act, etiquette in general, and kind of what the world expected of women in the 1950s. And I think this article sums it up perfectly. So I'm going to go through it with you. And they have the actual article from, so they wrote about it in the New Zealand Herald, but they also have the 1950s article in full here that I will read for you. And I think you guys are going to get a kick out of some of it and probably cringe at most of it, but I'd love to know what you think after this episode. Bex Scott: [00:03:02] Okay, so they start off by saying a magazine from the 1950s features a cringe worthy advice column for single women on how to attract men. The article, headlined 129 Ways to Get a Husband from the American magazine McCall's, includes hilarious and bizarre tips where most would never be used in this era, I'm sure. Photos of the advice column were posted on Facebook, with the post quickly becoming viral. So this is in 2018. The post had been shared over 13,000 times and had caused widespread controversy, quickly racking up more than 4600 likes and thousands of comments from shocked and amused users. The feature, aimed at women who weren't married by 17, was created with the help of 16 people who used a brainstorming technique to see if they could come up with fresh ideas on how to find a husband. The first 30 pointers reveal where to find him, giving single women creative tips on how to run into their potential new husband. This section includes advice as simple as get a dog and walk it to very cynical ideas like read obituaries to find eligible widowers. Bex Scott: [00:04:16] Okay, so there's 13 different numbers here that they've listed on where to find your husband. Number one, get a dog and walk it. Number two, have your car break down at strategic places. That sounds very sketchy to me. I would not advise this in 2025 at all. Number three, attend night school, take courses men like. Okay. Number four, join a hiking club. I know many people, I have many friends who've actually done this and met some very nice men. So a hiking club is not a bad number here. Number five, look in the census reports for places with the most single men. Nevada has 125 males for every 100 females. Number six, read the obituaries to find eligible widowers. That is crazy. We're not going to do that. Number seven, take up golf and go to different golf courses. Okay, that could be a solid go-to. Number eight, take several short vacations at different places rather than one long one at one place. Number nine, sit on a park bench and feed the pigeons. Number ten, take a bicycle trip through Europe. Mm. That sounds very romantic and not realistic to find a man on a bicycle trip. You never know. I've known people who've met their significant other on a nice European trip. Number 11, get a job in a medical, dental or law school. Number 12, become a nurse or an airline stewardess. They have very high marriage rates. Number 13, ask your friends husbands who the eligible men are in their offices. Bex Scott: [00:06:10] Okay, so the next piece of advice is how to let him know you're there. Giving women cunning ideas to get a man's attention. Okay, so here are all 41 of the ways to let him know you're there. So feel free to try any of these if you'd like. Okay. Be nice to everybody, they may have an eligible brother or son. Get a government job overseas. Forget discretion every once in a while and call them up. Carry a hat box. I wonder what that would do now? Probably not too much. If you carried a hat box, people would be wondering what was in the box. Make a lot of money. Okay. Learn several funny stories and learn to tell them well, but make sure you don't tell them to him more than once. Walk up to him and tell him you need some advice. Dropping the handkerchief still works. You could do that with a Kleenex, but I highly doubt that a man is going to pick up your Kleenex. Have your father buy some theater tickets that have to be got rid of. Don't let him fish for your name the next time you meet. None of this guess who stuff. Bex Scott: [00:07:35] Next, single women are given advice on how to look good to him. Suggesting what cosmetics and items to wear. Get better looking glasses. Men still make passes at girls who wear glasses. Or you could try contact lenses, number 49 advises. Wear high heels most of the time, they're sexier. Unless he happens to be shorter than you, another pointer said. Okay, so here we go, continuing on. If you're at a resort, have the bellboy page you. Buy a convertible. Men like to ride in them. Learn how to bake tasty apple pies. Bring one into the office and let the eligible bachelor taste it. Laugh at his jokes. If there's a wallflower among the men you know, why not cultivate him. Oh cultivate the flower? For all you know, he may be a diamond in the rough. Accidentally have your purse fly open, scattering its contents all over the street. I don't think I'd want any, no, no, I don't want anybody knowing what's in my purse. Not that there's anything bad in there, but probably a lot of Pyrex. No, I'm kidding. I didn't have Pyrex back in the day in my purse. Bex Scott: [00:07:35] Okay. How to look good to him. So this is the next section. Men like to think they're authorities on perfume. Ask his advice on what kind you should wear. Practice your drinking with your women friends first. If you dye your hair, pick a shade and stick to it. Tell him he's handsome. Take good care of your health, men don't like girls who are ill. That's an obvious one. If you look good in sweaters, wear one on every third date. Dress differently from the other girls in the office. Get a sunburn. What? Watch your vocabulary. Blah blah blah. Oh, my gosh, that's a great word to stumble on. Watch your vocabulary. There we go. Go on a diet if you need to. What? When you're with him, order your steak rare. Don't tell him about your allergies. Oh, great, so he can try and ki...
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The Homemaker's Encyclopedia - 1952
Jan 3, 202500:27:14Tap to summarizeIn today’s episode, Bex Scott shares vintage advice and tips for the retro homemaker from “The Homemaker’s Encyclopedia - 1952” book that she recently acquired. Featuring of-the-time shopping advice, meal ideas, kitchen planning suggestions, and more, this is a genuine blast from the past glimpse into the housewife’s day-to-day mealtime expectations. Join Bex for a trip into the past and learn some new (old) ways to shop and cook to please your family. “The Homemaker’s Encyclopedia -1952” includes such chapters as “Marketing Know-How”, “Different Items You Can Stock in Your Larder”, and “How Much Is Enough”. The author encourages women (the target audience for this book since it was women, the wives and mothers, who did all the grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking in the 50s) to be unafraid of experimenting with “new foods, new recipes, and new ways of cooking”. She maintains that careful planning will enable women to provide balanced nutrition and budget-conscious meal preparation for their families. Bex also shares an amusing section on grocery store etiquette (including the gem “Dogs must be left outside, but children must often be brought inside”) and specific kitchen design shapes that maximize efficiency in prep and service. For lovers of vintage, retro cooking ideas, and amusing throwbacks, this episode is a must-listen. Resources discussed in this episode:“The Homemaker’s Encyclopedia 1952: Food-Buying and Meal-Planning” photo—Contact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex—TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast where, you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Bex Scott: [00:00:31] Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. On today's episode, I thought it would be fun to go through a newly acquired book that I have called The Homemaker's Encyclopedia Food Buying and Meal Planning. Now this beauty is from 1952, so it is exactly what you might expect. The content is all about the woman being at home being the homemaker, the man going out and working his 9 to 5 job and coming home to his children and his wife being ready to serve him his meal and for him to relax with a drink in his hand. And I wanted to read some excerpts of this book to you because it was honestly very entertaining to read and to just note how different times are now than they were before. In my household right now my husband does all of the cooking. I like to do the cleaning. We both work and we both equally contribute to raising our three kids, and it was just really interesting to read through the difference in how they used to do things. And I know a bunch of you can probably remember this from your childhood, maybe your parents. That was the dynamic for them back in the 50s, and it would just be interesting to hear your take on things in your memories of how things were. Bex Scott: [00:02:11] So I wanted to start off by going through the introduction, because I believe that this gives you, as it says, a good introduction to this interesting book. So it says "Every homemaker is conscious of the need to try to get the greatest value for the money she can spend. How to do this while still continuing to provide meals that are nutritious and varied, is the subject of conversation whenever good housewives get together. Books such as this can be of great help. In an interesting fashion with easy-to-follow suggestions, the author ranges over the fields of marketing and menu planning in an effort to help you in your daily program". Now, when they say marketing, this is kind of embarrassing because that's my field of work. I'm in marketing. And when I read that, I was really confused about what they were talking about. Marketing is actually going to the supermarket. So yeah, that was an interesting enlightning fact for me. "While keeping the main objective in view, that of securing the most nourishing foods at the prices you can pay, she nevertheless succeeds in proving to the reader that this branch of homemaking need never grow uninteresting or monotonous, just as the meals you serve need never become dull for your family. The willingness to experiment, to try new foods, new recipes, and new ways of cooking should be part of every housewife's equipment. In many an old-fashioned American household, the food followed an unvarying pattern: a roast on Sunday, hash on Monday, chowder on Friday, beans on Saturday, or whatever". Or whatever. "Before the family entered the dining room, they knew exactly what would be on the table". Bex Scott: [00:03:58] Growing up, we had roast every Sunday and that was honestly the best day of the week for me. My mom's roasts, they were amazing. And when we go back home to visit with them, my mom still likes to make a roast for all of us when we get together. "Most younger women are more flexible than the old-time cooks. They are learning some of the secrets of using unusual flavor through spices, herbs, and sauces to borrow from other nations some tricks of applying imagination to the food they serve their families. American menus would be the poorer without Swiss and Italian cheeses, Hungarian goulash, French and Vienna breads, chili con carne, chow mein and chop suey, Irish stew, frankfurters and sauerkraut, England's plum pudding, or whatever your particular favorites happen to be. Bearing this in mind, you need never be afraid to experiment or pioneer in foods or methods. In this book, along with practical advice on efficient shopping techniques, cooking shortcuts, and dollar stretchers, you'll find a view of meal planning as a family affair. To many women, marketing and cooking is a burden because they do all of it alone. The author suggests ways in which the other members of the family can help. Father with the marketing, the children in preparing meals and helping to serve them. Making these projects a part of your family's life seems a practical application of homemaking. That art, which is, in the last analysis, the most important profession open to any woman". Bex Scott: [00:05:28] So now we get into the good stuff. So we've been introduced to the book, know a little bit about it, so part one is meal planning. "Number one, a good meal doesn't just happen. The experienced traveller knows that the success of a trip depends on thorough, beforehand planning. Just so homemakers whose meals get consistent rave reviews from family and friends will tell you that a good meal is made at the meal planning desk rather than at the cook stove". And there's a nice picture of a woman sitting at her meal planning desk, and it says, "when you plan ahead, you can relax and enjoy meal times too". I can tell you that my husband doesn't have a meal planning desk, but I'm going to ask him now if he would like one, and I'll let you know what he says. Okay, so it says, "and while impromptu meals can be lots of fun once in a while, a steady succession of haphazard conglomerations tells its story in flurry and worry, not to mention the added expense which substitutes for proper planning. Your family will probably be most interested in how the food looks and tastes, and in whether you are calm and cheerful or cross and worn out when you join them at the table". I can tell you that our two sons could care less what the food looks like. They are more interested in how it tastes and how quickly they can consume it. "You, on the other hand, will be equally concerned with balancing the budget and the nutritional scale, for you know that the actual health of your family is dependent upon the meals you serve. Every smart woman knows that you can lead a husband to vitamins, but you can't always make him eat". That is something that I have never heard before. "This holds true of children as well and harping on food values usually creates eating problems rather than converts to balanced nutrition. When you plan ahead, you can relax and enjoy meal times too, secure in the knowledge that you are giving your family food they need in ways they enjoy it, with a maximum of economy and a minimum of work". Bex Scott: [00:07:39] And then it goes into "four ways to help you turn meal planning from a hand-to-mouth operation into a pleasant and worthwhile habit". Next up, this is a little pull quote that I had to share with you guys. It says "Entree, usually a made-up dish of an unusual food". So if anybody ever asks you what an entrée is, please be sure to use this definition. Okay next up we have the elements of a successful meal. "When you get right down to the business of meal planning, you must remember to coordinate a number of other factors with your four menu factors of: number one nutrition values, number two economy or money-saving, number three efficiency or time and effort saving, and number four" is my favorite "honest to goodness pleasure in eating". That's why I eat. Not to survive. I eat to enjoy and experience the pleasure in eating. "So you may want to introduce new foods, provide an invalid diet or entertain company on a budget. You may decide to streamline the family's collective waistline through a high-protein but low in calorie diet. ...
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Federal Glass & More with Ruth from Periwinkle Collectibles
Dec 20, 202400:37:46Tap to summarizeBex Scott welcomes guest Ruth from Periwinkle Collectibles on Instagram to the show to talk all about Federal Glass, among other things. Ruth teaches Bex some fascinating facts about Federal Glass, their patterns, which country they released certain items in, and how to spot the collectibles in the wild. Not every thrift trip can be single-minded, however, so Bex and Ruth talk about some of the other vintage items they search for and enjoy as well. Ruth claims Pyrex collecting was her gateway into other milk glass companies, patterns, and makers, and admits that in the early days, she would find something she thought was Pyrex only to bring it home and learn it wasn’t. Through those research lessons, she found that something she initially thought was Fire King was in fact Federal Glass and that sent her on a whole new collecting journey. Bex learns about the sheer number of varieties of dot colors and sets available in Federal Glass, how so many promotional items came to be made of Federal Glass, and how to differentiate Federal from other items in the wild. Join this episode to learn what Facebook Group to join for identifying Federal, what pieces are most sought-after, and exactly how many collections Ruth draws the line at maintaining. Resources discussed in this episode:Vintage Federal Glass Facebook GroupEarly American Pattern Glass Society: Federal Glass vintage patterns reference“Shield F - The Mark of Quality” by Marg Iwen, Winter 2006, The Federation of Historical Bottle CollectorsFederal Glass circus bowlsFederal Glass dots bowlsFederal Glass mushroom bowl1974 Federal Glass ad page—Contact Ruth | Periwinkle CollectiblesInstagram: @periwinklecollectiblesContact Rebecca Scott | Pyrex With Bex: Website: PyrexWithBex.comInstagram: @pyrexwithbex— TranscriptBex Scott: [00:00:02] Hey everybody, it's Bex Scott and welcome to the Pyrex with Bex podcast where, you guessed it, I talk about vintage Pyrex, but also all things vintage housewares. I'll take you on my latest thrifting adventures, talk about reselling, chat with other enthusiasts about their collections, and learn about a bunch of really awesome items from the past. Subscribe now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you love listening to podcasts so you don't miss a beat. Hey everybody, this is Bex Scott and you are listening to the Pyrex with Bex podcast. And today I am very excited to have Ruth from Periwinkle Collectibles. Welcome back Ruth. Ruth: [00:00:41] Hi Bex, it's good to be back. Bex Scott: [00:00:44] How have you been since we last talked? Ruth: [00:00:46] Oh, it's been a great, wonderful summer. But the days are getting shorter, the leaves are starting to fall, and it's time to start thinking about collections, isn't it? Bex Scott: [00:00:57] It is. And my favorite Halloween fall season for Pyrex displays is just around the corner and I, as everybody knows, am an avid Pyrex collector. You collect Pyrex yourself, but today I'm very excited because you are going to talk to us about a different collection that you have. So maybe just kick us off and let us know what you're going to be chatting about. Ruth: [00:01:23] Sure, sure. I thought that Pyrex, at least for me, was a gateway into a lot of other milk glass companies and patterns and makers, and many of us have found something at the thrift, found something out in the wild, brought it home thinking it was Pyrex. Started doing a little bit of research. And for me, this was before Google Image and before AI put all kinds of weird things out there, but it was before Google Image, so you'd have to try and describe what you had found to figure out, well, this isn't Pyrex, because it takes a while to realize that most Pyrex pieces have Pyrex stamped on them. And so you find a pretty white bowl at the thrift store with a really cute pattern, or what you think is really cute. And I mean, now I just, I flip things over and look for the maker mark. But back then I would just go oh 2.99 and this is pretty, in the cart it goes, and I'd bring it home and I'd go, oh, I found this great Pyrex. And then I'd start looking at it and trying to figure out the pattern and oh my gosh, I realized it wasn't Pyrex. Well, then what the heck was it? Well, I found quite a few pieces that had a really large capital F in a shield and I thought, wow, I found Fire-King! And I went on, this is the days of Facebook groups being the only place to really share things. Ruth: [00:02:51] This is kind of early days of Instagram and before a lot of other social media. I remember going onto a Fire-King group and excitedly sharing what I had found. And wow, I got politely but quickly schooled that what I had found was not Fire-King, but it was Federal. And I'm like Federal? What the heck is that? So I started looking up the patterns of that and going, oh. So I mean, Federal Glass was a company that was around for, I think, around 80-ish years in the States. I think they were in Ohio. They started off making, I think it was like pressed glass in the early 1900s. They made an awful lot of depression glass. And I'll be honest, even though I lived through the 80s and 90s, I have never collected depression glass in my life. A lot of my friends were collecting depression glass during that time, but I never really got into it. It didn't, it didn't appeal to me because depression glass, that's a whole nother discussion. But Federal made a lot of depression glass. They made a lot of barware. But what I particularly really enjoy is the opal ware or the, what people call milk glass, and the pretty patterns that I thought were made by Federal. Because when I flipped the bowl or the casserole or the mug over, it had an F and a shield. But I also discovered that, well, Federal made an awful lot of milk glass or opal ware, they also sold what was called blanks to decorator companies. And so I live in Canada, and what I have learned over the years is that in particular, there was a company outside of Toronto that did a lot of decorating of Federal blanks and other Fire-King and a few other blanks too, and they were called Cutler. C U T L E R. So they, like, printed on Federal blanks. And that's kind of the main reason why the Federal glass that's found in Canada, it's a lot of different patterns. I mean, there is some overlap, but there's quite a lot of patterns that are more commonly found in Canada than in the States. Bex Scott: [00:05:19] Interesting. I am already learning things from you because I had no idea. I had heard of Cutler and I'd heard of Federal Glass, but that is very cool. Ruth: [00:05:29] Yeah, I mean Cutler, they bought blanks from other companies and they did a lot of glassware. But basically their thing was they decorated glassware. You know, they painted onto items made by other companies. So there's a lot of Federal Glass in Canada that is tourist ware, you know, mugs with city, city and town names on them and festivals and hockey teams and businesses and things like that. And of course, it exists in the States also, and Federal in the states was also making decorated milk glass and other glass items. But it explains why some patterns show up in Canada in way larger quantities. There was a gas company in Quebec, I believe it was, that gave away the circus bowls. That's a pattern that a lot of Federal collectors, or you've probably seen it too, it has like red, orange, green, blue pattern around the edge of various circus animals and circus carts and things. Well, that was a giveaway from a gas station in Quebec. Bex Scott: [00:06:41] No way. Ruth: [00:06:43] Yes way. Bex Scott: [00:06:44] I would love to get that from a gas station. Why can't we get that from gas stations now? Ruth: [00:06:48] I know. When I could, when I could afford gas in the 80s, it was Petro Can. And all we got was those ugly glasses that said every garage sale you ever go to in Canada. But this was an earlier time because I think Federal Glass was out of business by 1980, for sure. I've seen a whole bunch of different sources. Some say 77, some say 79, whatever. By 1980, they were gone. So a lot of this stuff was given away in the 60s and 70s. But that's why there's so many circus bowls in Canada, in particular in Ontario and Quebec. And maybe the company was in Ontario as well, but definitely found way more in the eastern half of Canada than the western half of Canada. Bex Scott: [00:07:31] So has that made the circus bowls more popular in the States for collectors? Ruth: [00:07:37] Yeah, yeah, that does do that because they're harder to find. And isn't that what always happens with collectors is the sought-after is the harder to find? Is that just the way we are as people? Is that just... Bex Scott: [00:07:54] Yeah. We always want what we can't have. Ruth: [00:07:56] Exactly, exa...
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