How to reference and/or what was purpose?

[DiggingDaily]

Hello everyone. I have attempted to locate information on most of the items pictured here (except for the Sinclair Mfg. and tiny Zonite bottles which are new finds).

Any information on these or even suggest search criteria would be greatly appreciated (I.e. “skyscraper step pattern”, learned that last night!)

Thanks!

 

[CanadianBottles]

On the left is a jam jar (I think) which was intended to be reused as a drinking glass once it was finished. The others are unmarked mid-century food jars, not too much to go off of there without embossing. The one second from the left was likely mustard, barrel shapes were popular for that. Second from right could have been a lot of things I think. I've seen coffee packed in similar shaped jars but that one looks a bit small. I don't know about the one on the right - maybe something like capers?

 

[DiggingDaily]

Thanks for the feedback! I bet you’re mostly correct, if not,
100%.

I just wanted a general idea for now and didn’t want anyone to burn any of their
Saturday on it. Exactly what I was searching for!

 

[DeepSeaDan]

On the left is a jam jar (I think) which was intended to be reused as a drinking glass once it was finished. The others are unmarked mid-century food jars, not too much to go off of there without embossing. The one second from the left was likely mustard, barrel shapes were popular for that. Second from right could have been a lot of things I think. I've seen coffee packed in similar shaped jars but that one looks a bit small. I don't know about the one on the right - maybe something like capers?

I remember those jam jar / drinking glasses - does that make me vintage or antique?? lol

 

[Sitcoms]

I think @CanadianBottles is pretty much spot on here. Once you get into mid-century jars/bottles/etc. it gets pretty difficult to ascertain exactly what they were used for - almost all used paper labels and no embossing because it was cheaper. The front left is almost certainly those jam/drinking glasses, and I agree that mustards usually used small barrel/circular jars. I think the one farthest to the left in the rear was likely also a condiment or spread, just looks like the right shape to me.

The Sinclair bottle was likely either a car-related detergent or an oil - Sinclair used to have a ton of gas stations (their logo is green with a long-necked dinosaur), and this was likely sold similarly to how windshield washer fluid/etc is sold in gas stations today.

You mention a Zonite bottle, though I'm not sure which one it is. Zonite was a medical/personal hygiene company based in the Chrysler Building in NYC, and operated under that name from 1922 (when it was founded) until November 1955, when the company became the Chemway Corporation (I'm not sure if this is the same one still in business in NY today). (This is all from Wikipedia, so take it with a grain of salt)

The others - your guess is as good as mine as to what they actually held!

 

[DavidW]

The jar on the lower right in front row is a Horseradish jar. Here's one of a similar shape with original label: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/unopened-1950s-kraft-horseradish-2852758279

 

[DavidW]

The 3rd jar (from left) in Front row looks like a type of honey jar. There are modern brands of honey that are packaged in plastic and glass jars that bear a vague resemblance even today.

 

[DavidW]

Yes, the glass on the lower left in front row was most likely originally sold as a jelly glass OR it might have been a generic "packer glass" to contain some kind of food product, sold retail. Many of those "tumblers" were made in the 1900-1940s period, and even today some cheaper simple types of glass "tumblers" are made to contain soft cheese, such as:

https://www.meijer.com/shopping/product/kraft-old-english-sharp-cheese-spread--5-oz-jar/2100061250.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwy9-kBhCHARIsAHpBjHhtAxFdpN_KaMKQRrC1HyBteGBbvhdlNsqrqaU4282DuM88e66r5CAaAqkIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Lots of them were used and then saved by the householder to use for canning jellies and jams. Others were pitched in the trash so they are fairly common in old dump sites. Many are plain, others are decorated with rows of small "notches" right below the rim. Some have 2, 3 or even 4 rows of notches.

Capstan Glass Company was one of the biggest producers of such glasses. The bottom has the mark of Capstan that looks something like a Pawn chess piece. Hazel Atlas also made lots of them, with the "H over A" mark.
Some variations have a "Horseshoe" or a horseshoe and star embossed on the bottom.

Some of them were also used as "catch cups" with a brand of coffee grinder. Scroll down on this page and look under "CATCH CUPS". http://www.oldcoffeegrinders.com/replacement-parts.htm

 

[Hezezilla]

I know with certainty that those stepped skyscraper jars (one of which I found mint on the surface last year) held anything from honey to mayonnaise. I'm from Hawaii and locally they were also used to hold macadamia nuts and coffee. For mid century slicks like that, it'd be best to look at the glass manufacturer's catalogs. Owens-Illinois GC is a good start.