1910 -1923 Ball Jars

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VINTAGE BALL MASON JARS: The Mason jar was created in 1858 by John Landis Mason, a New Jersey native. In the early 20th century Mason jars were mass produced. One of the largest manufacturers was the Ball Corporation. These jars are embossed with the manufacturer's name, BALL and MASON for the inventor of the specialized screw/thread jar and cap which he patented in 1858. Over the years the style of the embossed lettering of "BALL" changed. Today these changes are used to date the jars.

As the manufacturing process used changed over time, another clue to date a jar are the seams on the side of the jar and the seams on the neck of the jar. You will often hear the word "pontil" used as an indicator of early production. This term refers to the point where a hand blown bottle was attached to the rod used to hold the unformed glass over the heat or flame. No Ball Mason jars were hand blown, so they DO NOT have a pontil on the bottom.

The ring on the bottom of Ball Mason jars is from the glass making machine and the number in the center is generally considered the position on the machine or the plant where it was manufactured. The date 1858 does not mean a jar was made in that year. That is the date Mason received his patent for the screw/thread bottle cap and was used into the 1930s.