I regret to announce that John Hathaway has passed away. John Hathaway has been retired for several years, but long-time jar collectors fondly remember his "Maine Idea" fruit jar sales. In addition to setting up at many shows, John would send out a sales list to about 600 collectors every other month. In the days before internet sales, these lists were an important source of unusual jars for even the most advanced collectors. They were probably even more helpful for new collectors, who could buy several jars at a time with a one dollar shipping charge for each jar after the first one. Jim Sears
John Hathaway
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cowseatmaize
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Thanks Jim, I knew of him for sure but never actually met. Was he still up to Paris at the time?Anyway, RIP John.
dygger60
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This is indeed very sad news. John is the first person I bought a jar from when I first started back in the early 90's. He sent out a yellow catalog with his offerings..WOW...what a nice gentleman he was. He was pretty much it before the advent of the computer into the world...a lot of the older collectors I am sure remember him. And he remembered you, I always got Christmas cards from him every year.... You could buy from John with out reservation, he was as honest as honest was. Bryants Pond, Maine...I could not wait to open the mail box and see that catalog in there..LOL.... I could imagine what his shop looked like "The Maine Idea" was its name. Rest in peace John Hathaway.....and Gods speed..... David
botlguy
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Thanks Jim for that news although it truly makes me sad. I've met John a few times at the Keene, N.H. show and a fine gentleman he was. I had many conversations with him via telephone. I have purchased many a jar from him in the days when I was an avid jar collector. I could always count on finding a jar I wanted on his list that was regular as clock work most of the time. I still have a few of those jars. He has not been active in the hobby for some time, he was older than I and I'm 75. He has been and will be missed in the hobby. I pray that his family knows how valued and respected he was to us.
Fruit Jars
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Jim, That is sad news. John was always great to deal jars with. He told me his family had the last ring up phone company in the country. He will be missed. Jerry Ikeda
jarsnstuff
Well-Known Member
I remember buying a big box of odd-closure jars from John early in my collecting career. Not a one of them was over $20, but when I got that box I thought I'd died and gone to heaven myself. John had also gotten a case of original amber midget jars and was offering them for $800 each. Over my budget at the time, but I've sure regretted not grabbing up one of them ever since. "Ayuh", I'm sure he's in jar heaven now reminiscing with all those collectors who went before him. -Tammy
Sad news...I bought many jars from John when I was a kid at the Keene show and he was one of those people that priced his stuff extremely fairly and always had a few minutes to talk to the young collectors.
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