Dates determined from print advertisements and catalogues, from 1945 to the 1980s.  Jump to:  1950s ... 1960s ... 1970s ... 1980s

1940s

Multi-colour bowls (1945)
This set is the first consumer product to be made from opal Pyrex.  At some point before 1949, the 404 became available for individual purchase in yellow, plus a new colour, red.  The shape of 400-series bowls would change sometime within the first five years.  Older bowls have a highly-arching well-defined foot, while the bottoms of newer ones are much more flat, and once this new shape was established it would remain practically unchanged for four decades. 

Red 402s and 404s of earlier manufacture are a lighter orange-red colour, this would evolve to a darker true red shade.  The other three colours also varied a bit over the lifespan of this set.  Multi-colour bowls in blue, red, green and yellow and the single red 404 were made until about 1967.

Red 404s:  The foot of the older bowl is more pronounced.  A flat bottom is the more typical shape for 400-series bowls.  The colour difference is evident here too.

Multi-colour refrigerator set (1948)
Although it was emphasized that these dishes were suitable for absolutely any purpose, the 502 was ideally designed to hold one pound of butter and to be held easily in an average woman's hand.  This red, blue and yellow set remained in production into the 1960s.

Hostess sets: Red, Yellow (1949)
Hostess bowls are characterized by their square circumference and round base.  The large Hostess set comprised one 2½ Qt serving bowl and four 12 oz ramekins.  The small set debuted in 1950, with one 1½ Qt serving bowl and four 7 oz ramekins, and this set generally included a lid.  All four sizes also were available individually, and the serving bowls could be purchased with or without lids.  With a lid, they were considered to be casseroles.  Hostess bowls disappeared in the early 1950s, but the shape was resurrected in 1959 for a chip & dip set.  (Photo: Red 407, 7 oz; Yellow 410, 12 oz; Yellow 015, 1½ Qt, with 515 lid; Red 025, 2½ Qt.)

1950s

Lime, Flamingo bakeware (1952)
These solid-coloured pieces include 080, 023 & 024 round-bottom casseroles, 212/213 loaf pans, 209 pie plates, 221 cake pans, 222 square pans, and 231 & 232 rectangular pans.  (A 212 loaf pan seems to be the same size and shape as a 213.)  These colour choices in bakeware were discontinued in the late 1950s.

Lime Loaf Pan, Flamingo Cake Pan.

Heinz Forest Green (1953)
This unique rectangular baking dish with a 1¾ Qt capacity was "designed exclusively for H.J. Heinz Co."  By purchasing three cans of Heinz products, the baking dish could be obtained for an additional 79¢ at participating grocery stores.  The colour was described as "soft forest green", and it seems to match the Heinz baked beans label.  The model number is 507.

Lime, Flamingo, Turquoise, Dove Grey dinnerware (1953)
Regency Green, Royal Burgundy dinnerware (1954)
In general, Lime, Flamingo, Turquoise and Dove Grey were sold as a 16 piece service for four, with more items available in open stock.  Gold trim was optional at a higher cost.  Eventually 16 piece starter sets would be offered for Regency Green and Royal Burgundy too, but usually these colours were assembled into 34 piece sets with six place settings plus four serving pieces.

Some packaging and advertisements refer to the latter two as Forest Green and Scarlet, and some catalogues also use the names Flamingo Red and Turquoise Blue for the earlier colours.  Flamingo, Dove Grey and Turquoise, without gold trim, remained in production into the early 1960s, while the other colours and trim options were discontinued earlier.

Pyrex Dinnerware: Flamingo soup/cereal bowl, Lime cup & saucer, Turquoise side plate, Dove Grey dinner plate.

Desert Dawn bakeware: Desert Pink, Desert Yellow (1955)
These solid-coloured pieces with a brown speckle effect include 024 round-bottom casseroles, 213 loaf pans, 209 pie plates, 221 cake pans, 222 square pans, and 231 & 232 rectangular pans.  These colour choices were available for about two years.

Pink bowls & bakeware (1956)
Turquoise bowls & bakeware (1956)
These solid-coloured pieces include 023 & 024 round-bottom casseroles, refrigerator dishes, 213 loaf pans, 209 pie plates, 221 cake pans, 222 square pans, and 231 & 232 rectangular pans, plus 300-series and 400-series bowl sets.  The 300 set and 024 casserole were available into the early 1960s.

Pale Yellow bakeware (1956)
These solid-coloured pieces include 023 & 024 round-bottom casseroles, 213 loaf pans, 209 pie plates, 221 cake pans, 222 square pans, and 231 & 232 rectangular pans.  The 024 casserole was available into the early 1960s.

045 casserole with 945 lid, White Snowflake on Turquoise.

Daisy: Pink (1956)
Snowflake: Charcoal, Turquoise, Opal/Turquoise (1956)
These four colour and pattern choices also represent the debut of oval 043 & 045 casseroles, dubbed Decorator Casseroles.  They are the first opal Pyrex pieces to feature a printed pattern.  Charcoal with White Snowflake was the first of this group to be discontinued, about 1960.      

Bright Yellow bowls (1957)
This shade of yellow is unique, and it was available only on 300-series and 400-series bowls.  The 300 set was available into the early 1960s. 

Space-Saver Casseroles (1957)
These rectangular casseroles were available in two sizes.  The 548 1¼ Qt is more shallow than the 575 2 Qt, and a 550 lid fits both of them.  In certain sets flat metal lids were provided for freezer storage, and they were meant to be sealed with freezer tape to be air-tight.  When Space-Savers debuted, they were decorated with Snowflake and Daisy patterns, matching the oval Decorator Casseroles.  They were made for a relatively short time, disappearing in the early 1960s.

548 Space Saver, White Snowflake on Charcoal

Family Flair dinnerware (1957) 
Four patterns and five colour choices were available when this coupe-shaped dinnerware was introduced.  The initial selection of patterns was: Field Flower, Pine Cone, Chinese Grass, and Quince which was available in Pink or Yellow.  Within one year Field Flower and Pine Cone were dropped and the remaining patterns were re-named.  Quince became Pink Petal & Yellow Petal, and Chinese Grass became Sea Isle.  (Photo: Sea Isle saucer, Yellow Petal sugar bowl lid.)

Dinner plates, side plates, saucers and oval platters are patterned, and cups, soup/cereal bowls and oval serving bowls are solid coloured.  Creamers and sugar bowls are also solid-coloured, but sugar bowl lids are patterned.  It was sold in 20 piece sets comprising four place settings.  The product line was available for two or three years.

Butterprint: Turquoise (1957)
Gooseberry: Pink, Yellow/Black (1957)
These three colour and pattern choices also represent the debut of 440-series Cinderella bowls.  Turquoise Butterprint and Pink Gooseberry remained in production until the mid to late 1960s.  Two special colour schemes for Butterprint also exist; a 440 set was decorated with an orange pattern, and a 470 set was decorated in pink.

Divided Serving Dish, Oval Open Baker (1958)
They are basically the same, but one is divided and one is not.  In general, no lid was provided for the Oval Open Baker, and a divided lid was included with the Divided Serving Dish.  When they debuted, they were decorated with Snowflake and Daisy patterns, matching the oval Decorator Casseroles and Space-Saver Casseroles.  The model number for the divided dish is 063, and 053 signifies the non-divided dish, but often they are not marked with a number at all.

Cinderella Casseroles (1958)
The small 470 set came first, consisting of a 471, 472 & 473.  The larger sizes, 474 & 475, did not appear until 1961.  Along with a 473, the latter two sizes complete the 480 set.  Most, but not all Cinderella bowl patterns also can be found on Cinderella casseroles.  Most notably, Yellow & Black Gooseberry was not available on casseroles.

1960s

Gold Acorn (1960)
This pattern follows the Daisy and Snowflake patterns, appearing on oval 043 & 045 casseroles, Space-Savers, divided dishes and non-divided dishes.

Sandalwood (1961)
This is the fourth pattern to appear on Cinderella bowls.  In 1962 it became available on 470 Cinderella casseroles, but there is no 480 set.  The name Sandalwood is a description of the colour rather than the pattern.  It was available up to the mid 1960s.

Early American (1962)
Available until 1971, this pattern encompassed a wider range of styles, with Cinderella shapes alongside ovals for the first time.  Sets usually alternate between gold leaf on brown and brown on plain opal.  Divided dishes were made both ways, while the 503's decoration is white on brown instead.  A chip & dip set included a 441 & 444, and both are gold on brown.  A coffee set was introduced in 1965 with a 12 cup Pyrex carafe and six 1410 mugs.  Although the eagle's pose is quite different on these items, this set was promoted as Early American.  See Early American in 1970 Catalogue.

Golden Honeysuckle 033 1½ Qt shallow with 935 lid.

Golden Honeysuckle (1963)
An unusual new curved rectangular casserole style debuted with this pattern.  Solid walnut serving trays in two sizes were designed to fit under all four casserole sizes.  These are: 033 1½ Qt shallow, 035 2½ Qt deep, 055 2½ Qt shallow, 058 4 Qt deep.  A 935 lid fits 033 & 035, and a 958 lid fits 055 & 058.  The casseroles were still available in 1964, but otherwise this shape seems to be short-lived.  In green, this pattern first appeared in 1960 on a promotional 043 called the Floral Casserole.

Town & Country (1963)
This pattern has two versions of nearly every piece.  The oldest sets are dominated by solid colours, while newer sets are white with a pattern.  It was introduced with a solid-coloured refrigerator set and 300-series set, plus a 440 set comprised of three solid-coloured bowls and a white 444 with an orange & brown pattern.  These shapes and sizes also can be found with alternating orange or brown patterns on white.  (Photo: 471 casserole)

The original 470 set and 480 set have the same progression of background colours: orange, yellow and white.  This means that there are two distinct 473 casseroles; the white one belongs to the 470 set and the orange one belongs to the 480 set.  A second version of the 470/480 sets alternates between orange decoration and brown decoration on white. 

Divided dishes and oval casseroles can be found with a brown pattern or an orange & brown pattern.  A Pyrex coffee carafe is decorated in gold leaf.  Town & Country was discontinued about 1968.

300-series bowl set, Town & Country, solid-coloured.

Terra (1964)
It is different from most Pyrex patterns, with a textured exterior designed to mimic rustic earthenware.  The range of items was limited, and there are gaps in the sizes available.  Round nesting bowls include 401, 403, 404, and Cinderella casseroles include 471, 472, 474, 475.  Dinnerware includes 9" plates, 10 oz bowls, 12 oz mugs and a 12" serving plate.  The unusual mugs have no handles because the decoration is achieved by rotating the item, and a handle would interfere in the process.  This pattern was produced for about two years.

Rainbow Stripe bowls: Pink, Sandalwood, Blue, Yellow (1965)
Three sizes of round nesting bowls decorated with smart stripes were available for individual purchase as well as in a 300-series set.  The boxed set included: Pink 401, Sandalwood 402, Blue 403.  With the addition of Yellow, four colours were available in three sizes in open stock, allowing for 64 potential colour combinations in a set, choosing one of each size.  These bowls were available up to 1968 or 1969.  (Photo: Blue 403.)

Hearth Group: Brittany Blue, Federal Eagle (1967)
Unique shapes were introduced with the Hearth Group product line, encompassing mugs, mixing bowls, and round casseroles without handles.  The casseroles were available only in Brittany Blue, and their unusual lids also serve as a quiche or torte pan.  Sizes are: 483 1½ Qt with 484 lid, and 485 2½ Qt with 486 lid.  Mixing bowls were sold singly and came in two sizes: 478 1½ Qt and 479 3 Qt.  Mugs are numbered 489, and for both patterns they are decorated two ways: an all-over pattern, or solid-coloured with a band of decoration near the bottom.  The product line was made for about two years.  (Photo: Brittany Blue mug, all-over pattern.)

Verde (1967)
Most sets feature shades of solid green rather than a pattern, but the lids of oval casseroles and divided dishes have a leaf and berry design on opal.  Generally 470/480 casseroles came with plain clear lids, but patterned opal lids exist for these sizes too. 

The 470/480 sets have the same progression of three gradually darker colours, from pale yellow-green to avocado green.  This means that there are two distinct 473 casseroles; the darker one belongs to the 470 set and the yellow one belongs to the 480 set.  (Photo: 470 set, 480 set.)

This pattern was last available in 1972.  Another pattern associated with Verde is a green design of square blossoms.  400 & 440 series sets alternate patterned bowls with solid avocado green ones.  This square blossom design first appeared on golden brown 470/480 casseroles sometime between 1963 & 1965, it was named Autumn Floral.  Dates are unknown for the green version.  See Verde in 1970 Catalogue.

Daisy (1968)
Solid orange and solid yellow casseroles are combined with patterned lids, and those for oval casseroles and divided dishes are opal Pyrex.  943s & 945s in the usual colour schemes were fitted with baskets and offered as promotionals.  (Photo: Yellow 045 & orange 043.)

The lids for 470/480 casseroles are decorated also, and normally they are clear, but opal lids exist for these sizes as well.  Orange 442s & 444s are printed with a yellow pattern, but 441s & 443s are simply solid yellow.  The 500 set and 400-series bowls are decorated only with graduated solid colours.  This pattern was available until 1972 or 1973.  See Daisy in 1970 Catalogue.

New Multi-Colour bowls (1968)
This set includes: blue 401, orange 402, yellow 403, green 404, and each colour is quite different from the original multi-colour set.  Although the original set also included a blue 401, the new blue 401's colour is deeper and more vivid.  The 404 is the same dark green bowl that is found in the Verde set, and like the red and yellow 404s, it also was sold singly.  The yellow 403 of this set is the same colour as Daisy's 402.  The new multi-coloured set was last available in 1977.

Horizon Blue (1969)
Decorated opal lids are paired with oval casseroles and divided dishes, and solid blue nesting bowls alternate with patterned ones.  Horizon Blue looks quite different when it appears on lids, its motifs are bigger and bolder and are printed in two-tone blue.  (Photo: 045 oval & 470 set.) 

470/480 sets include solid blue 471s and 474s, while the rest are decorated with a pattern.  Plain clear lids came with these sets, but a single blue 474 was offered as a promotional with a unique decorated clear lid and a basket.  Horizon Blue was last available in 1972.  See Horizon Blue in 1970 Catalogue.

1970s

Friendship (1971)
Nesting bowl sets alternate patterned bowls with solid-coloured bowls in red and orange.  Lids for oval casseroles, divided dishes and 470/480 sets are always decorated and they can be either clear or opal Pyrex.  The 470/480 sets include an orange 471, red 472 & 474, and the rest are patterned.  (Photo: Refrigerator dishes, 400 bowl set)

A 475 with an opal lid was decorated specially as a promotional.  Both the lid and casserole are more densely decorated than usual, and features which identify this version are: four orange dots above the birds' heads on the casserole, and a continuous ring of red daisies around the lid.  Also included in this set was a 795 under-plate whose rim is decorated with a ring of red daisies.  Friendship was last available in 1974.  See Friendship in 1971 Catalogue.

Butterfly Gold, Spring Blossom Green, Snowflake Blue (1972)
               
Old Orchard (1974)
Items in this pattern are decorated a number of different ways.  400 & 440 bowl sets alternate patterned bowls with solid-coloured ones, but all bowls have brown shading around the top.  The 480 set also is decorated this way, but the 471 & 472 of the 470 set are solid-coloured without brown shading.  Oval casseroles, divided dishes and 664 casseroles do not have brown shading either.  The 500 set includes two different 501s: orange 501, brown 501, brown 502, and patterned 503 without brown shading.  (Photo: 470/480 casseroles, 043 & 045 oval casseroles)

The pattern was discontinued by early 1978 and for most of its lifespan, 470/480 casseroles, divided dishes and oval casseroles were equipped with solid brown lids made of opal Pyrex.  Oval casseroles would become available with plain clear lids, and this also could be true of 470/480 casseroles, but not divided dishes.

A 473 & 475 were decorated specially as promotionals named Harvest.  They came with a clear patterned lid and a plastic hugger cradle.  These pieces have no brown shading and their background colours are lighter than usual; the 475 is closer to yellow than orange.  See Old Orchard and Harvest in 1974 Brochure.  Dominion Glass made matching glasses for this pattern.

Homestead (1976)

Woodland (1978)

Autumn Harvest (1979)

1980s

Forest Fancies (1981)
By the early 1980s oval casseroles were discontinued and the popularity of refrigerator dishes was declining.  Items in this pattern include 400 & 440 series nesting bowls and 470/480 casserole sets.  A 473 & 474 were offered in a 460 set as well.  Plain clear lids were provided for all casseroles.  This pattern was made until 1986, the last full year of opal Pyrex production.  See Forest Fancies in 1981 Brochure.

Shenandoah (1982)

Colonial Mist (1983)

Sources:

Magazine Advertisements, Newspaper Archives, Catalogues.

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Pyrex Model Numbers 
1961 Pyrex Package Leaflet
Who designed the patterns?