Ball & Mason's Jar

[wvbottlehead]

Half gallon jar. Embossing is weak & hard to photo, but it is embossed with both Ball and Masons Patent 1858 underneath. No base marks, pretty crude but I don't know much about jars........is it common? date or value?

 

[wvbottlehead]

RE: Ball/Mason's Jar

Base

 

[bobclay]

Hi wvbottlehead!

Your jar is relatively common, but indeed pretty old. Hand produced about 1893-1895, these are also seen with the full date of NOV 30th. Most are embossed fairly weakly. These are also seen with the word Ball not underlined as well as straddle lip top seal versions requiring a glass insert and zinc band.

Because of supply and demand and so many of these early Ball jars still surviving today, the book value for these is only $8-$10. (RB 9 #253) Doesn't seem like much for a piece of glass over 100 years old that has probably helped feed several families over the years. And, that has avoided many ornery boys with bean flips and BB guns as well.

These were also among the last of the hand made Ball jars as Ball was beginning to phase out the hand blowing methods in favor of highly more productive glass forming machinery. This transition to all machine made jars took several years, but by the turn of the century, (1900) all Ball jars were machine produced.

Hope this helps! )

bobclay

 

[wvbottlehead]

Hello Bobclay!

Excellent info, Thanks! []

Frank