The History of Pyrex

In 1908, Corning Glass Works (located in Corning, New York) developed a borosilicate glass that didn’t break when exposed to extreme temperatures. They called the glass Nonex and used it to make battery jars and railroad lanterns. But because the glass was extremely durable, these items no longer needed frequent replacing, and the company began to search for other ways to use the material. In 1913, Bessie Littleton, the wife of Corning scientist Jesse Littleton, asked her husband to bring home a Nonex battery jar. Frustrated after an earthenware baking dish cracked in her oven, she wanted to try baking in the borosilicate glass jar. She experimented and found that not only did the glass hold up to her hot oven, but the sponge cake she baked in it was perfect. Her successful kitchen experiment encouraged Corning to start a cookware line. In 1915, Corning Glass Works launched a 12-piece line of glass cookware that included pie plates and a loaf pan. The name Pyrex was chosen because it combined the words “pie” and “Nonex.” By 1919, a staggering 4 million pieces of Pyrex cookware had been sold. Ten years after the brand debuted, the famous Pyrex glass measuring cup was launched. Early versions retailed for .50 cents and featured a closed, D-shaped handle with tick marks made out of molded glass. In the 1940s, the iconic red measurement marks were added. In the 1950s, Pyrex changed its glassware formula and began to include tempered soda lime glass. (Today, some Pyrex lines are being switched back to borosilicate glass.) In 1983, the iconic liquid measuring cup was redesigned with an open handle to allow for stacking. Today, over 80% of U.S. homes own at least one piece of Pyrex cookware and collectors even pay large amounts of money for vintage pieces.