Ball Fruit Jars

Table Of Content

• s Ball Ideal Ball Pat'd July 14 1908 Clear Quart Fruit Canning jar Wedding Shower display centerpiece No 2
• Lightning Fruit Jar lid
• Vintage 1/2 Pint Ball Fruit Jar With Kraft Mustard Lid With Antique Marbles
• Number “13” Jars
• Vintage Clear Pint Mason Jar... Fruit Design on the front.. Measurements on the side,,Made in the USA
• Glass-Related Articles
• SUNROOM DECORATOR BOTTLE-Half Gallon Ball Lightning Seal Fruit Jar-Glass Lid-1910s

The bubbly appearance of the glass is reminiscent of some glass decor items that have been imported to the US from such countries as Mexico, Spain and China. No one seems to know where these repro half-pints were made, but it is assumed they were made outside the US, possibly in China or India. Usually, the automatic jar-making machine had eight or ten mold cavities or “positions” for the molds. A set of molds included numbers above “10” as the higher-numbered molds were typically used as replacements on the machine. Most of the earlier versions were round (cylindrical) in shape, and some of the later types are square (with rounded corners) in design. Some variants have vertical raised lines (“ribs” or “grips”) along the sides,  added to assist in handling the jars while they are wet.

s Ball Ideal Ball Pat'd July 14 1908 Clear Quart Fruit Canning jar Wedding Shower display centerpiece No 2

But remember, this mold number doesn’t indicate the manufacturing date or year. Standard jars are the early 1910s jars with a fanned-out mouth edge and the old wax-seal closure. Similar to Ideal Jars, Eclipse jars also have a glass lid with a round rubber gasket and metal bail. The word “ECLIPSE,” often with “WIDE MOUTH,” is embossed on the jar. Ball Lightning Jars or Ideal Jars have an airtight seal with a glass lid and wire bail clamp.

Lightning Fruit Jar lid

Along with the logo, you can sometimes use the color, size, and other distinguishing marks to help date a mason jar. Kerr manufactured a line of jelly glasses over many years, including small glasses (packer jars) that look like drinking glasses, and others that are shaped more like low, rounded custard or dessert bowls. On some of the earlier ones (not sure about the timeline) a so-called “Angel over crown” logo was marked on the bottom. Later variants of those types of jars may bear only a mold number, or the brand name “Kerr” in cursive lettering along with a mold number. Some dedicated and experienced antique jar collectors will say they think the number 13 jars are just as common as jars as those with other numbers. There is a definitely noticeable difference in the numbers of #13-marked jars compared to the other numbers — they ARE somewhat less common.

Vintage 1/2 Pint Ball Fruit Jar With Kraft Mustard Lid With Antique Marbles

Many different jar molds (thousands) were used over the many years’ time these jars were being produced. Check to see if your jar has the early BBGMC logo, block letters, or the script Ball logo to get a general idea about the age. Pay attention to how the letters connect and if there is an underscore. Look for other identifying words like “improved” or “perfect” to narrow down the year, or use the jar’s color to date it. Kerr Mason Jars are an entirely different brand of jars than Ball Mason Jars, both of which are sold by Newell Brands. This company acquired Ball Corporation’s subsidiary, Alltrista, after it became a new company, Jarden, in 2002.

Sandy Erdman: Canning jars have kept mostly modest collectible value - Rochester Post Bulletin

Sandy Erdman: Canning jars have kept mostly modest collectible value.

Posted: Sat, 07 Sep 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Also, see the entries on some other fruit jars such as the Wax Sealer style jars,  and Patent November 30th 1858 jars,  and the page on Hazel-Atlas Glass Company. Canning jars are like lucky charms for collectors, but only if they’re rare and old and hold some worth. I hope this guide answers all your questions regarding Ball Mason Jar values, age, and identification marks. Similarly, the patent dates “1908” and “1858” (Mason’s patent date) embossed on many Ball jars do not indicate their manufacturing years.

Vintage Clear Pint Mason Jar... Fruit Design on the front.. Measurements on the side,,Made in the USA

Preserved through Time: Canning Jars Pickin' & Pokin' sentinelsource.com - The Keene Sentinel

Preserved through Time: Canning Jars Pickin' & Pokin' sentinelsource.com.

Posted: Thu, 25 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

For more detailed information on Kerr’s Millville, New Jersey glass factory location, (where most of the KERR glass electrical insulators were made), please see my article on Whitall Tatum Company. Shipping policies vary, but many of our sellers offer free shipping when you purchase from them. Typically, orders of $35 USD or more (within the same shop) qualify for free standard shipping from participating Etsy sellers. Although a few square Ball jars from the late 1910s can also be found, the late 1880s and early 1900s jars were primarily round (cylindrical) in shape. Manufactured only briefly from the early 1900s to the 1910s, the Special Jars have a screw-thread shoulder seal. Ball Brothers Company began making Mason Patent Jars when John L Mason’s patent expired.

You can identify this early 1900s jar with the “BALL MASON’S PATENT NOV 38TH 1858” embossment. If you notice some extra evenly scattered tiny bubbles (not unique & isolated) throughout the jar, it’s likely a reproduction or fake. 4) The “BALL PERFECT MASON” lettering is somewhat weaker and more “sloppy” or “smeared” in presentation, especially noticeable when comparing the new and old side-by-side.

Do you have a collection of vintage Ball Mason jars in your kitchen or store room? Well, it’s time you brought them out because, according to recent research, they can be worth as much as a few hundred dollars. It seems evident that many of these jars are now saved by non-collectors or casual glass collectors (and “culled” from large groups of common jars) merely because of the number on the base. This culling out of #13 jars from among the “general population” of jars (and stashing them away) has certainly increased the perception of their scarcity. Also, it seems evident that the mold numbers 12 through 15 are ALL somewhat scarcer than mold numbers 0 through 11. This is presumably because fewer molds were produced with the mold numbers 12 through 15 — thus fewer total jars made.

Also, there were a number of variations in the way the Ball name logo was written, those changes occurring several times over the space of several decades. When John Mason’s Mason jar patent was about to retire, Ball Brothers Manufacturing Company started making mason jars in 1884, continuing until 1993. During this time, BBMC first became Ball Brothers Company and later Ball Corporation. However, identifying and finding the price of old Ball mason jars can be tricky without knowing much about their logo markings, age, designs, and closures. Not to mention their appeal as a collector’s item which is virtually guaranteed because of the great popularity of the older jars .

The Kerr company is best known for being producers of several kinds of fruit jars used for home canning. CO” embossed on the bottom, and in general those jars probably date mostly from about 1904 to circa 1920. Ball mason jars are a type of home canning jar made by the Ball Corporation. The company started making mason jars back in 1880, and many people today still use these for canning, or collect the jars as a hobby. There are many ways to date old Ball mason jars, and one of the easiest is to look at the logo.

Find the canning supplies you need to store fruits and vegetables in after the harvest. We offer canning jar lids that can be purchased to replace old or used canning lids. In order to conserve excess or premade food, canning jars are the most suitable option to store food.