In this article, collector Bruce Wayne Schank talks about collecting antique Ball jars fruit jars , and the history of the Ball jar. Based in Pompton Plains, NJ, Bruce can be reached via his website,. One of the most common ever produced is the lowly. Historical figures show that from between Sept 1, 1894 until Dec 31, 1961, 41,256,856 Gross jars were produced by the Ball Glass Mfg Co. A staggering number, what this suggests is that Ball jars should be a readily available commodity and very easy to find, making collecting Ball Jars a somewhat easier venture since more of these jars exist then probably any of the other manufacturers combined. Yet with all that glass out there to be found, it has become a colossal challenge to categorize, date and fully understand the minutia of variants produced by the Ball Glass Mfg Co. Plus, there is a sub-minutia of variances in the entire differing genre of Ball jars, to make matters even more convoluted. And believe me when I tell you, Ball jars are a quintessential part of American history and as much so as apple pie or ice cream. Imagine this: the Ball jar was at one time reviled by the vast majority of the collecting world as worthless and a complete waste of time, money, and energy. Yet a small group of collectors just happened to see the beauty, value, and future in collecting Ball jar, so much so that yes, amazingly, despite all the odds and over many years, Ball jars have now blossomed into one of the most highly sought after collectibles among jar hobbiests today. Perfect Mason ball jar Why is this so? Why the drastic change? Well, coming from a 30-year perspective in the hobby, I can say simply a few things; 1 there are many more collectors now than ever before vying for the few good jars known to exist or being discovered. On the other hand, as we have already previously established, Ball jars are a readily available commodity. Plus, the wonderful character of the glass, the beautiful breathtaking colors and hues, the varying closure types, the myriad embossing styles, and the re-worked and modified moulds make Ball jars a viable alternative to other much more expensive collectible jars. And yes, out of all those millions of jars produced, there are many one-of-a-kind Ball jars, rare as well as scarce, and worth considerable amounts of money. The passion that truly drives a Ball jar collector on is that around any corner is the possibility of a new discovery, a totally different and unknown variation, a possible piece of the puzzle solved, or a really crude masterpiece. Improved ball jar I truly consider myself a very fortunate and lucky person that I just happened to be one of those few collectors who recognized long ago the intrinsic value, beauty, and history of Ball jars when they were objects of disdain or simply overlooked by so many others. But, what I have truly gained over the years besides the wonderful jars in my collection is something far more intrinsically valuable, namely the many great people who befriended me, taught me, reasoned, bantered with me, traded with me, sold jars to me, and shared their lives. For that I am truly grateful. I can honestly say that collecting Ball jars has been one of the most satisfying adventures in my life and something I will never regret doing as long as I live. We had came across hundreds of canning jars. Well we had found several old QT aqua or light blue Ball jars. One found has black specks and bubbles all through out the glass. Could these possibly be Collector jars? I dont know whether to save or sell. I really dont want to part with them but I want to know the worth of them. I have searched on line and have not been successful. Also a few boxes with jar rubbers and lids. Mostly Ball, some Kerr, Atlas and a McDonald. Most are glass lids with wire fastners. Some are blue in color most are clear. Can someone help me locate gaskets I would also like to find the value these. Was this common for jars to have misspelled words and how can I find out how old they are? It has a thin seam down 2 sides and small circles and a 1 or a small line in the center of the bottom. Does anyone have an idea on the age or value and what is the best book to buy to determine value. That was the start of my collection. Will you be giving more details about your collection in future columns? Ben, from Collectors Weekly has been trying to help me find a picture of it somwhere in different areas, but so far no luck. I looked at TheBest Of Show Hall of Fame and only found one that at least is the same color. The lid is totally different though being wire. Is there any way I could contact jar collectors on GOOGLE or YAHOO, to see if anyone might have a clue. The local library is ordering a book for me which I hope may be of some help. Thanks for any comments or suggestions. I could sure use any information you may have. I know it is an older jar but I find it a little odd because it has rainbow colors in it. Was this jar made like this or has it been altered? If it was made like this does it make it a valuable jar? When I returned home and began cleaning it I noticed it had a picture of a black gentleman, mouth open wide, eating what I later found out to be an oyster. It has a glass lid held on by a metal band. I contacted the Biloxi Historical Society who referred me to the Maritime and Seafood Museum in Biloxi. I do know they changed the name in 1954 or 55 to Negro Head Brand. Can you help me? Thank you so much!! Or perhaps I can make one? I am in search of repair kits for the metal bails. Is there anyone out thers who knows where I can find these parts? The older looking of the two just says ball in old script then mason underneath. Is it old or fake or what exactly? Anyway is there anywhere I can get new wires like this to use the jars? The other side of the jar says Atlas e-z seal. Any info would be greatful. Anybody ever see this on a jar? Is this an error or rare? I found a mason jar this weekend and it had the number 18 on the bottom. I have never seen that before and I know they only mad 1-15. Does anyone know anything about this. It has a metal wire wrap around the neck with a handle on the top. Has a white screw-on lid. The jar is a large pear shaped pretty jar. One of which says samco super mason on it in raised lettering and the glass is clear in color. There were other canning jars …one has no manufacturer name on it but looks like a grid with a smooth place meant for a label. I beleave it was made in between 1910-1923? I bel eave my jar is a misprint. The d i Ideal isnt barely visable. My question is how much is my misprinted Ball jar worth also it has a 5 underscored on base. How old is it and worth of you know. The S in mason is ghosted along with the 8 in 1858, three L with a long tale with lots of bubbles and swirels in the glass. But the thing I find most odd is over the Patent in ghosted print is V11. Can you share any info and or value of this jar? V Says: I have a ball mason jar they only put the frist letter B on the jar its got everything else on the is it a misprint? Leave a Comment or Ask a Question If you want to identify an item, try posting it in. Your name required Your email will not be published required Your comment.
