Pyrex Profile - Homestead (1976)

The newest design in 1976, Homestead is evocative of traditional colonial earthenware with its blue folk art motif on a speckled beige finish.  Although it is not literally a Corelle pattern, it was promoted at its launch as the ideal complement to Old Town Blue (1972).  As in, "The Homestead Collection…Blends Beautifully with Old Town Blue."  Although it was pictured frequently alongside Old Town Blue in the catalogues, the match was not entirely official perhaps, as the original packaging did not bear the Compatibles brand name.  Homestead was last available in 1980.  It was designed by artist Estelle Rothstein.

Blue on speckled beige is the original colour scheme of Homestead, but there is a second version with a Brown design on a solid beige background.  Original packaging reveals that this version also was named Homestead.  Only selected pieces were available in Brown and in particular, a single 475 Cinderella casserole was offered in a Bake 'N' Carry set which included a quilted cosy.  An exact introduction date for Brown Homestead is not known, but the Bake 'N' Carry box bears a copyright date of 1984.

401s & 402s: Blue & Brown Homestead mixed together.  The background colours are slightly different, even disregarding the speckled finish. 

Differing from many Pyrex patterns, Homestead does not have an alternating colour scheme.  For the Blue version, 470/480 casseroles and oval casseroles initially came with speckled beige opal lids.  During this time the smallest 471 casserole had no pattern at all.  Beginning in 1978, all casseroles were equipped with plain clear lids and the new 471 now had a blue design.  In Brown, 480-series casseroles and refrigerator dishes came with clear dark brown amber lids. 

On the subject of notable absences, there were no divided dishes or baking pan sets made for Homestead, but on the plus side there are 1410 mugs.  These mugs also have an all-over speckled finish and a blue design.

Also in Blue, each of the bowls of the 400 series were available for individual sale as well as in sets of three and four, from approximately 1977 to 1979.  Similarly, beginning in the late 1970s until 1980, the 474 and 475 casseroles were sold individually with item numbers 484 and 485 respectively on the boxes.  A 6-Piece Country Kitchen Set was available sometime between 1978 and 1980.  This grouping consists of pieces gathered from three different sets: 503 refrigerator dish & lid, 475 casserole & lid, and 402 & 403 round nesting bowls.

Blue Homestead 441; Brown Homestead 474 (lid not shown).

-Blue Version-

Tabletop Ware:
1410 Mug

Nesting Bowls:

Sets:
300 Series Round – 401- 403
400 Series Round – 401- 404
440 Series Cinderella – 441 - 444

Singles:
Round 401, 402, 403 or 404

Ovenware:

4 Quart Round Casserole – 664 (clear lid)

Round Cinderella Casseroles (470 Set) – 471 (no pattern before 1978), 472, 473 (all with speckled opal lids, clear lids from 1978 onward)

Round Cinderella Casseroles (480 Set) – 473 - 475 (all with speckled opal lids, clear lids from 1978 onward)

Round Cinderella Casserole (484 or 485 set) - 474 or 475

Oval Casseroles - 943/043, 945/045 (all with speckled opal lids, clear lids from 1978 onward)

Refrigerator Dishes – 501 (no pattern), 502, 503 (all with clear lids)

6-Piece Country Kitchen Set - 503 & 475 (with clear lids), plus 402 & 403

Libbey Glassware:  It is not known for certain if this glassware is an official licensed product, but the design looks authentic enough.  The pattern is blue with a beige speckled background.  The shape is the familiar Corelle Coordinates style with a 'single bulge' near the bottom.

-Brown Version-

In terms of the specific design, the Brown one varies from the Blue only slightly, but there are two noticeable differences.  The 401 & 441 in Brown have 'less pattern' than those same pieces in Blue.  For larger pieces, the difference can amount to only a few brushstrokes missing from the Brown version.  Overall the Brown design is on a smaller scale than the Blue one.

It is difficult to get a total picture of what was made in Brown, but the items listed here definitely exist.  It is undetermined whether a 404 was available.  As for 471 & 472 casseroles, no examples have been seen, so there are doubts over whether a 470 set was made.

The 480 3-piece set and the Bake 'N' Carry 475 were certainly available as boxed sets.  The quilted cosy for the Bake 'N' Carry does not have a Homestead pattern on it.  It appears to be a waffle-weave or check design in brown and beige tones with a solid brown interior, quilted in a zig-zag design.

Nesting Bowls:

Round – 401, 402, 403, …
440 Series Cinderella – 441 - 444

Ovenware:

Round Cinderella Casseroles (480 Set) - 473 - 475 (with amber lids)

Round Cinderella Casserole (485 Set) - 475 - Bake 'N' Carry (with amber lid and cosy)

Refrigerator Dishes – 501 (no pattern), 502, 503 (all with amber lids)

Related Articles: 

1976 Catalogue The Homestead Collection 
Who designed the patterns?
Tinted Clear Pyrex, Fireside etc.
Why name Pyrex mixing bowls after Cinderella?