The beginning and the postscript. The earliest 402 didn't even have the number on the backstamp. 42 years later, in 1987, and a year after the last opalware 402 was discontinued, the 400 series shapes were produced in clear glass and supplied with plastic covers as part of the Storage Plus Storage System. The 7401, 7402, and 7403 were catalogued as 3, 6, and 10 cup "all purpose bowls", which translates to 1-1/2 pt, 1-1/2 qt, and 2-1/2 qt. They were also sold as a #7252 set of three. They may have been 740x in the catalogs, but were still 40x on the bowls for some period of time. The 7 on the backstamps often appears "tacked on", slightly askew and outside the perimeter of the rest of the markings. The traditional 400 series shape disappears after the 1989 catalog. Sculptured versions first appear in 1992 catalogs, joining several other standard shapes given the "sculptured" treatment. There was no 7404, but there is a sculptured 7404-S.
My favorite vintage Pyrex site!
Have been searching for months, to no avail, on the topic of opaque/"opal"/all-white Cinderella bowls--fact or fiction? Wondering if you could/would do a little blurb (or maybe you already have?) regarding this? Or maybe just share with me whether or not these are an actual Pyrex release, or just dishwasher-damaged-turned-all-white finds?
Thanks a bunch!
There were no plain opal Cinderella pieces (440 or 470 series) offered as regular production items.
See: http://www.pyrexcollector.com/plainopal.php
I've noticed that some pyrex, like your red bowl, seem to have a more rounded bottom than others, which seem more pointed. Was this a production year difference? Thank you.
400 series round bowls made before 1950 have a deeper foot and rims feel slightly thicker.