Ball Mason's 1858 Patent Jar with Moon Star on front of jar

[dygger60]

Nice find to be sure! As said before, the embossing is usually pretty weak....that is a keeper.... Congrats on that find! Now, ya gotta find the Ball jar with the Keystone emblem embossed where yours has the crescent moon and rays....would be a heck of a pair.... Keep a looking...I like jars with find stories behind them..... David

 

[jarsnstuff]

Your jar is #1919 in Redbook. Books at $150 - $200, with sharp embossing bringing it to the top of that range - if it has the correct lid. Expect to pay around $50 (maybe more) for the lid (several have been sold in the North American Glass auctions.) Nice find, how many Ball Perfect Masons could you buy with that?

 

[mkh6911]

It currently does not have the correct lid. It is just a plain Ball Zinc Lid. Do you know if the lid was glass or zinc? I see the photo above that is zinc, but I thought I saw a glass one as well. I am for sure going to be looking to get one to match this. That is kind of neat what they go for. I am going to keep it for sure though. I love mason jars and have so much to learn about all of them. I don't really know what is what. I thought Ball Perfect Mason was a good starting place since my grandmother gave me a couple. I'll have to look for the Keystone now. I am going to look a little more at everything I guess now. I had no idea on the different styles like that. Very cool.

 

[dygger60]

LOL....mkh.....as the saying goes, you have just scratched the tip of the iceberg....at one time there were over 400 different manufactures of fruit jars. It's history is both a part of Americana and the source of it's very survival, always something to learn..always. While home canning is pretty much a dying art form, the hobby of collecting those jars has skyrocketed in the past 10 years. Myself, I love reading about early American history, esp from the late antebellum period to the end of the 19th century....and fruit jars were a BIG part of that period...fits right in there...LOL.. Good luck! And again, great find!! David

 

[Karikeller11]

After seeing this post I went and checked out a few of my mason jars and I actually have this one too! Exciting, I never noticed the moon and stars!

 

[mkh6911]

Thanks for your responses David. Had no idea there were 400 different manufacturers! A lot to learn and excited to do so. I need to find some good books.I love canning so that is what turned me on to older jars.I'll have to look into the period you are talking about. Thanks again, you gave me some good info as to how to start researching more on this. I really appreciate it. Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips and advise!!

 

[dygger60]

Not a problem what so every....this forum is probably one of the top references for learn bits and pieces about fruit jar collecting...and it's free!! That is the best part. You can, if you choose to donate to the Forum to help support it. I do, it is worth it for the amount of information made available. Yahoo has a couple jar collecting groups. There is another on Yuku that specializes in Ball Brothers jars, http://balljarcollectorscommunitycenter.yuku.com/ Searching Google and IE will bring you several references also....good luck. David

 

[nammlif]

Then what jar does the glass lid go to..???..I picked up some jars and lids this week and one of the glass lids has the same marking of the cresent moon and star...

 

[dygger60]

jar

 

[dygger60]

There is of course a series of Mason jars these lids are correct for, but from a Ball Brothers collector, these are lids that are found on many of what are call "Early Muncie" jars, these are jars that were made from "cast off" molds from other companies when Ball was just establishing themselves in the Muncie area. Now I am not saying for all early Muncie jars, but that is where I have usually found them.... Usually they can be identified by having their (Ball) name on the reverse...or like THE BALL or THE BALL JAR embossed at the very top of the obverse of the jar. I like these lids and will usually get them if I have the opportunity, but they are scarce... David