Released in late-1959, Golden Hearts came on the 2 ½ quart Oval Casserole (045). Officially known as the Deluxe Cinderella Casserole, this casserole is unofficially known as “Golden Hearts” because one of the advertisements mentions a “Golden Heart motif.” With its design of alternating upside-down and right-side-up golden hearts on a light tan background it’s easy to see why the nickname Golden Hearts came about.

Retailing for $5.95 in 1959, Golden Hearts came with a serving cradle with double candle warmer and a clear lid.

Corning Glass Works offered its first patterned opalware gift set in 1953 when the Heinz Baking Dish was sold in grocery stores. Widespread distribution of promotional patterns occurred after the overwhelming success of the 1956 release of seasonal “decorator casseroles.” Using existing Pyrex shapes, gift sets featured new patterns offered for a limited production time. They often came with mounters, cradles, or candlewarmers and were advertised in the spring to appeal to Mother’s Day and summer wedding shoppers and in the fall to give the holiday gift-buyers something new. Corning continued to produce gift sets through 1983, creating nearly 135 different gift set patterns during that time. Corning intended these pieces to be sold for a limited time, and directed retailers to remove older, unsold promotions from the shelves.

Often, patterns used for these gift items were unnamed, or given names descriptive of the dish’s purpose, like “chip and dip set.” Collectors over the years have assigned names more reflective of the specific pattern.