Corning Ware Profile: Petite Pans (1962) 

Petite Pans date to late 1962, and initially only the small size was available.  At the time, they were sold in sets of two or four with no lids at all.  Early advertisements suggest inverting one Petite Pan over the other to create a covered dish.  This explains the purpose of the bump-up on the handle, and the pans fit together perfectly when one is placed at a right angle to the other. 

(Photo: Ads from 1962 to 1965 state:  "Two together make covered dish.")

Clear plastic lids were introduced in 1965.  Large Petite Pans made their first appearance in 1966.

The small Petite Pan, a P-41, is marked either 1¾ cups or 12 oz, while the large one is a P-43, marked with 2¾ cups or 22 oz.  Backstamps vary widely and some do not state the model number or capacity at all, and a few P-41s are marked as 1½ cups.  Metric capacities are stated as 400 ml and 700 ml.

The P-41 disappeared from the market in the early 1980s, while the P-43 would remain until at least the late 1990s.  The large size is still produced in France for international markets.

P-43 2¾ cup Petite Pan Spice O' Life (with lettering).

Both sizes use the same lids which are marked P-41, then suffixed with "PC" for plastic cover or "GC" for glass cover.  Generally, Petite Pans were sold with plastic lids which are meant for food storage only, not for oven, stove-top or microwave use.  Lids made of clear plastic especially should be kept away from all heat sources, even washing them in hot water can cause permanent warping.

(Photo: Box for Petite Pan glass lids, P-41-GC.)

Pairs of Petite Pans with one glass lid and one plastic lid were included in certain large sets of Corning Ware.  Otherwise, glass lids were sold as a separate accessory in packages of two. 
                 
Handles on most Petite Pans are compatible with the specially-sized Petite Pan detachable handle, a P-41-HG.  But sometime between 1993 & 1997, tab handles became flat on top, presumably to fit the new white plastic lids that cover the handles entirely.  The original clear plastic lids were notched with a cut-out that fits alongside the bump on the tab handle instead.

(Photo: newer flat handle, top; original handle with bump, bottom)

The patterns listed here are confirmed, and there might be others too.

Totals so far: P-41 = 10
                        P-43 = 25
              
1¾ cup Petite Pans (P-41): 

Blue Cornflower
Blue Medallion
Country Festival
Floral Bouquet
Green Medallion
Spice O' Life (no lettering)
stars design (blue)*
Wheat**
wheat/floral design (avocado)‡
Wildflower

2¾ cup Petite Pans (P-43):

Autumn Meadow
Blue Cornflower
Blue Dusk
Blue Medallion
Country Cornflower
Country Festival
Floral Bouquet
Fresh Cut
Fruit Basket
Green Medallion
J.C. Penney exclusive (avocado)‡‡
Lyrics
morning glory design (avocado)‡
Pastel Bouquet
Peach Floral
Shadow Iris
Silk & Roses
Soft Beige
Spice O' Life (no lettering)
Spice O' Life (with lettering)
stars design (blue)*
Strawberry Sunday
Wheat**
White
Wildflower
             
(Photos from top:  Blue Medallion P-41 & Green Medallion P-43; Autumn Meadow & Wildflower P-43s; Shadow Iris & Peach Floral P-43s; Spice O' Life P-43s without lettering, with plastic lids.)

For Spice O' Life, the difference between the two versions goes beyond whether the French phrase is present.  They are two distinct designs with different arrangements of vegetables.

* - Official pattern name not known, the design consists of eight five-pointed stars of various sizes, the three largest stars are within solid blue circles.

** - Items with a gold-coloured Wheat pattern typically are prefixed with 'W', so these Petite Pans are marked W-41 & W-43.  This pattern was available at Bon Marche.  It is not clear whether Wheat was exclusive to that retailer, but it is possible, as it seems that other stores did not advertise it.  Wheat was available in 1969 & 1970, but exact starting and ending dates are not known.

‡ - Official pattern name not known.  Both decorations are light avocado green.  The wheat/floral design features five wheat stalks and two daisies.  The morning glory design has nine star-shaped blossoms on a vine.

‡‡ - Marked on bottom: "Made exclusively for J.C. Penney by Corning", also with JCP-43B instead of P-43-B.  It is a dark avocado green design.  This pattern was available in 1971, but exact starting and ending dates are not known.


Related Articles:

What about the French phrases on Spice O' Life?
Corning Ware Profile: Autumn Meadow
Corelle Profile: Wildflower
Corelle Profile: Strawberry Sunday
Corelle Profile: Spice O' Life
Corelle Profile: Pastel Bouquet, Shadow Iris
Corelle Profile: Peach Floral, Country Cornflower 
Corelle Profile: Blue Cornflower
Country Festival Brochure
Compare Floral Bouquet Variations
1963 Corning Ware Advertisement
1968 Corning Ware Advertisement
Corning Ware Grab-Its, Sidekicks, etc.