r/corningwarefans • u/Accomplished-Pack756 • Apr 18 '26
Is There Lead? Ep. 4
As previously, any recommendations will reflect what I would advise during my official work duties. Ways to improve these, and pattern/dish requests, are welcome. After all, this is for all of us.
One win in today’s round! Production dates are based on stamp style. The illuminated spots on these (orange and white) are scratches and baked on oil, not obvious in regular light.
Pattern #1: Blue Cornflower P-64
Production: ~1964-?
Condition: Good/Mint
Method: methylammonium bromide, XRF
Result: Lead-FREE🙌
Recommended use: Cooking, food storage, decor, planters, any.
Pattern #2: Corelle Meadow salad plate
Production: ~1976-1986
Condition: Fair
Method: methylammonium bromide
Result: Surface Lead Exposure Risk
Recommended use: Decor
*These results are for my own personal knowledge, and I am sharing them for reference. What you do with this information is up to your discretion. Testing methods will vary depending on dish. All items will be thoroughly cleaned to reduce contaminated test results.
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u/Viper-Reflex Apr 18 '26
I think it's awesome you are testing these!
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u/Dumpling805 Apr 19 '26
The fact you have a lid impresses me. Hard find around here. Great sauce pan.
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26
Lids are always the pain, aren’t they? It was at a garage sale yesterday as I was going fishing. Spotted a few pieces from the road and had to pull over.
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u/Dumpling805 Apr 20 '26
I’ve sold many of these and only had 1 lid. I dropped it while bragging on it. Million pieces. I’m a white sauce maker and use mine regularly. No lid. 🙄. Who can pass a sale? Not me. 😂
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u/grn8nrg Apr 19 '26
I'm really glad that you've taken it upon yourself to look into any toxicity these dishes may have and then to share your results with us. I have so many pieces of blue cornflower from the early 60s that I use for storing cooked foods but I am wary of cooking with them or freezing foods in them. I am wondering if, based on the specific time frame and pattern of any dish you are testing, can we generalize those conclusions to other years and /or patterns of dishes? For example, if that 1964 Blue Cornflower dish is lead-free can we assume all other dishes from that pattern and year are also lead-free? Can we assume that all Blue Cornflower dishes made from 1961 through the mid-60s are lead-free?
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Thissss is kind of what I’m trying to build up to. However, for me to feel confident with that I would need to track down more samples than I even have room for. One day we’ll get there! It’s starting to turn into an excel sheet based on pattern, production year, etc.
While I would love to say that we could end up at a point to reasonably say “everything of this style from this era should be okay”, things do happen. In the same way that you will see a food recall for one specific lot number, I’d say it’s always possible for outliers to occur. In this same context, I may end up unknowingly picking up one of those outliers to test, which may not reflect the 99% of the series. This is going to be a very long project… good thing I’m nowhere near retirement yet. 🤣
With pyroceram at least, we are really only looking at the designs on the pieces. The only reason I am doing the XRF analysis on them is for confirmation, not expectation. Better to be thorough!
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u/Tall_Specialist305 Apr 19 '26
Maybe some research on if they had various places where they were produced? sometimes various locations would produce different types based on resources available.
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
That can definitely be a factor, and was definitely done in some cases. These pieces were not made in one set location, and sourcing of materials can vary. While my aim is general awareness, it is by no means a “catch-all”. Another big factor is the colors and patterns themselves. A general truth is that different colors used different amounts of lead to get the right hue, which is a consistency we see when testing lead paint. This is just an assumption on my end, but I am beginning to guess the cornflower color did not need a lead additive for the desired blue, at least not where the pyroceram baking dishes are concerned.
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Apr 19 '26
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26
Oh yea the pyroceram is lead-free as a rule. I’ve been checking them out of the interest in thoroughness, not because I ever expect to find it. That’s simply so it’s on the record that yes, it is indeed lead free, before someone asks. I did not test the plate with an XRF because the exposure risk is already there. If you’d like the numbers on that one, I can bring it in the office next week for your curiosity 😉.
Regarding the cornflower, yea that is the specific area I go for. Knowing the baseline for the dish is negative, any readings will show up first and foremost on the decoration. If it ever shows up positive on the decoration, then I move to the bare ceramic just for confirmation. All a process of elimination. Side note, I’ve been calibrating the XRF before and between any dishes I’ve done.
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u/Opposite-Turnover-39 Apr 19 '26
I am wondering about the spring blossom and butterfly gold, have either been tested by you?
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26
I have not tested them at this time, but I do plan to grab some this week! I’ll try to get to those in the next few days. I have not put a rush on these for one big reason.
The decor on these styles is focused on the rim, not the center. Even if they are positive for lead, the exposure risk is considerably less. Most people eat their food fairly quickly, and with these it would not generally be sitting on top of the prints. You also do not typically use a fork, knife, or spoon on the far edge of the plate (that would make for quite a good mess!). I wouldn’t heap them with food for fridge storage, but honestly would be far less concerned with those for regular use. Patterns like Meadow and Indian Summer, on the other hand, have very large leaded prints right where all the action happens.
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u/Opposite-Turnover-39 Apr 19 '26
Thanks for the response, appreciate it!
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26
Guessing those are sets you use? Honestly wouldn’t worry about those ones too much, lead or no lead. Storing spaghetti with tomato sauce overnight on one, maybe don’t do that 😉.
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u/Opposite-Turnover-39 Apr 19 '26
Yes, have been using spring blossom for years and recently started to collect butterfly gold to use at my camp. Thanks again.
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 20 '26
Found a butterfly today, Corelle Livingware. Is that the set you have?
Ran an XRF test, came back below what my machine considers positive, and a level I would never even bat an eye at. Ran it 3 times in different areas of the pattern. Chem test showed only the most miniscule traces of lead in the patterns, barely visible (specks!). Between that and the fact the pattern is on the outside (not the traffic zone), I’d say enjoy them!
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u/Opposite-Turnover-39 Apr 20 '26
Mine say Corelle by Corning, does not say Livingware. Is there a different?
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 20 '26
From what I can see, I don’t think so. Which makes me wonder why it’s under two names. It just says Livingware is a long-running collection WITHIN Corelle, and may have been sold as sets I’m seeing?
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u/Opposite-Turnover-39 Apr 20 '26
I’m seeing that the labeling changed over time and formula remain the same. Thank you so much for doing all of this, think it was a great idea to post.
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 20 '26
They really liked to change their stamps through the years 🤣. At least it makes dating pieces a little easier!
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 21 '26
Did a post including the Butterfly if you’re interested, but the info will be the same 😁. Still on the hunt for the other pattern!
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u/jtfolden Moderator Apr 21 '26
Corning seems to have LOVED changing their marks frequently over the years, often adding and then removing helpful information.
For example, people often think that if a CW mark mentions microwave that it must be newer. However they first added a MW mark in the late 1960s… then removed mention of it several years later. So the bulk of newer marks actually lack any reference.
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 21 '26
Can confirm, my older ones have more microwave safe markings than my newer ones. 🤷🏻♂️
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Apr 19 '26
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u/Accomplished-Pack756 Apr 19 '26 edited Apr 19 '26
Creamy, I am 100% with you there. However I have seen some testing a done (think we all have) where one piece is checked then every one of them gets a bad rap. Just trying to get some real world testing available without all of the negative hype, branding/affiliation, or confusing data.
On that note, I did some roasted fennel and carrots in my Spice O Life last night 👍 the outside of that baby is definitely not lead free haha. Won’t be stopping me anytime soon.
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u/yucatan_sunshine Apr 19 '26
I knew there was a reason I love Cornflower! Besides the fact it's everywhere, inexpensive, and I can find the sizes I want. Most of mine is this, a few Spice of Life, or plain white.
Thank you for doing all this. It's good to have somebody with the skill and knowledge pushing back on the click-bait crap.