The “MASON’S / PATENT / NOV 30TH / 1858” phrase was originally embossed on countless “screw top” glass fruit jars (canning jars), most ranging in age from circa 1858 to the mid-1910s.
Note: many reproductions of these jars have been made (from the 1970s all the way up to the present time), which are discussed later in this article.
NOTE OF CAUTION: It has come to my attention that some oddly colored Nov 30th 1858-type jars (shades of red and yellow, probably other colors exist) have recently surfaced for sale on auction sites. They have the base mold number: H385. We can be assured that ALL jars with this mold number are reproductions (modern fakes or ‘fantasy’ jars). They were likely recent imports from Asia !!! If anyone has further info on this type of jar, or knows of other mold numbers that ID fakes, please contact me! [This paragraph added November 26, 2013].
Also……..as of August 4, 2014, unusually colored midget (Consolidated Fruit Jar Company logo) NOV 30TH 1858 jars have been reported with a mold number on the base: H39s (the “9” is backwards and the “S” looks somewhat like a backward “Z”). These are also recently-made imports from Asia.
NOTE: Other Patent Nov 30th 1858 reproduction jars are reported with a mold number “H430” on the base (thank you Chris!).
Brief History of the 1858 jars
John Landis Mason was awarded patent #22186, issued on November 30, 1858 by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Actually, the patent was termed an “Improvement in screw-neck bottles” for his invention concerning the process of creating a threaded screw-type closure on bottles and jars. Similar screw-threading had been done before on some bottles, but the process of forming the upper lip area of the container (so that it was smooth, even, and sturdy enough for a lid of standard size to be screwed thereon) was difficult and expensive to do properly, often with unsatisfactory results. His improvement revolutionized home canning in the United States.
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The very first jars with the Nov 30 1858 patent date embossing are believed by researchers to have been made at the “Crowleytown” Glass Works (more accurately the Atlantic Glass Works), located in Washington Township, New Jersey. There is no absolute proof of that, however. The “Crowleytown” jars have a more pronounced square shoulder, differing in appearance from the typical later types.
For a very good in-depth discussion of the Crowleytown and nearby glass works, check out this thread posted on the antique-bottles.net discussion site:
What Really Happened at Crowleytown
Another firm which was producing the jars fairly early was the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company (C F J Co monogram), although those jars would have to date after 1871, or possibly not until the late 1870s.
Questions remain on exactly which companies made these jars during the early years, since the 1858 patent evidently lasted 13 years (or 20 years, counting a patent reissue), and ostensibly during that time period no one was allowed to produce the jars because of patent infringement issues unless they were granted permission by Mason, or the licensed holder of the patent.
In any case, throughout the next 60-odd years, production of jars with the Nov. 30, 1858 embossing continued at a high rate, with untold tens of millions (or more) produced. The phrase was soon considered an important marketing device, adding to the perception of quality and reliability of the container to the average consumer, and, at least by 1879 (21 years after the patent was issued), it is very likely that nearly every glass bottle factory in the US was producing their own version. The 1880s and 1890s saw the peak of popularity of these jars. A considerable percentage of these kinds of jars have a mold number or letter on the base (or a combination of both) which was their means of identifying a particular mold in use at the factory.
Some jars have a glassmaker insignia, monogram or trademark on the front or rear of the jar along with the 1858 patent date. There are many minor variations of these jars, with varying placement of those monograms and trademarks, that are listed in the “Red Book” price guide used by collectors.
Most 1858-type jars fall under one of these three sizes (capacities): Pint, Quart, and Half Gallon. Full gallon size jars are very rare. A few four-gallon size 1858 jars were also made, and are extremely rare and hard to find.
(Note: the “Half Gallon” size does not, in most cases, actually hold exactly 8 cups liquid. Just out of curiosity, I measures several older half gallon size jars and they all measured between 6&5/8ths and 7&3/4ths cups in actual capacity).
Many of the 1858 jars were quite crudely made, with lots of embedded bubbles, mold irregularities, and a “hammered”, “rippled”, “whittled”, or “washboard” appearance to the surface of the glass. The “whittled” look might be compared to the appearance of heavy rain beating against a glass windowpane, and is caused by the molten glass having been blown into a mold that was not properly pre-heated — that is, the glass had begun to solidify too quickly. Contrary to a popular misconception, these jars were not made in wooden molds, but in metal molds, usually made of cast iron or steel.
Some examples also have identifying initials on the base or reverse, or a monogram on the front or back, which can serve to identify what company made them. (For instance, jars with the lettering “W.C.D.” on the base are products of the W. C. Depauw Glass Company, located in New Albany, Indiana. The jar pictured here is an example.)
However, vast quantities were produced by well over 100 different glass factories, and many of those have NO identification marks whatsoever, or only a mold number, letter, or emblem on the base. There are MANY, MANY different mold numbers seen, having one, two, or three digits. In those cases it is difficult, if not virtually impossible, to positively identify the actual glassmaker. They are found in a multitude of color shades, with light aqua being the most commonly seen. Many shades of aqua, as well as ambers, greens, blues, amethyst, clear, and rarely, white milk glass, and black glass examples are found. The black glass units are attributed to the Hemingray Glass Company, well-known for their electrical insulators.
Fruit jars marked “PAT NOV 26 67” on the base.
Some MASON’S PATENT NOV 30th 1858-type jars are marked with a “Maltese Cross” symbol (which indicates the Hero Glass Works / Hero Fruit Jar Company, of Philadelphia, PA) either above or below the word MASON’S. On most examples, the letters “H”, “F”, “J” and “Co” can be faintly seen within each “arm” of the cross. On others, no letters are visible. This style with the cross underneath the word MASON’S is listed as jar#1939 in the “RED BOOK” of antique and collectible fruit jars often consulted by collectors. There are other slightly different variants of that jar (this is just one example)! Some have the standard “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” marking but do NOT have a Maltese cross. Those would be classified as Red Book jar #1890.
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Typically, the base of these jars are marked with “PAT NOV 26 67” (Patented November 26, 1867). Some jars may be blank on the bottom. In general, any jar with the PAT NOV 26 67 marking on the base can be attributed to the Hero Glass Works (later known as the Hero Fruit Jar Company). The “Hero” jars were made over a long time (typically most appear to date from the 1870s to 1890s) and many, many molds were used. There is typically a 2 or 3-digit mold number in the center of the base. Hero had several other glass companies help fill their orders, (such as Marion Fruit Jar & Bottle Company of Marion, IN and Cumberland Glass Manufacturing Company of Bridgeton, NJ) for these jars (which were extremely popular), so it is difficult to be 100% sure exactly where any particular H F J Co jar was made, although assumedly the majority were produced at their factory in Philadelphia.
NOTE: There are a number of other fruit jars made by (or for) Hero including certain jars marked on the front with the words “THE GEM”, or “GEM”. Others include jars marked “ALL RIGHT”, “CRYSTAL”, “THE HERO” , “HERO”, “HERO IMPROVED”, and “THE HEROINE”. These jars, in many cases, are marked with the PAT NOV 26 67 patent date on the bottom.
For much more detailed information on those and other jars connected with the Hero company, I would suggest you check out Bill Lockhart et al’s article (this is a .pdf file) on the Hero Glass Works / Hero Fruit Jar Company at this URL: Hero Glass Works – Sha.org
Anyone interested in learning more about the many, many variants of the 1858 patent jars that have been catalogued so far would be served well to obtain a recent copy of the “Red Book” price guide, used by most advanced collectors of fruit jars.
The earlier variants of the 1858 jars typically have a ground lip, (that is, having the appearance of being smoothed off on a grinding wheel, leaving a somewhat rough surface), and later variations made, in general, in the 1900-1915 period, are machine-made and have a smooth lip.
Ball Bros. Glass Manufacturing Company made most of the very latest machine-made types. Many other variations of this basic jar (with changes in the exact raised embossed wording) were made in ensuing years, for example, the “Mason’s Improved” jar. The “Mason Jar” is now a generic term, meaning any jar used for canning which has a screw-type lid. A notable successor of this type of jar, the Ball Perfect Mason (with dozens of minor variations in size, shape and color; please see the “Ball Perfect Mason” page), would easily become the most popular and commonly produced fruit jar of the 20th century in the US, and is seen in proliferation at antique stores and flea markets around the United States.
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REPRODUCTION JARS
There are many reproductions of the “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” jars in circulation, especially examples produced in the last 40 years or so! These are typically (but not always) made in unusual, bright, garish, “striking” colors that are very rare or unknown in the originals, and often they are of a smaller size which tends to be in higher demand. Beware! They typically “look new” with a “slickness” to the glass, little or no base wear, and usually have no damage of any kind. Some of the mold numbers that may be seen on the bottoms which usually indicate a fake jar include: 1171 , 851 and 971.
Reproduction jars are known in many colors, including ruby red glass, cobalt blue, black glass, bright greens, ambers, purple, olive green, yellow, citron, and other colors.
[Adding this paragraph August 3, 2019] If the mold number on the bottom is H395 (with a backward 9), this is a recently imported quart size jar from India or China. They have been seen in cobalt and a rich ruby red color. The red might show a faint lean toward cranberry or puce. Other colors are almost certainly out there. (If you have seen one of the jars with this mold number in another color, please let me know and I will add it to this article). I think most of these have been made since around 1990, even some in very recent years. There are probably other mold numbers on these colored jars, and some are completely unmarked on the bottom. They sometimes have stickers on the base that reads “MADE IN INDIA” but the sticker may have been removed.
Anyone seriously interested in collecting the authentic early jars has to be aware that the reproductions are out there, sometimes mixed in with the real ones, at antique shops & malls, general antique shows, flea markets and even antique fruit jar and bottle shows. They are collected and appreciated as beautiful pieces of glassware in their own right, but increasingly, many of these are being sold as “authentic antiques”, with or without actual intention to deceive.
Many of these reproduction jars have been imported from Asia, especially China, India & Taiwan. In general (with exceptions!!) most AQUA examples are authentic, since the color was so typical of old glass, and is considered “ordinary”, “common” or “unremarkable” by collectors searching for the rare colored jars.
I have seen, however, fairly recently (2013) even rather ordinary-looking aqua or greenish-aqua 1858 jars for sale at flea markets that are, in fact, new, and were probably imported from China! They have a hard-to-define appearance which can best be appreciated by actual handling of the glass. There is usually no base wear at all, no very fine scratches (almost always, a few scratches will be evident under close scrutiny on older authentic jars) or even a hint of damage of any kind. The surface of the glass is smooth and slick with a somewhat lighter-weight construction than authentic older jars. Some of these jars are now being sold at flea markets or on online auction sites along with spray pump style lids, sold as lotion or liquid soap dispensers. Others might be sold to use as decorative “rustic” or “retro” canisters, to hold dry pasta or beans, or to use when making homemade candles or other craft projects.
MILK GLASS BOYD LINERS
Many of the old 1858-type fruit jars are purchased along with a metal zinc lid still in place. In most cases, the lid is not “original” to the jar, since over many decades a number of different lids would have been in use while the jars were utilized for canning, and the very first lid that was used on any particular jar is probably long gone, having been discarded many years ago. But, some of the older ones have survived. Many of the lids presently found on these jars are much newer “Ball” or “Atlas” marked lids.
The zinc lids typically come with a circular milk glass “cap”, “liner”, “insert” or “disc” fitted tightly inside. For more information on those tiny “saucers”, please check out my webpage on the “Boyd” Milk Glass jar liners.
WAX SEALERS
Another type of antique fruit jar that was VERY popular in the late 19th century was the so-called “Wax Seal” or “Wax Sealer” jar. They were more or less a competitor to the “Mason” jars such as the 1858 dated type discussed here. For a brief summary and a list of known markings on wax sealer jars, please see this page: Wax Sealer Fruit Jars – List of Primary Markings
For an extensive list of glass manufacturers’ marks and logos seen on bottles, fruit jars, insulators and tableware please click here to go to the alphabetical Glass Bottle Marks pages (starting here on page one).
Click here for my article on Numbers on the bases of bottles and jars.
Click here to see my site HOME PAGE.
NOTE: Here is a very good basic, yet rather comprehensive “Question and Answers” article with lots of general information about collectible fruit jars, written by jar collector and researcher Dave Hinson. This covers info on many brands of fruit jars including Kerr, Ball, Lightning types, etc (This article is no longer “live” on the internet but this link will take you to an archived “snapshot” on the “Wayback Machine” web archive website) :
Fruit Jars – Questions and Answers – Dave Hinson
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Hi David. I have a Mason’s jar without any additional text or marking besides “Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858.” the bottom has “9.” on it, which i know is just a mold number and doesn’t mean much. I have the original lid and seal. My main question relates to the print: it is very faintly raised, and I can’t find any similar examples. The font seems to be a bit bolder than most I find on ebay and other sites. Is there any significance to this, or is that just typical variance from all the different producers?
Hi Dan,
There is quite a lot of variation in the strength of the “strike”, meaning some jars will have very bold, sharply defined lettering, but on others the embossed lettering is weak, having very “low relief”. There may be more than one reason for this. Sometimes the molten glass, at the time it is blown into the mold, was not quite at the optimum temperature (a little bit cooler than it should have been) and that can result in a poor strike. Sometimes the engraving in the mold was shallow, weak or poorly done, so the resulting embossing will be weak as well. In some cases (from what I understand) a mold that has been very heavily used over considerable periods of time can eventually build up accumulations of “mold paste” in the crevices/engravings (causing them to become more shallow) which causes the resulting embossing to be weak, another type of “poor strike”. Hope this helps. (To any jar collectors or others that are knowledgeable about this subject, you are more than welcome to chime in!)
David
What’s Xvi mean on the bottom?
Ryan, I would assume it just serves as a mold number (the Roman equivalent of the number 16). If you jar happens to hold 16 ounces, it could mean that (?)
Take care,
David
I have a blue pint perfect mason but perfect is misspelled “pfrfect” with what looks like a #7 on bottom. Any significance or history to this one?
Hi Jesse,
There are quite a number of error versions of the BALL PERFECT MASON jars, including several misspellings of the word “PERFECT”. They seem to be fairly commonly found, but I don’t know which ones are the scarcest. You can find these variants listed in the “RED BOOK OF FRUIT JARS” price guide used by most advanced fruit jar collectors. I am not trying to “sidestep” your question or promote a book (I have no connection with the Red Book), but honestly the best way to find out about these many variants is to consult a recent edition of that book. Some libraries have them available in their collections for loan, although many do not.
Best regards,
David
I have one of these jars with the ‘3’ on the Nov 30 date being printed backwards. It’s one that I dug up out of an old farmhouse dump from the early 1900s. Anyone ever see that?
Hello-
Going thru old jars from my mother n laws estate.
Found your website helpful regarding Hero Glass/ Maltese Cross and dating of this jar.
I found a jar that has the word Ball underlined with words Mason’s Patent 1858 but no month and date. It has #328 on bottom. Would you happen to know a timeframe or date.
I also found two jars that have Masons Patent November 30th 1858 and looks to be square shoulder. One has one dot on bottom. The other has three dots in bottom.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Best-
Shari Lippe
I have a square quart jar with the word MASON running vertically down one side with markings of –6 OZ. –12 and –18. On the opposite side are two pieces of fruit, maybe peaches, apples, or tomatoes. On the bottom is the number 62 in the center and the letters RF on the bottom as well. Can you help me identify?
This sounds like a modern Pasta Sauce jar.
Hi,
I have a light blue Mason quart jar with a large S above the logo and a B7 on the bottom. It has a rough grounded rim. Lettering on side reads, “S/Mason S/Patent 1858.” I can’t find anything similar online and was wondering if you know any information on its age.
Thank you,
Anne
Hello,
An elderly neighbor gave me several blue half gallon Mason’s Patent Nov. 30, 1858 ( a “1” or “7” or “L” on the bottom) or ATLAS STRONG SHOULDER MASON jars (an “A” on the bottom) from her grandmother’s old abandoned canning jar pile on their farm. The lids are smooth, the th in “30th” is underscored, and there are side seams and bubbles in the glass. Her grandmother had helped prepare Civil War soldiers’ bodies for burial in the area, so I know it is possible to have some real age on the jars, to be at least pre-1915 versions, and not just more recent 20th century reproductions. Any insights or comments very welcome. Thank you for a wonderful article! ~Lisa
Hi Lisa, the “Atlas Strong Shoulder Mason” jars in shades of aqua, blue-aqua, light green, olive green (and occasionally seen in amber, cornflower blue) date from about 1920 into, at least, the very early 1930s. Clear versions date later, possibly from the 1930s into the 1940s / 50s. (This information gleaned from scattered text/comments in the The Fruit Jar Works, Volume 2, by Alice Creswick) I don’t know just when the very last A.S.S.M. jars were made.
Would you be able to email a pic or two of the NOV 30TH 1858-dated jars? My email is shown on the lower right-hand corner of the webpage (if viewed on a full size computer screen). If the lip/top of the jar is smooth (not rough or “ground”) it is a machine-made type that dates after 1900, up to around 1912, and most of those were made by Ball. The earlier types, with a ground lip, primarily date from the 1870s to around 1900, and they were made by a multitude of glass companies. There is no way to be precise on the dating of those ground-lip jars. All of them will have two vertical mold seams on the sides, although sometimes the seams are very difficult to discern. Most of the older jars also have at least some bubbles in them. Hope this helps a little! Thanks for your post~
David
I appreciate the reply and additional information! Sending jar photos.
Aqua jar, bubbles in glass and swirls around the circumference. Base is marked only with a large 403. Came out of part of the yard that has yielded 1850-1920 glass. Any idea where/when it is from?
Peter, lots of these “1858” jars were made by many glass companies, and many different base mold numbers can be found, with either one, two or three digits. No idea what company (or companies) made the example marked “403” on the bottom. I would estimate it dates from sometime in the 1870-1900 time period.
Take care, David
I have a Mason’s patent Nov 30 1858 jar that has five dots on the bottom. I’m just trying to figure out it’s authenticity. Have you seen this before?
Thank you for your time,
Dawne
Hello Dawne,
That’s one of the later machine-made versions of the “NOV 30TH 1858” type jars. They were made by Ball Bros Glass Manufacturing Company, and date from the circa 1895-1912 or thereabouts. There are several different mold markings seen on the bases including some with several dots. There is usually a faint “circle” on the base as well. The lip of the jar is smooth, not “ground” as is seen on most of the older handmade jars.
Hope this helps,
David
David, My Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 jar has the letters D242 on the bottom. Would this be an authentic jar? Thank you!
Julie, I would need to see clear pics of the jar and of the base. Please contact me through my email address, listed under “CONTACT INFO /NOTES” near the bottom of any page on this site.
David
Are raised dots on the bottom of 1858 jars antique or repros
Hi John, I don’t think your question can be answered with absolute certainty. Other characteristics of the jar have to be taken into consideration along with the base markings. Many authentic older jars and bottles have only raised dots or “bumps” on the bottom. There may be newer jars out there with similar marks although I do NOT know that for a fact. Most older jars will have some base wear and minor scratches here and there. If there is NO base wear at all, and the sides of the jar are pristine with no signs of use, the chances are good the jar is recent production.
David
I have what I believe is a five gallon (could be four gal) clear Masons Patent November 30th (underscored) 1858 jar that was full of pickles when I bought it 39 years ago. I paid $5 for it including the pickles haha. I was in college and my roommate’s thought I was nuts but I love this jar. It has a star between Masons and patent and on the backside of it is the American Eagle there are no other marks including on the bottom but the bottom is kind of crackly in texture. It might not be an antique at 39 years old but I’ve loved it around with me all these years usually it’s sitting on my front porch next to my glider
Hi Sandi,
From what I understand, those pickle jars were made for the 1976 Bicentennial of the United States. So they are assumedly about 43 years old. Many people have saved them and used them to store accumulations of coins or other items. Thanks for your post!
David
[Edited April 1, 2021: Sandi, for some more information on these extra-large jars, please check out my reply to Julie A. Craft here in the Comments section on 4/1/2021, as she was asking about a similar jar]
Some 40 or so years ago bought for 50cents a small mouth (Ground) Mason /pt or half pt (?) with the entire full logo in a perfect oval pattern…….still have it……purchased in Clayton NJ antique est.
Perfect condition, lid may or may not be orig to jar but is true sm mth lid/porc………Where is it manufact ??
Hello. I have an aqua jar that says Mason’s Patent Nov. 30th 1858. The th in 30th is underscored and there is a star on the bottom. The top lip appears to be ground not smooth. Is it original or repro? Thank you.
Peggy, I am sure it is an older, authentic jar.
David
I have a light green tinted mason jar with Nov 30th 1858
Back of jar has N.C.L. Co.
Is it original?
Pat, yes it is an old one. The letters are believed to stand for Nail City Lantern Company, of Wheeling, West Virginia.
Hope this helps,
David
Hello, My name is Mel, when my husbands grandmother passed away, we got a bunch of old blue mason jars, one is like this one, lots of bubbles in the jar itself, but I noticed on the bottom it doesnt have numbers, just the mansons patent nov. 30th 1858 on it. I read over this, three times hoping I missed the dot information but didnt see it.
Hi Melanie,
Some of the “MASONS PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” jars are unmarked on the base. Since they were made by so many glass factories over many decades, there is a wide variety of base markings, including one digit, two digit, and three digit mold numbers; geometric shapes, crosses or “X”s, and sometimes nothing at all! Unfortunately, there is often not much that can be known for sure about where such jars were produced.
Take care, David
Hi my jar only has the year 1858 not the month and day, has plenty bubbles and 1 on bottom, please help
I have a Whitney Mason jar 1858 , 2 dots under whitney. Is it old or reproduction. Thanks Ken Woods
Ken, it’s an older jar. As far as I know, no repros have been made of the Whitney Mason-type fruit jars.
Best regards, David
Recently acquired a Masons Patent Nov 30th 1858 quart jar with a couple qualities I’d like your knowledge on. Jar is light blue and noticeably rippled with numerous bubbles. It has a rough ground top lip. The mold mark on the bottom is 01A. Do these add up to any significance?
Thank you in advance for your time and knowledge.
Hi Russ,
It sounds like a typical “ground lip” 1858 jar, probably dating from the 1870s through 1890s. (And the more bubbles and surface “waviness”, the better. Collectors love that crude look!) Please keep in mind these fruit jars were made by over 100 glass companies over a period of 60+ years, so there are many, many slightly different mold varieties to be found. Often the only notable difference between one jar and another is the exact mold number or letter/number combo on the bottom. Many different mold numbers (from one to three digits), with or without accompanying letters, can be found on the base of these jars, and in the majority of cases, there is no foolproof way to be sure what glass company produced them.
~David
I just picked up a Mason’s Improved with a Maltese Cross over the arched Mason’s. It has a PAT NOV 26 67 and an 80 in the middle of the bottom. Reading your information answered a lot of my questions. The thing I can’t find much information on is it has a glass lid with a star and crescent moon surrounded by a circle of various length lines. It doesn’t have an indentation for a locking device but does have threads. It fits neatly inside a raised ring above the threads. Is this a usual variant as the wife collects a few of them but this is the only one of this type that I have ever seen.
Is a mason jar Nov 30 1858 with a triangle with number 63 on bottom signify anything?
Christina, Among the millions of “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” jars that were made (for over 50 years, by hundreds of glass factories), many, many different mold numbers and other marks (such as geometric shapes) have been found embossed on the bottoms of them. Many of the ‘1858’ type jars have one, two, or three-digit numbers on the bottoms. I can’t tell you anything about the “63” on the bottom with 100% certainty, but I ASSUME it is just a mold number that identified the specific iron mold which was used to make that jar. In many glass factories, a number of identical (or very, very similar) jar molds would have been in use at the same time, and they were usually (not always, but usually) marked with a number or some other device. So, if there was any problems with the finished jars the mold in question could be readily identified and repaired.
Hope this helps!
David
Hi, I have a Mason’s Patent Nov 30 1858 jar but I also have two very old jars that just say “The Mason” where the word “the” is in the curve of the M of “Mason”. The glass has some waves and bubbles and there are no marks anywhere else. I have researched everywhere but can’t find any information about these jars. I found them buried in a barn. Any info would be helpful!
Hi Hannah,
I have received quite a few enquiries about that type of jar. I think I have answered it somewhere on the site before, but I don’t remember where, so it bears repeating. In any case, the jar is listed as Fruit Jar #1651 in the “RED BOOK” of Fruit jar values, a price guide used by most “serious” jar collectors.
A variant of that jar (apparently made in the 1909 to 1911 time period by Ball) has the word “BALL” placed above the words “THE MASON”, and that jar variation is listed as #266. The #1651 jar was made by Mason Fruit Jar & Bottle Company of Coffeyville, Kansas in the period 1907-1909, according to info on page 116 of “The Fruit Jar Works, Volume 1” by Alice Creswick (1995). Ball Brothers Glass Company purchased the Coffeyville plant in 1909 and closed it down in 1911.
Hope this helps,
David
My 1/2 gal “the Marion Jar has a capital P on the bottom. It is about an inch high. As a result of that P, the jar doesn’t sit flat ….it “rocks” on the P. Can you tell me anything about that particular marking?
Diane, I don’t know about the P on the bottom. I assume it is a mold ID mark (as many jars have a letter or number to identify the mold it was made in).
Best regards, David
Does having seams on your ball Mason jars make a difference in value. How do you determine prices with blemishes and does it make a difference in price if the numbers on bottom are roman numerals or regular number.
Michelle,
Virtually all Ball Mason jars have seams, since they were made in a mold, and the metal jar mold was composed of 2 halves that were closed momentarily while the molten glass was blown inside (by either mouth or machine). When the mold parts are opened up, the thin raised lines (the seams) are left, showing where the mold halves came together and where the molten glass had “tried to press through the gap”.
On some jars, the seams may be very difficult to see. As far as jar values, there are no easy answers……but in general, the cruder and more ‘bubbly’ the glass, the better, from a jar collector’s point of view. There are lots of very minor variations in the Ball jars, and the only way to determine approximate value is to look up a particular listing in the “Red Book” price guide used by fruit jar collectors, as well as study the ACTUAL ENDING auction prices on ebay. Hope this helps,
David
Dear Sir,
I hope you can help me. I purchased an old house with a canning cellar fifteen years ago. I spent perhaps two solid, unemployed years researching, chronicling and scratching my head over what seems to be millions of variations of Ball and Atlas jars. My question is not a monetary one. I think I have at least a thousand glass lids. My research says Atlas, perhaps Ball, some Smalley….. all sizes, all glass. Why are there etchings on some of the older Atlas jar lids? These are not mere mold numbers: initials (like letters etched, not a mold; Roman Numerals, and numbers) – I have a BA in History and an MA in American Studies. I have been reading for fifteen years and I don’t have the documentation to support this. Just what they did? Seeing a teeny tiny letter which looks “keyed” into the glass lid is random and just maddening! Would you please have any insight to share concerning this? I live in Massachusetts. I don’t know ANYONE else who is into this.
Jessica
Hi Jessica,
I’m not quite sure about the etched letters and numbers you see on the lids, but I’m posting your query here in case other, more knowledgeable collectors of ATLAS jars can chime in with more information for you. Take care!
~David
I have a Mason’s Patent 1858. Jar with the word “Port” on the back of jar. I’ve never seen one like this! Any idea what this means.
Hi Sandra,
That is one of the fruit jars made by Port Glass Company of Muncie Indiana (1890-1902) and Belleville, Illinois (1902-1904). Port was purchased by Ball Brothers Glass Company in 1904 and Ball re-tooled some of the old PORT jar molds, using them to make their own BALL jars.
Hope this helps,
David
Hi, I have several 1858 jars. They are my favorites. A couple of them have a . (Period) after the 1858, what does that mean? Thank you😊
Tami, in my opinion, it really doesn’t mean anything. The mold maker, for whatever reason, decided to place a period after the date. I think this may have been more of a fashion in times past, as it seems that a lot of book titles (especially from the mid and late 1800s) have a period placed after them on the front cover of books. That practice is no longer done (as far as I have noticed)!
David
Hello – I have a Masons Patent Nov. 30th 1858 jar that has a porcelain insert in the little screw on lid. The insert says Porcelain Lined (the ‘n’ is backwards) Boyd’s and something else I can’t make out. On the bottom is Pat Nov 44 2G C7 (I think). The lid is all one piece with protruding screw bands. Do you have any information on this? Thank you very much!
Maryanne, the jar is one of the many produced by and for Hero Fruit Jar Company. Most of the jars have the PAT NOV 26 67 (November 26, 1867) patent date on the bottom along with a mold number, which is, in your case, 44. Please see my brief paragraph in this article on those jars. There are MANY slight variations known along with a variety of mold numbers on the bottom. The jar lid may or may not be original to the jars. In fact, most of them are not original, since lids were usually discarded after some time, and new ones were used.
Best regards,
David
Hi, David. Yesterday someone gave me a Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 jar with a Maltese Cross (no letters inside the cross). On the bottom is reads Pat Nov 26 67 and has Q449 in the center. It does have the rough feeling top (I do not have a lid) but it has the bubbles and blemishes in the glass. It also has (what I think people are calling) shoulder lines down the sides. Any info you can give me is appreciated. Thanks!
It should also be mentioned that the Maltese Cross is below the word Mason’s. I have seen some online where the MC is above it. Just wanted to clarify. Thanks.
Carrie, there isn’t really much more info I can pass along besides what is already on this webpage. It is one of the many (and there were MANY) of the “1858” jars made by and for Hero Fruit Jar Works. Many different base numbers (mold numbers) are seen on these jars, along with (usually) the abbreviated Patent November 26, 1867 date. The date was embossed on the bottom of millions of jars over a long period of time. The top is called a “ground lip” by jar collectors, as if ground down on a grinding wheel with sandpaper. That was typical of the older jars of this type. I can’t give you a definitive date range, but most of them probably date from the 1870s, 1880s and possibly into the 1890s.
~David
I have a light blue Mason’s improved jar with H344 on the bottom. Any idea if it is a reproduction?
Alcyia, no, it isn’t a repro.
David
Hi, David, I attempted to research this myself and kept hitting the glass wall. I have a bottle green Midget Mason Jar, that, on first inspection, could very well be a reproduction, but a few things stand out. The Maltese Cross on the back has the letters HFJC within the arms, which I understand from your article is the Hero Fruit Jar Company, but the C has what looks like a small A next to it, not an o, as in Co. It could be Co, but most definitely looks like a tiny uppercase A. On the bottom of the jar is PAT NOV 2C C7 around a 46. That is what is throwing me – the HFJC paired with those letters and numbers. The only other thing is that there are bubbles in the glass. Any insight would be most appreciated! It’s cool looking, even if it’s a reproduction. Thanks!!
Hi Erin,
That is one of the modern reproductions. It is listed on page 488 of the latest edition of the Red Book (“Red Book No. 11 – the Collectors’ Guide to Old Fruit Jars”, by Douglas M. Leybourne, Jr., published 2014). Even some of the repro jars will have bubbles or flaws that make them “look older”. Hope this helps,
David
I have a couple of the blue half gallon Jars with lids that have the patent date on the front like you’re describing. It doesn’t have anything else on the front, but one of the bases says 15 PORT. Can you tell me what that means please? The other is just a 3 digit # like you described earlier, but haven’t seen anything posted about the 15 PORT
April, the jar marked “PORT” on the base is a jar variant made by the Port Glass Company of Muncie, Indiana (and they had another factory that operated in Belleville, IL for a couple years). Port Glass Co. was in business from about 1890 to 1902 in Muncie, and 1902-1904 in Belleville. The “15” is a mold number.
Hope this helps,
David
Wonderful Site! My wife and I just found an 1858 Mason jar that we can’t identify. It has the word’s “Mason’s 1858 Nov. 30th Patent Date” on the front but no other markings. The odd thing is that the bottom of the jar has four distict round bumps in almost a square pattern. It has a ground rim a seam up the side and is very light blue in color. Can you help us itdentify the Date and Manufacturer? Thanks, John
Hi John,
I can’t identify the maker. Please keep in mind that “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” embossed jars were made by hundreds of bottle and jar glass factories over nearly 60 years. (Not counting all the newer repros). Many of them have no glassmaker mark, and so cannot be attributed to any particular company or factory. The “bumps’ on the base probably served as a mold identifier, serving the same function as a number.
Best regards,
David
I purchased a mason patent Nov 30th 1858 with the letter HFJC after the word mason. The number on the bottom is H362 and it is red. Do you have any information on this jar?
Hello Melton,
It is a recent reproduction. No AUTHENTIC “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” jars in a TRUE RED-COLORED GLASS exist. (The closest color would be some dark red amber jars, but there is a huge difference when viewed side by side). There have been a lot of reproductions, in various colors, reported over the last few years with the mold number H362 on the bottom. They are being made in Asia (mostly China and/or India) and are being imported to the US.
Hope this helps,
David
I have a jar, larger than a regular Ball Jar. The only marking on the front is Mason Patent. There is no date or any other marks on the front of the jar. It is an aqua color, and there are some air bubbles in the jar. It does have a screw on lid. I know nothing about this jar, it was something my Grandmother always had on a shelf. Everywhere I look I can not find any information on this jar. I am assuming it is a repro or fake? Thanks for any help. Jenn
Hi Jenn, I assume you meant “MASON’S PATENT” (plural). No, it isn’t a repro or fake. The jar is probably the type classed as jar #1756 in the “Red Book” reference used by fruit jar collectors. It was made by Ball Brothers, circa 1900-1915. (Information from “The Fruit Jar Works”, Volume 1, by Alice Creswick). Hope this helps,
David
Hello
I have a clear jar with no marks on the bottom. The front says “Mason’s Patent Nov.30th 1858. The inside of the lid says “Boyd’s Genuine Porcelain Lined Cap” and the opening of the jar has the ground look you mentioned in the article. I’m guessing it’s an earlier version – any thoughts?
Kate, it sounds like an earlier version, probably from the late 1800s.
David
Thank you – that’s so exciting to hear!!
I also have a Mason jar with the H 395 #’s on the bottom. Obviously a fake after reading your observations. Thank you so much for all that research. It is very educational and very much
appreciated.
Hi Lillian,
Yes, it seems like a lot of the new, pint size repros that come with soap dispenser “pump” lids are marked with the mold number “H395” on the base. There may be others with similar numbers. I’m not sure if that type is being imported from China or India, but likely somewhere in Asia. The color is usually a greenish-aqua.
Thanks for your post!
David
I have a pint jar, Mason’s Patent Nov 30 1858, with the Maltese Cross. I can barely make out the F, J, and maybe C. The bottom has PAT NOV and under that is 55 which is underlined with something similar to an arrow with 99 under that. This is part of a collection that came from my great-grandmother who was born in 1880. It is very light blue, almost clear and does have air bubbles in the glass. Can you tell me anything about this jar? I would be happy to provide pictures if needed.
Vicky, the Hero Fruit Jar Company made huge numbers of jars over many years, and there will be variations in the base numbers. I don’t have any specific info on that particular jar.
Best regards,
David
Hi David, great site, I’ve referenced it many times. I have a quart size Mason jar with ground lip. On the front it has:
S
MASON’S
PATENT 1858
D1 is on the bottom. Can you tell me what the S is for? I’ve searched and searched and cannot find the answer. Thank you, John
John, looking in the Red Book of Fruit Jars, your type is listed as jar #1770. According to the accompanying reference work (The Fruit Jar Works No. 1, p. 127, Alice Creswick, 1995), the maker of that jar is unknown.
Hope this helps,
David
Thank you, David! Appreciate your time as I know you get a lot of queries. John