phillip1923
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# 13 Ball Jar
- Thread starter phillip1923
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jarsnstuff
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Hi Philip, There's a couple of stories floating around about #13 Ball jars. One of them says housewives thought the #13 jars were bad luck and broke them, thus eliminating most of the #13 jars. Another similar story says the same thing about moonshiners. I firmly believe both of these stories are a figment of some flea market dealer's imagination, the sole purpose to boost sales. The average home canner was much too frugal to break any perfectly good mason jar, I've never met any home canner who ever heard of this practice -most of them aren't even aware there is a number on the bottom of the jar. Moonshiners put the stuff in any available container, I don't think they paid much attention to mold numbers either. So, obviously, in my book these jars are worth no more than the same buck or two that any other blue Ball jar is. On ebay however, you see them selling for $10 - $20, because someone out there really believes one or both of these stories. My advice is get it on ebay now - before everybody figures out it's all a bunch of hooey! -Tammy
whiskeyman
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TAMMY speaks true...It was about 10 years ago that I first heard the #13 Mooshiner variation story...I always believed like TAMMY...some "Dealer" cooked it up to sell jars. I know many collectors who have #13s stashed back...other who have sold several of same....including myself. If "Shiners' or house wives destroyed so many, how come so many are still "out there?"...LOL
I saw a 1/2 gallon sell for over $150 at a local auction. After the bidding ended, I approached the back up bidder and informed her where she could get one for $25....(still too much...heh)...She went & bought it so she was happy...
Recently a flea market dealer (who had a few jars & bottles) showed me a Ball Mason zinc lid within which the milk glass liner was noted to be a #13...He extolled upon me the rarity of such a lid and said collectors would pay big bucks to get one for their #13 jar...( I silently agreed)...[&:]
I saw a 1/2 gallon sell for over $150 at a local auction. After the bidding ended, I approached the back up bidder and informed her where she could get one for $25....(still too much...heh)...She went & bought it so she was happy...
Recently a flea market dealer (who had a few jars & bottles) showed me a Ball Mason zinc lid within which the milk glass liner was noted to be a #13...He extolled upon me the rarity of such a lid and said collectors would pay big bucks to get one for their #13 jar...( I silently agreed)...[&:]
GuntherHess
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I guess my collection of #666 masons isn't worth a fortune?
jarsnstuff
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Hey Gunther - Now that's a picture I'd like to see! -Tammy
whiskeyman
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ay...I just found out I have a clear Atlas E-Z Seal glass top/wire bail pint jar with the #13 on the bottom....any takers? [
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]jarsnstuff
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Hi Whiskeyman! You know, you raise a good point. Since Ball jars and Atlas jars were made during the same time frame, why isn't there any fuss at all over #13 Atlas jars? Why would housewives/moonshiners break all their Ball jars and use their Atlas jars? Just a few more holes to poke in that silly story .... -Tammy
whiskeyman
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Hello TAMMY...
I guess the originator of the story (that has now become an Urban Legend), had a #13 Ball Perfect Mason (or several) at the time. I wonder how many #13s we'd find on jars made by other companies ,were we to look? I just coincidentally had the Atlas, and had never paid any attention to it before...was dusting it off the other day and saw the 13....wotta stroke of luck,eh?[]
I guess the originator of the story (that has now become an Urban Legend), had a #13 Ball Perfect Mason (or several) at the time. I wonder how many #13s we'd find on jars made by other companies ,were we to look? I just coincidentally had the Atlas, and had never paid any attention to it before...was dusting it off the other day and saw the 13....wotta stroke of luck,eh?[
]glopf43
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Hey all, I just sold a couple of different #13s on eBay. 1) a 1qt Ball> I got about $7 & 2) a Lamb 1/2ga> I got $3. Both were clear and in pretty good shape. I did NOT say anything in my listing about the "wives tale" that they were rare. In fact I had not heard of such a thing when I listed the ball, I just mentioned the base #s as I do for all my listing's no matter what that # is. The myth may have helped them sell and that's OK too[sm=rolleyes.gif]...
whiskeyman
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GLOPF...a Lamb #13 ? Thanks....Well, we can catalog another Company #13 jar besides the aforementioned 2.
I guess Moonshiners didn't use Lamb jars anyways on account of the animal connection...LOL.
And,as for Atlas, perhaps their reasoning was he held the world upon his shoulders and that may lead their drinkin' customers to attemp foolhardy heroics...thereby becoming injured and unable to buy more shine...
What else can we come up with?[]
I guess Moonshiners didn't use Lamb jars anyways on account of the animal connection...LOL.
And,as for Atlas, perhaps their reasoning was he held the world upon his shoulders and that may lead their drinkin' customers to attemp foolhardy heroics...thereby becoming injured and unable to buy more shine...
What else can we come up with?[
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