A new site for Ball jar collectors

[bobclay]

Hi all,

This is just a small 'infomercial' to try to get some feedback on a project several of us have been working on for the past few months. Due to the persistence of a friend of mine, several of the top collectors of Ball jars have gotten together and have been working on a project for the betterment of the hobby.

This friend had a vision of a comprehensive site that would show an actual photo of every Ball jar listed in the Redbook. Having done quite a bit of writing about Ball jars in the over 30 years I've collected, I knew this to be a near impossible task because of the huge number of variations found within the Ball genre and was very pessimistic at first. However, once the initial groundwork was laid out, this quickly became a project we could all see as doable.

Now I know to many of you, Ball jars are a boring subject. Many people think all Ball jars are a dime a dozen, which isn't the case. There are many Ball jars worth several thousands of dollars. Many collectors' first jars are Ball jars as many of them are so common. And the Redbook is the best price guide we have available. We will be working closely with the Redbook author, Doug Leybourne, Jr. who will be updating RB X (10th edition) with any new information we uncover with this site. This will help eliminate any current errors in the Redbook (in the Ball section) and also help include any newly found, previously unlisted examples.

We are nearing the point where we will turn this site loose on the general public. When we do, anyone can visit and learn about Ball jars and their history. There will be a category for each type of Ball jar in the Redbook and pictures can be posted by anyone. As the site grows, eventually it will become a 'picture book' of every listing of Ball jar found in the Redbook. You'll be able to see an actual photo of any Ball jar rather than having to figure out a description or an illustration.

Once we deem the site 'ready' for public viewing, I will post a link here for all to go check out. It will not be a 'competitive' site or owned by any one individual. This will be a 'community' site where anyone and everyone is/will be encouraged to post pics, ask questions, or give answers to others.

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I'd like to hear them now so we can make our community site the very best it can be.

Thanks!

Bob Clay

 

[capsoda]

Hey Bob, sounds like a great idea. I quit tring to figure out all the variations along time ago. it will be cool to actually see the jars and colors.

 

[GuntherHess]

Sounds like a huge task but would be very cool.
I'd like to have a CDROM with all the jar photos on it referenced to RB numbers.

 

[#1twin]

Bob, That will be great to actually have the picture, to reference the jars. Are the square criss/cross patterned jars like the one's made by 3 River's worth keeping?

Thanks, Marvin

 

[capsoda]

Hey Marvin the Mole, They were product jars that could be used as a canister set. A selling point for buying a particular product. You know, And it comes in a free canister jar, so buy our product.[]
There were a couple of different patterns and they came in green and clear from 1/2 pint up. In sets the clear can bring $35 or so and the green $50.

 

[#1twin]

Warren, Can I assume "sets" mean with the lids? I just left a quart size one in the woods at my camp yesterday. Okay well MAYBE I was on my neighbors land[][][][] Thanks for the reply and the nickname[]

Marvin the Mole

 

[bobclay]

Hi guntherhess,

There are many legal issues that would preclude us from ever being able to produce a CD with this info on it. The Redbook numbering system is copyrighted for just one. Also all the pics that will be shown belong to many different people.

We will be working with the Redbook author closely on this endeavor in order to make the Redbook more accurate in future editions and to eliminate any 'suspect' jars from the listings that the current author inherited when he bought the rights to publish it. We will not give any jar values on this site though, as that would make us in competiton with the Redbook and would not be allowed by the author since we have his permission to use the RB numbering system for cross referencing for informational purposes only.

Perhaps one day though, the entire Redbook will be available on CD. Only time will tell. Sure would be easier to upgrade it if it was though!

Bob

 

[bikegoon]

Outstanding work!
It is fustrating to go to an auction or swap meet and see a "bushel" of them just sitting there and have no clue about them.
the thing that I have learned about this hobby is that with time and patience you can get very good but almost never master, such as the case with Ball jars, there is an insane amount of variables on these jars, my first bottle book floored me with page after page after page of Ball jars, and I thought...helpful? no. It just muddied the water further by giving three to six pics on a page listing 40 different Ball's.
Thank you!

When it opens you will be seeing me in there!