Fruit Jars

About Antique Fruit Jars

For much of the 19th Century canning was a difficult chore, especially the challenge of getting jars shut with sealing wax and unreliable, crudely cut tin lids. Then in 1858 John Mason of New York invented his revolutionary fruit jar, made by a machine that could cut threads in the lid, rendering them not just reusable but more effective. In 1915 the Kerr jar we know today was introduced, featuring a metal lid under a threaded lid, allowing less moisture to escape.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Bottle Collector Bill Lindsey

My maternal grandfather and uncle got into bottles in about 1965 or ‘66 when I was in high school, and we s… [more]

Guest Column: Collecting Antique Ball Jars

One of the most common fruit jars ever produced is the lowly Ball jar. Historical figures show that from betw… [more]

An Interview With Chinese Snuff Bottle Collector Vincent Fausone, Jr.

In 1978, I found a snuff bottle and didn’t know what it was. It intrigued me, so I bought it. Then I found… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Historic Glass Bottle Identification

Historic Glass Bottle Identification

Bill Lindsey's fantastic bottle identification and information site. Loaded with detailed descriptions and diagrams… [read review or visit site]

Cape May County Bottle Collectors

Cape May County Bottle Collectors

Ed and Mark Runyon's wonderful guide to the antique bottles of Cape May County, New Jersey is a great site for anyo… [read review or visit site]

Antique Bottle Collector's Haven

Antique Bottle Collector's Haven

There's a ton of information here, but as with bottles, you have to dig to find the best stuff. Start with the famo… [read review or visit site]

Diggersdiary.co.uk

Diggersdiary.co.uk

This great site, from British diggers Darren Gray and Jeremy Kemp, is rich in information about hunting for antique… [read review or visit site]

Bottle Cap Index

Bottle Cap Index

Assembled by Gunther Rademacher with the help of several other contributors, this collection of over half a million… [read review or visit site]

Plopsite.de

Plopsite.de

Norbert Lamping's collection of 600+ ceramic bottle stoppers, Hutter stoppers, swingtops, swivel stoppers, and ligh… [read review or visit site]

Old Spice Collectibles

Old Spice Collectibles

Lather up with Creighton Friceks complete chronology of collectible Old Spice shaving products. Start with the bott… [read review or visit site]


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Clubs & Associations: Bottles


Discussion Forums: Bottles


Other Great Reference Sites: Bottles

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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Fruit Jars email

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Potter & Bodine's Air Tight Fruit Jar Aqua Pat1858 Qt $405.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 53 watchers
Half Gallon Sydney Dingo Pictorial Fruit Jar—mint $350.00 Ends in 3 hours 1 bid 8 watchers
Union Stoneware Mason Fruit Jar 2 Quart Red Wing Crock$113.50 Ends Sunday 8 bids 39 watchers
Stoneware Fruit Jar Cooper Strawberry Jam$100.89 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 8 watchers
Ball Mason 1/2 Gal. Olive Green Fruit Jar$93.00 Ends Monday 13 bids 34 watchers
Bulk Case 36 12 Pk 432 Ball Wide Mouth Canning Jar Lids$79.95 Ends in 0 mins 1 bid 2 watchers
Old Blue Milk Glass Fruit Jar Jelly With Lid And Band $59.95 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 9 watchers
1915 Half Pint Ball Perfect Mason Fruit Jar Zinc Lid $59.88 Ends Sunday 16 bids 40 watchers
Antq 1858 Mason's Fruit Jar Yellow Amber Quart Jar$49.99 Ends Friday 1 bid 16 watchers
Amber Putnam Lightning Pint Fruit Jar—mint $49.95 Ends Thursday 1 bid 5 watchers
Purple Crown Fruit Canning Jar..glass Insert Zinc Cap!!$48.00 Ends in 22 hours 10 bids 12 watchers
Stoneware Fruit Jar Stenciled Home Made Preserves$46.45 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 13 watchers
Old Fruit Jar Old Fishing Lure Camp Minnow Trap Nice @@$45.99 Ends Saturday 13 bids 60 watchers
Antique Cast Iron Holts Improved Egg Beater W/mason Jar$42.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 36 watchers
Deruta Italy Majolica Tall Fruit Biscotti Cookie Jar$39.99 Ends in 13 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
Sunburst Insert Flaccus Type Pint Milkglass Fruit Jar $38.00 Ends Monday 4 bids 16 watchers
Quart Olive Green Mason's Cfj Co Fruit Jar Rare Color$37.55 Ends Sunday 4 bids 32 watchers
Zinc Fruit Jar Lid W/lug Keystone In Sunburst Mason Fjc$37.55 Ends Sunday 4 bids 37 watchers
Australian "federal (flag) Fruit Jar" Wide Hg Aqua$36.55 Ends Sunday 1 bid 7 watchers
Damaged Light Purple Glass Hg The Standard Fruit Jar $35.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid 9 watchers
Green Glass Root Mason Fruit Canning Jar Half Gallon $34.95 Ends Monday 1 bid 12 watchers
Aqua Victory (encircled By Dates) Half Gallon Fruit Jar$31.99 Ends Monday 8 bids 23 watchers
Red Key Mason's 1/2 Gal. Fruit Jar$31.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 7 watchers
Franciscan Ware Apple Large Jam/jelly Jar$31.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 11 watchers
Marstons Restaurant Gr Lip Pint Fruit Jar$30.99 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 3 watchers
Sager Squatty Pint Fruit Jar$30.99 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 7 watchers
Half Gallon Dexter Improved W/ Veggies Fruit Jar—mint $29.00 Ends Saturday 4 bids 20 watchers
~~cohansey 1/2 Pint Fruit Jar~~ Very Nice!!$28.90 Ends Monday 5 bids 21 watchers
Stoneware Fruit Jar Wb Lowry Roseville, Ohio$27.01 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 17 watchers
Olive Green Pint Atlas Mason Impr Patd Fruit Jar$26.89 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 6 watchers
Whittled Mason's Keystone Improved Midget Fruit Jar $26.25 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 18 watchers
Vintage Amber Globe Fruit Jar Good Shape - Needs Clasp$26.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 19 watchers
Purple Amethyst Mason Vtg Canning Fruit Jar Beautiful$26.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 5 watchers
Moores Fruit Jar$25.00 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Walter Woods Canadian Fruit Jar Rings Hamilton Winnipeg$24.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 11 watchers
Atlas Special Squatty Pint Olive Green Fruit Jar$24.48 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 10 watchers
Antique Vintage Globe Fruit Jar Lids May 25 1886$24.39 Ends Monday 6 bids 11 watchers
Pancake Style Perfect Seal Extra-squatty Pint Fruit Jar$23.17 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 9 watchers
Rare Amazing Antique Ball Amber Colored 1858 Mason Jar$21.51 Ends Sunday 3 bids 9 watchers
Rare 1/2 Gal Crown Fruit Jar In Fantastic Green Colour$21.51 Ends Thursday 2 bids 6 watchers
Half Pint Ball Ideal Fruit Jar Ball Blue Rb 202 C. 1920$21.01 Ends in 22 hours 9 bids 11 watchers
Millville Atmospheric Fruit Jar,whitall's Patent 1861$20.53 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 15 watchers
Hanna Barbera Flintstones Jelly Jar Glasses 62 63 64$20.51 Ends in 14 hours 6 bids 4 watchers
~~ Clear Globe Fruit Jar~~ Half Gallon$20.50 Ends Monday 4 bids 14 watchers
Green Ball Perfect Mason Fruit Jar Quart # 8$20.50 Ends Sunday 5 bids 14 watchers
Antique Canning Jar,pacific Glass Works S.f. 1867 Rare$20.50 Ends Sunday 2 bids 7 watchers
Antique Salt Glaze Stoneware 2 1/2 Qt Canning Jar Crock$20.49 Ends Saturday 2 bids 13 watchers
~~ (cross) Mason's Improved Fruit Jar~~pint$20.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 1 watcher
Stoneware Quart Glass Bros Ontario Fruit Jar$20.00 Ends Tuesday 4 bids 17 watchers
Australian "chicago Fruit Jar" Immerser Stopper Only$18.27 Ends Sunday 1 bid 7 watchers
Vtg Blue Willow Mason"s Ginger Jar$18.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid
Stoneware Fruit Jar Western Weir Closure 5 Gal$17.28 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 31 watchers
Steel Blue Pint Atlas Mason Impr Patd Fruit Jar$17.28 Ends Tuesday 3 bids 9 watchers
Mason Jar With Vintage Marbles$16.49 Ends in 43 mins 13 bids 20 watchers
Wallaceburg Gem Fruit Jar Purple Large Imperial Hg$16.49 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 6 watchers
Cohansey Quart Fruit Jar -- Original Lid And Clamp$15.95 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 5 watchers
2 Brand New Yankee "tropical Fruit" Jar Candles 22oz $15.51 Ends in 14 hours 14 bids 2 watchers

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Recent News: Fruit Jars

Source: Google News

PRUDEN: The Third World and Obama
Washington Times, November 19th

fireflies in a fruit jar and the taste of vine-ripe tomatoes, sweet as apples; dust storms and hailstorms and classrooms filled with farm boys who got...Read more

A quiz for the 'Greatest Generation
The Times of Trenton - NJ.com, November 13th

Sing another one, Jo: "Pick guitar, fill fruit jar; and be gay-o. Son of a gun we'll have big fun on the bayou." Jo who? And what is that silly song she was...Read more

Antiques & Collectibles: Fun comes in a can
Post-Bulletin, November 9th

The name 'fruit jar' comes from the fruits that were put in open-mouth jars and bottles and sealed with combinations of corks and wax, and lids of glass and...Read more

The good ol' days
ESPN, November 2nd

The furthest we've gotten from the "fruit jar" stage happened in 2006 and 2007, when BASS had 11 tournaments on the Elite Series and also the Majors,...Read more

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