MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858 Fruit Jars – Summary

   The “MASON’S / PATENT / NOV 30TH / 1858” phrase was originally embossed on countless 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 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 was producing their own version.      The 1880s and 1890s likely 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.

Most jars fall under one of three sizes (capacities): Pint, Quart, and Half Gallon.  Any other sizes are much scarcer.    Some examples 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.)

Mason's Patent Nov 30th 1858 jar
Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 jar, marked W C D on the base.

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 milkglass, and blackglass examples are found.   The black glass units are attributed to the Hemingray Glass Company, well-known for their electrical insulators. 


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 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.

Base of repro NOV 30TH 1858 jar in ruby red glass - H395 mold number. Seen at a flea market in 2019.
Base of repro NOV 30TH 1858 jar in ruby red glass – H395 mold number. Seen at a flea market in 2019.

[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.

Base of repro cobalt blue "MASON'S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858" jar with MADE IN INDIA sticker still affixed.
Base of reproduction cobalt blue “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” jar with MADE IN INDIA sticker still affixed.

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 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.

 


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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193 thoughts on “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858 Fruit Jars – Summary”

  1. Hi David
    I have a Mason’s jar “Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858.” and on the bottom “XVIII”.
    I see bubbles in the glass too.
    Do you have any information about this jar with this numbers on the bottom?
    Thanks in advance

    1. Monica,
      I’m sorry but I don’t have any info on that particular jar. Lots of the “Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858” jars were made, by a large number of glass factories, and often they were marked on the bottom with a mold number (one, two or three digits) or a geometric design of some sort. I suspect in your case the Roman numeral embossing sufficed as their equivalent of mold number 18. I can’t give you an age, but I’d assume it dates from sometime in the 1870s into the 1890s. Perhaps someone will eventually land on this site who is familiar with Nov 30th 1858 type jars with that type of base marking, and can give us better information on them.
      Best regards,
      David

  2. David, I enjoyed this history on the Patent Jars. I am still left with questions however. I have a Mason’s Eagle Star 5 gallon pickle jar. I have found photos but no history. I cannot find any logo stamp or mold mark. Bottom is blank. This has made researching this beauty difficult. Anything you can tell me would be wonderful. Thank you in advance.

    1. Hi Jim,

      I have received several queries about that jar over the years, and have referred to them on the site, but I’m sorry I don’t know exactly what pages the conversations about that jar are on (I have over 100 different pages on this site) and my site is rather difficult to search easily when there are thousands of comments posted across many pages. Anyway, it has been generally established that those jars were made as Bicentennial souvenir / memento pieces.

      They were evidently produced by Libbey Glass Company in the 1975 – 1976 period for the United States Bicentennial celebration of 1976. They were made in 4-gallon and 2 & 1/2 gallon sizes. Sometimes people put coins in them, or turned them into terrariums!
      They are a modern-day version of a type of large pickle jar that was made in the mid or late 1800s. The original extra large “PATENT NOV 30th 1858” pickle jars are extremely rare and very hard to find.

      Here is an example of a Libbey jar that (I assume) is like your jar:
      https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/masons-pickle-jar-eagle-star-patent-2017777581

      The show up occasionally on ebay and the sellers often know nothing about them (I don’t blame them for that).

      They are listed in the official “RED BOOK of Fruit Jars” price guide, and the jar number assigned to the 4-gallon size is #1982 (The 2 and 1/2 gallon size has been assigned the number 1982-1).

      You can probably find more examples and background info by searching with the number “1982”.

      Hope this helps!!

      Best regards,
      David

  3. I have an aqua green half gallon jar. It only has MASON, in an arch shape and under it Patent under that 1858. All of that is very faint. On opposite side has Port which is barely legible. Also one seam visibly stands out from the bottle probably 1/32nd to 1/16th of an inch. Has numerous bubbles and swirls within bottle body. I’d never seen bottle with just the patent year until ran across this one. Do you know anything about it. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Jill

    1. Hi Jill,
      I am assuming your jar is marked “MASON’S” (not MASON), correct? In any case, that is a type of jar that was manufactured by Port Glass Company of Muncie, Indiana. They also had a factory at Belleville, Illinois. The Port Glass Company was purchased by Ball Bros Glass Manufacturing Company and Ball operated it for a few years afterward. The “PORT” lettered jars were re-tooled by Ball (changing the “PORT” embossing on some jars to “BALL”) , so I assume it was made by Port, although there is a slight chance it was made by Ball Bros. It dates from sometime in the 1890-1910 period.
      Hope this helps!
      David

      1. David, Thank you. I appreciate it. I wasn’t able to find anything out. The only jars I found online were clear. None were aqua and not any half gallon. Thanks again. Jill

  4. Wow what happened to the days of simply answering the question with a yes or no? I’ve probably got more questions about the jar than when I started looking into it and still not sure but not going to read through mountains of Stuff that keeps repeating the same thing vaguely but not definitely.

    1. Hi Cathy!
      I’m so sorry that you found my webpage to be vague, overlong, or confusing. Unfortunately, that can be a result and a problem when researching and trying to uncover accurate information about any subject, especially in the realm of antiques.
      There are a lot of questions with answers that are NOT KNOWN WITH CERTAINTY, and so we are forced to make educated guesses or just put forth opinions. The “1858 type” jars were made by over 100 glass companies for more than 60 years, so there are no easy “simple” answers to some questions people have about them.

      Clear, concise, 100% factual statements are not as easy to make when talking about antique glassware, especially fruit jars. Many questions cannot be answered with a simple “Yes” or “No”. The “devil is in the details”, as the old saying goes. When anyone tries to over-simplify some aspects of glass history, glassware manufacturing, or glass collecting, in many cases they will not be telling the exact truth. If things are “dumbed down” too much, they can end up being wildly inaccurate.

      Much of the information we glean can only be found by examining actual pieces in hand, and reading early printed material which is often riddled with mistakes.

      Having said that, I will be more than happy to try and answer ANY specific questions you have!! Please post again and let me know what you would like to know. I will try to answer those questions with a simple yes or no, but if I can’t do that, I will be honest with you and tell you why I can’t. And if I don’t know the answer, I will tell you that also!

      Thanks and take care!
      David

  5. Hello, I have a Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 aqua green jar. Above all that is a horizontal key that has R E B over the length of it. Have you seen these before? Thank you for sharing your expertise and time!

    1. Hi Marta,
      That’s one of the fruit jar types that were made by the Redkey Glass Company of Redkey, Indiana. Originally known as Giles-Clough Glass Company, it became Redkey in 1897. (Some sources list the plant and/or the town as “Red Key” but it is actually supposed to be spelled as one word). Redkey Glass lasted until April of 1902 when the factory was destroyed by a major fire. The letters inside the representation of a key are actually supposed to be “R E D”.
      Hope this helps,
      David

  6. Hi, I’m looking for info on a jar marked on one side with “401” between Mason’s and Patent, and the letters “HGW” on top of each other on the other side. So, the letters could be GHW, WHG, etc. Any info would be helpful. I found one that sold in 2012 for $170.00. I don’t always trust what I find on the Internet, who knows what this was about: http://www.gregspurgeon.com/auction/detail.asp?id=4285 .

    1. Hi Tony,
      That is one of the “NOV 30TH 1858” type jars made by Hero Glass Works, based in Philadelphia, PA. Yes, that is intended to be a HGW monogram on the reverse of the jar. Those jars are found with an array of different mold numbers placed on the front of the jar between the words MASON’S and PATENT. I believe all of those jars are pretty scarce since quite a number of different molds were used and any one particular number can be rather difficult to find. That particular variant is listed as jar #2124 in the “Red Book” price guide. Greg Spurgeon’s auction site is well known and respected and many very scarce and valuable jars have been sold there over the years. That is likely one of the earlier HGW jars from the 1870s.
      Hope this helps!
      David

  7. Hi! My dad recently gave me a 5 gallon Mason Jar . Patent Nov 30th 1858 on one side and the Eagle and stars on other side. The bottom has nothing on it but what looks like etching on bottom. It is the blue color with lid. How do I find out if it is an original or not. I saw most saying they had numbers or letters on bottom. Mine does not.

    Thank you!

    Julie

    1. Hi Julie,
      Your post gives me an opportunity to discuss these jars. Although there definitely were a number of similar, very large “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” marked jars (holding 3 gallons or 4 gallons, and often used to hold pickles) made in the 1870s, 1880s and 1890s period by such glass companies as Hero Glass Works/ Hero Fruit Jar Company, Philadelphia, PA; Whitney Glass Works, Glassboro, New Jersey; and the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company based in New Brunswick, New Jersey (C F J CO. in a monogram on jars), your item is a more recent production made by Libbey Glass Company. These were made in clear, light aqua, cornflower blue and amber glass. They have an embossed eagle on the reverse. They hold 4 gallons, and there is also a 2 and 1/2 gallon size. The jars were manufactured in 1975 for the 1976 United States Bicentennial. Many people have saved them for use as decor or conversation pieces, or as storage jars or terrariums. Here are two examples as archived at the Worthopedia site. (Hopefully these URLs will stay “live” for a long time to come!) Also, just a note that they are listed in the “Red Book” of fruit jars price guide that most serious fruit jar collectors use. The 4-gallon size is catalogued as Jar #1982. The 2 and 1/2 gallon size is listed as Jar #1982-1.

      Four gallon size:
      https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-gallon-mason-jar-patent-nov-506375092

      2 and 1/2 gallon size:
      https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-libbey-mason-pickle-jar-1-1858990396

      Thanks for your post, and I hope this information helps!
      David

      1. These jars were made by Libbey. Some were made later than 1976 era and used for commercial purposes (counter jars with pickles, etc.). These jars had a smaller mouth. The earlier jars had a larger mouth and were made for home decoration.

  8. Hi David, I have been collecting for some time, Bottles and jars but bottles most of the time. Just now I am getting into jars. I worked construction my whole life, I would dig up about 75% of what I have – around 500 bottles and about 140 Mason jars. At 75 years old I am putting some kind of price on what I have so the kids don’t throw them out. I have a Red Book but I can not find what I have here. It’s a Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858, Ground top, #4 on base. The 3 is backward.

    1. Hi Robert,
      I looked through my copy of the Red Book (the No. 11 edition) and I don’t believe that variation is listed. They do list dozens of “error molds” but yours may be a jar that has not been reported. Or perhaps it is listed and I missed it(?) In any case, keep in mind that many, many molds were produced for the MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858 jars by hundreds of glass factories, over a period of around 60 years, and there are no doubt errors that have not been listed as of yet. Perhaps a reader who lands on this site will have more information on that error. You might also try posting a query on the antique-bottles.net site, in the “Fruit Jars” sub-forum in case a reader there would have more input on the jar. Certainly an unusual variant! Good luck with your collection! Please make sure that your children understand that old glassware has value on more than one level, including the mere fact they are artifacts of an earlier time here in the United States. Thanks for writing!
      David

  9. I have a quart size MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858 jar. It is light aqua and seems to have a rough edge around the lip. The TH is very light and hard to see and has a line under it. There are bubbles in the glass. The markings on the bottom are hard to decipher. It looks like for sure there are two 1’s and the other looks like either a capital A or V, depending on which way you look at it (very hard to make out). The ring that goes around the bottom is kind of bumpy. It looks like it might be an old one, but can you give me your opinion. Thanks!

  10. Hello!
    I inherited some glass bottles of all sorts and have not found any description for a mason jar simply says “the mason” no numbers or letters for identifying the year. It has the Boyd’s porcelain with cross lid.
    I’m hoping you could help me with circa date….
    Thanks,
    Carolann Duree

    1. Hi Carolann,
      There are a couple types of jars known with that marking. If possible, please scroll through and check out my responses to two previous posts/enquiries in the COMMENTS sections of this site, including one posted under the WELCOME PAGE, by Heather S. on June 16, 2016, and another one on the MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858 Jars page, posted by Hannah on June 10, 2018. Hope this helps!
      David

  11. I have an aqua pint perfect mason jar with either a backwards number “9” or a small letter “d”. Can you verify which it is or if it even something else? Thanks so much, Pam

    1. Pamela, Many of the Ball Perfect Mason jars are marked with the mold number “9” on the bottom, although the number is often VERY crudely drawn, and there are many minor variations seen in it’s exact shape, as the number appears on different jars. Keep in mind that the number was actually engraved backward into the inside of the mold or mold cavity, with a small hammer and chisel, and the mold engraver often worked in hot, uncomfortable circumstances, and in a hurry, being under pressure to get the job done as quickly as possible. So there are many jars in which the “9” or the “6” is very sloppily done, and does look something like a crude ‘b” or “c” or “d” or even sometimes resembling a bass clef or half note in printed music. Hope this helps!
      David

  12. Hi.
    I was just wondering if you know if the ‘Ball’ logo has had it’s copyright expired? I just do simple crafts but do sell some and would like to use that logo.

    Thanks very much for your time.
    Ruth

  13. I have a patent Nov. 30th 1858 mason jar but am having a hard time finding the manufacturers letters (symbols). It looks like BKS Company.

    1. Jolene, I don’t know about any such marking. I tried sending you an email so you could send me a pic, but got a “mailer daemon” notice that your address was invalid.
      David

  14. 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?

    1. 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

    1. 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

  15. 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?

    1. 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

  16. 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?

  17. 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

  18. 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?

  19. 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

  20. 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

    1. 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

  21. 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?

    1. 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

  22. 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

    1. 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

  23. David, My Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 jar has the letters D242 on the bottom. Would this be an authentic jar? Thank you!

    1. 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

    1. 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

  24. 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

    1. 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]

  25. 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 ??

  26. 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.

  27. I have a light green tinted mason jar with Nov 30th 1858
    Back of jar has N.C.L. Co.
    Is it original?

    1. 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

  28. 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.

    1. 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

  29. Hi my jar only has the year 1858 not the month and day, has plenty bubbles and 1 on bottom, please help

  30. 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.

    1. 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

  31. 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.

    1. 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

  32. 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!

    1. 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

  33. 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?

    1. 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

  34. 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.

    1. 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

  35. 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

    1. 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

  36. 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.

    1. 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

  37. 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😊

    1. 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

  38. 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!

    1. 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

  39. 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!

    1. 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.

    2. 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

  40. 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!!

    1. 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

  41. 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

    1. 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

  42. 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

    1. 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

    1. 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

  43. 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

    1. 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

  44. 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?

  45. 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.

    1. 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

  46. 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.

    1. 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

  47. 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

    1. 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

  48. Greetings, I am trying to find some information about my Masons Patent Nov 30th 1858. Between Masons and Patent there are two C’s an F and J. There is a small circle maybe a period lined up with the center of the C’s The base has H86 on it. If anyone has any information I would be grateful.

    1. Brian, you have one of the many “Consolidated Fruit Jar Company” (New Brunswick, NJ – 1871-circa 1880s or later) NOV 30TH 1858 type jars. There are many base mold number/letters known. The jar type is classed as #1920 in the “Red Book” fruit jar guide. You might be able to find more info using keywords on google such as “CFJCO” “jar” and “1920”. The type has been found in a number of colors but the most common jars are in some shade of light aqua.
      David

  49. I have a 1858 patent nov 30 Amber jar with no marks on bottom but on the back , it has a symbol that has 4 sides, picture a four leaf clover except it doesn’t look like a clover. I intend to purchase a reference guide but until then, any help would be appreappreciated

    1. Hi Robin,
      That’s an example of one of the Hero Fruit Jar Company/Works jars, with the “MALTESE CROSS” marking. Many varieties were made. Sometimes the cross was on the reverse, and sometimes on the front, placed either above or below the word MASON’S. You might try searching the internet with “Hero Fruit Jar Company” and “Maltese Cross” jars.
      David

  50. Hi I have a quart “Masons Patent” jar that is bluish green. It does not say 1858 on it just “Masons Patent” it has a shoulder seal and a zinc lid. I’m puzzled because all the similar jars I can find have November 30 1858. Is this jar possibly a reproduction or is there a reason it would just say Mason’s Patent?

    Thank you,
    Michelle

    1. Michelle, there are several slightly different old jar variants with those words, but not the 1858 date. The variants are highly confusing, but some info might be found by consulting a recent edition of the “RED BOOK”, a price guide used by antique fruit jar collectors. I don’t think you have a reproduction.
      Best regards, David

  51. David, I too have A Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 half gallon jar. It is 9″ and has the CFJ embossed on the back. What is odd, is when I look on the bottom, there is a big D. (and backwards numbers) So, When I look down in the bottle, the numbers are readable, 052. I have looked at a lot of resources, and I can’t find what these markings on the bottom mean. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you in advance! Kathi Groh Erie, Pa.

    1. Kathi, I don’t have any info on your particular jar, but keep in mind that many molds were used over a long period of time, and a variety of numbers and/or letters were used as mold identification. Sometimes the characters might appear backwards.
      David

  52. I have seen jars that just say mason on them, nothing else. What can you tell me about them?

    1. There have been several styles of jars with just the word “MASON” on them, made over a long period of time. I cannot give you any more info without seeing a picture of the one you have. Please check the bottom right of any page for my email.
      ~David

  53. have a very large clear mason jar with november 30th 1858 on one side an eagle with three upper stars and four lower stars on the other side and on the bottom looks like a snake kind of hidden any ideas thanks

    1. I don’t know, but it may be one of the 3 or 4-gallon pickle jar repros, made as souvenirs.
      David
      [Edited April 1, 2021: For more information on these large jars, please see my reply to Julie A. Craft who posted March 29, 2021, asking about a similar jar]

  54. I have a clear pint MASON’S PATENT 1858, however, it does NOT have “Nov. 30th”. Is this common? I have only found a few similar images, although they are aqua, not clear. Any input will be greatly appreciated!

    1. Karen, your jar is a variant that is considered fairly common. It is listed as #1766 in the “Red Book” used by fruit jar collectors. The jars were made by several glass companies including Ball Bros, and date after 1902. They are found in several sizes and in both aqua and clear.
      Hope this helps,
      David

      1. I really do appreciate your taking the time to so graciously offer your knowledge regarding my mason jar. Thank you David.
        Sincerely
        Karen

  55. I have a 5 gal Mason’s patent Nov. 30th 1858 that is Aqua in color and has scratches on the base and has no numbers on the bottom and I found it buried half way in the ground at an old cabin! The glass as said before is Aqua and very thick with some bubbles and raised flaws on the inside. What do I have? Is it old?

    1. Jay, it might be a large “institutional size” pickle jar, sometimes used as a display jar in old general stores. I don’t know when it was made, as the general type was made for many years, and newer “repros” have been produced in more recent years, from the 1960s or 1970s and later.
      David

      1. Thanks in Advance for any help i have a blue half gallon jar with lid. It has the Nov 30th 1858 and has the rough mold seams but mine has roman numerals :VII on the bottom… Any help??? Thanks again Clint and Wendi from Dusty Treasures….

        1. The “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” jars are found with many different mold identifying marks on the base, including letters, numbers, and geometic shapes. I do not know who made your jar. And I don’t think there is any information available that would pinpoint the maker.
          David

  56. I have a bottle like you have pictured but on the bottom of mine it has no lettering. It has 5 dots in a square with the 5th dot in the middle of the 4. Depending on how you are holding it, it looks like there is a curved line coming from the dot on the bottom right corner of the square of dots going across to the left and then down. Both sides have raised seams. Just wondering if you could tell by that marking what date it was made. Thanks.

    1. Pam, the “PAT NOV 30TH 1858” style jars are found with many kinds of base markings…… numbers, letters, bumps, raised dots, lines, etc. There is not a way to know the exact age from most of those marks. Sorry,
      David

  57. The jar I found has the correct patent date in raised lettering, bubbles in I the glass, it has a grayish tint seams on either side and I think a ground lip. No markings on the bottom, but it is a pedistal “glass” fluted top no threading.

  58. I have a Mason’s jar with the cross…faint F, J, G and H. Patent Nov. 30 th 1858 below cross. On the bottom is embossed: Pat Nov 2667. Looks to be a “O C” or “OG”. The lip inside of the Ball zinc lid is very rough. Any idea if this is a fake or original?

    1. JoAnne, yes it is an authentic, old fruit jar, NOT a modern repro. The letters in the “arms’ of the cross are supposed to be “H F J CO” which stands for “Hero Fruit Jar Company”. Many of those jars exist, and the base is usually marked with a mold number(s) or letter(s) and the patent date of November 26, 1867. The jars were made over a long period of time, from 1867 to (possibly) the mid or late 1890s.
      David

      1. Hi David, do you have a source for the manufacture dates you provided in your response to JoAnne above? I have just the base of what appears to be a Mason or fruit jar and it has the same “PAT NOV 26 67” mark. There a appears to be a mark in the center that says “L3” but it is difficult to tell exactly.

        1. Hi Kyle,
          My date range of “1867 to the mid-late 1890s” is my own imprecise estimate covering ALL the Hero (and related) jar variations (of which there are many) which are marked with “PAT NOV 26 67” on the bottom of the jar. To be more exact (and an answer that would have been better for the particular jar JoAnne was asking about) jars which are ALSO marked with the Hero “Maltese Cross” containing the initials H F J CO in the “arms” of the cross, probably date from a somewhat later range, circa 1884-1900 or so. These are “guesstimates”. That range is given in Bill Lockhart’s extensive and detailed article here: https://sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/Hero.pdf
          Since you don’t have the entire jar, we can’t be sure if it was a jar with an unlettered cross or a lettered cross, so I feel comfortable in giving the more widely encompassing “1867 to circa 1900” date range. And for all we know, it is possible some jar molds were used past 1900, since at least 13 different glass companies manufactured the Hero jars over a long time span. The “L3” is a mold identifier, and, as far as I know, we cannot identify any particular glass factory as a source for that particular jar. Hope this makes some kind of sense!
          David

  59. I have a NOV. 30 TH 1858 with the Maltese cross above Mason’s. The bottom has 67 PAT NOV 26 with a number 255. The 255 is embossed twice as well as the NO & AT. Is there any info on the errors ?

    1. Sandra, many old jars and bottles have “ghost embossing” which is a much fainter “repeat” of the main lettering, usually just in part. It occurs during hand-blowing of the molten glass into the mold during the manufacture of the bottle. The jar was made by Hero Fruit Jar Company.
      David

  60. Hi, David. I found a cobalt blue fruit jar in an antique mall. I had never seen one in that color, so I purchased it. I did some research into it, and I’m trying to find out if it is a reproduction, or if it is an original. I have looked for lot numbers, and there are none at all. The only markings are the logo that reads, “Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858.” There small bubbles and big waves in the glass. There are also other imperfections in the threads, and the base. I do not have the original lid. Any insight? You’re website and another auction site are the only places I can find any information on the cobalt blue fruit jars.

    1. Audrey, please contact me directly at my email address which is listed at the bottom right of this page. I would like to see a picture of the jar, if possible, and the base. If there is NO base wear whatsoever, and very little or no light scratching visible when held up to a bright light, it is likely a repro. True, original cobalt blue 1858-type jars are very rare. Repros are being made and imported from Asia, and are showing up at flea markets and antique malls around the country. Sometimes the sellers intentionally do not include info on age or origin, and others honestly don’t know they are recent.
      Best regards, David

  61. I have two of the 1858’s. One has the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company emblem with D418 on the bottom. The other has a emblem under the Mason’s that looks like a clay pot or blunt nose arrow with nothing on the bottom.

  62. My “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” has nothing on the bottom, looks light purple or
    pinkish, has swirls and bubbles throughout, has thick seams on both sides, as well as around the bottom. Pretty worn overall. Was wondering if because it has no markings on bottom, indicates it is old or repro. Thank you.

    1. In your case I am sure it is an old one. Some of the older “Nov 30th 1858” Masons were originally made in clear glass and will turn some shade of very light purple (from the manganese in the formula) under continued sunlight. Also, sounds like it has base wear. Many molds for these jars were used over a long period of time, by many glass factories, and so some of the jars will have mold letters or numbers on the bottom, and some do not. Whether or not a jar has a mark of some type (such as a mold number or letter) has no direct correlation with whether it is a repro or an authentic older jar, since both can occur with, or without embossing on the base.
      David

  63. The Ball Masons patent Nov 40th 1858. Bottom of jar 233. Top is rough, seems ground not machine made. Looking to see if authentic.

    1. Janine, many of these jars were made over a long period of time (circa 1858 to about 1912) and they often have a mold number on the base, either one, two or three digits. The older types have a “ground lip” and the more recently made types may have a “smooth lip”.
      ~David

  64. My neighbor unearthed what we think is a lid (ground edge) with a small 2 on one sid (inside) and on outer side it says Patent September 24, 1858. Center bump looks worn (from closing bracket?). Mason?

    1. Mary Jo,
      I can’t find any information relating to a fruit jar lid with that patent date embossing. Perhaps it is some other kind of glass product?
      David

  65. Hi! my Jar says Mason’s PATENT Nov 30TH 1858 and on the bottom there is a Triangle with the number 5 in it. any info? THANKS 🙂

    1. Jen, with just a triangle and a number on the base it is difficult or impossible to assign a particular glass factory as the maker of your jar.
      David

  66. Thanks for this article! My wife has an aqua (or very light green) glass Mason jar (Patent Nov. 30th 1858) from her great-grandmother in northwestern Ohio. There are seams on both sides, the lip is rough and on the bottom is XIX. I haven’t seen any mention of the ‘XIX’ – any idea what that might mean?

    1. Hi Paul,
      The XIX is a mold identifying number (probably meant as Roman equivalent of ’19’) and cannot give us any info on glassmaker or exact age. The “PATENT Nov 30TH 1858” fruit jars were made by hundreds of glass companies over more than 50 years, and many, many different molds were utilized. Many of the molds were engraved with various numbers, letters, or combinations thereof. Sorry I don’t have any specific info on that particular mold mark.
      Best regards,
      David

  67. I’ve found a canning jar with a name on it that I’ve never heard of, The name is Reliable, written in cursive,slanted up hill on the right side. Under the name is, HOME CANNING, and under that is MASON. On bottom of jar are the numbers 2 then a dot in the middle (not sitting on the line like a period) then 505.Then in the middle of jar bottom is a hexagon( it has 6 sides) with a P or F in middle of hexagon. Then below that is the number 18. I can’t find any info abt it anywhere. Can you or anybody tell me who made this kind of canning jar.

    1. Hi Ruby,
      This jar is listed as jar #2489 in the reference “The Fruit Jar Works, Volume 2” by Alice Creswick & Howard Creswick (published 1987). The listings (catalog numbers) also appear in the companion volume (and price guide) loosely known as the “REDBOOK” which is updated every few years.
      The jar is described as having been made in the “circa 1940-1950” period. The original glass inserts that came with zinc bands are marked “RELIABLE F MASON” and I assume they are more difficult to find. “F in a hexagon” is one of the marks used by Fairmount Glass Company of Indianapolis, Indiana. Please check out my page on that company.
      On your jar, the “505” is probably a number assigned to that particular mold style or jar design. The “18” is presumably a mold number.
      Hope this helps,
      David

  68. Hi there, I sent a message asking about a jar and I am having a hard time finding the message and the reply. How can I make sure you received it? I have a Mason’s jar and Its an aqua Mason Nov 30th 1858 jar and it has a logo under the word Masons then the word Patent. It is hard to explain what the logo looks like. I am having a hard time finding anything like it. The word Mason’s has a curve to it. It has a number 29 on the bottom of the jar. The lid is a Boyd’s lid it says ” genuine Boyd’s cap for mason jar” I have had the jar for years now and would love some info on it.

    1. Beth, please contact me directly, using the email address at the bottom right of any page on this site. If I can see a pic of the jar and the embossing, perhaps I can come up with specific info for you.
      David

  69. We purchased a mason’s patent nov 30th 1858 jar…lots of air bubbles and swirls in the glass with a heavy seam on each side of the bottle. But the most interesting thing is 4 raised dots on the bottom of the jar???? Can you tell me what those signify and age approximate of the jar???

    1. Eleesha, the dots are presumably mold identification marks (equivalent to letters or digits) and cannot give us any specific info on age or glassmaker. Dots and “bumps” are seen on many older bottles and jars.
      David

  70. Hi,
    I have two Mason Standard antique quart jars. I know they are old as they came from my grandmother’s cellar. Standard is written in script, slanting upwards and Mason, below it, in capital block letters inside a banner type outline also slanting up. They are blue, bubbled & have seams. One has a two on the bottom and the other has a three. I haven’t ever seen any like these and would appreciate anything you could tell me about them.

    1. Lori, your jar type is listed in “The Fruit Jar Works, Volume 1” by Alice Creswick, (and the accompanying “Redbook” guide used by jar collectors) as jar listing #2712. The text, page 200, indicates the jar was made between 1902-1925 POSSIBLY by the Illinois-Pacific Glass Company, San Francisco, CA. (The numbers on the base are mold numbers).
      Your jar is just one of many slightly different “Mason” type jars with the words MASON and/or STANDARD as part of their markings. Thus it can be very confusing to pinpoint exactly which jar type is being discussed. Your precise description helped me to easily differentiate and find that listing in Creswick’s reference book!
      Hope this helps,
      David

  71. I recently bought a mason jar and in just wondering if it is real or a reproduction. It says, Mason’s patent Nov. 30th 1858. It is of a light blueish green color and has a lot of bubbles in the glass. On the bottom the mark looks like a 7 with a line through it or an uppercase L with a line through it, depending on which way you are holding it. Thoughts?

    1. Abbey, in all likelihood it is “real”, meaning it is an older one from sometime in the 1858-1912 time period. From your description of the base marking I suspect it may be a later machine-made production from Ball (circa 1900-1912). The “smooth base” 1858s are machine-made and were made by Ball and other glass companies in the early 1900s. The versions with the “ground lip” (looks as if the top was smoothed off on a grinding wheel) were handmade and (in GENERAL) predate 1900.
      David

  72. Hi Dave, I have a patent jar in the aqua blue as well with a 207 on the bottom? Any idea where this may have been manufactured?

    1. Hi Joe, the numbers on the base of jars with the “MASON’S PATENT NOV 30TH 1858” marking are, as far as is generally understood by the collecting fraternity, MOLD NUMBERS. They merely identified a particular mold in use at the factory. They give us absolutely no information on what company made a particular jar (with the exception of some Hemingray-produced jars, as mentioned in the text). Mold numbers were probably used by HUNDREDS of glass manufacturers that made these jars. So-called “green glass” factories (those making utilitarian containers, not tableware) almost always made some fruit jars as part of their operations, that covering the period of circa 1858 into the 1910s.
      David

  73. I have an old Masons Jar that’s aqua color. Patent November 28, 1858. Number 4 on the bottom. I can’t find anything about it really other than Wikipedia. I located it on the family farm in WV. It even has the lid with the milk glass inside.

    1. Lisa, I assume you meant “Nov 30 1858”. The “4” is a mold number. Many different mold numbers are found on these jars, and they usually don’t give us any information on exactly what glass company made the jar, or when. Please check out my text and the comments section for more info.
      David

  74. Thanks for describing my mason’s jar so well in your article. I have one with the maltase cross with the letters in each arm as mentioned. The bottom of the jar is embossed with ” pat nov. 26 67″ around the edge and the number 86 or 8G double stamped in the middle. The bottle itself looks like it could have been molded in a carved wooden mold.

    1. Thank you, Curtis. All of the “1858” jars were made in iron or steel molds, although the “whittled” look does make them look like they might have been blown in wooden molds. take care,
      David

  75. I have a blue quart mason jar. On the front it says; MASON’S
    PATENT 1858. No month though. On the opposite side it spells Port in cursive. Can you tell me anything about it ? I sure would appreciate your opinion.

    1. Jacqueline,
      Your jar is a type made by Port Glass Company (originally located in Muncie, Indiana 1890-1902) at their second plant in Belleville, Illinois (1902-1904). The Port plant at Belleville was purchased by Ball Brothers Glass Company in 1904 who continued to operate it until 1910 when it was closed. Your jar is listed as jar #1767 in the “Redbook” price guide used by jar collectors. This info is from Alice Creswick’s “The Fruit Jar Works” and Dick Roller’s “The Standard Fruit Jar Reference”. Both are very comprehensive books with good background info on many jars and companies. The books are hard to find, out of print, and rather expensive when they are available.
      Hope this helps~
      ~David

  76. David,

    I recently came across a fruit jar that says “the mason jar of 1872”. It has the original glass lid that has patented September 24 1872. I tried researching it online but came across no information. Do you know anything about this jar?

    Thank you,

    Jess

    1. Hi Jess,
      Several different variants of the jars marked “The Mason Jar of 1872” were made by Whitney Bros, later Whitney Glass Works, of Glassboro, New Jersey, dating from 1871 up to around 1900. If the base of your jar is completely unmarked, you probably have the earliest version, which is listed as #1749 in the “Redbook” used by jar collectors. Info from Alice Creswick’s “The Fruit Jar Works, Volume 1” (1995), pages 125-126.
      ~David

  77. Hi David! My girlfriend and I were at Renningers flea market and came across an unusual mason jar. It’s November 30th edition 1858. But it has an unusual marking symbol under the Mason name. The symbol is with an F, J and C all joing together. Also has the markings on the bottom J. II9 with a line under the “II”. Cant seem to find much on this jar. Was wanting to know if you could help out. Thank you.

    1. David, your jar was made for the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company, New Brunswick, NJ with sales offices in New York, in business from around 1871 into the 1880s or possibly later. Consolidated seems to have been a distributor (rather than an actual glassmaker) and they had huge numbers of jars made for them by many glass companies over several decades (basically, a subcontracting arrangement). The “C F J CO” monogram is seen on several varieties of “Nov 30th 1858 type” jars, usually with the monogram placed immediately below the word MASON’S, and sometimes embossed on the back of the jar. Your variety is listed as #1920 in the “Redbook” guide used by jar collectors.
      ~David

  78. Hello i purchased a dark purple Masons Improved jar it has F.260 on the bottom of it I don’t think it a reproduction but someone told me it is can you help me.

    1. Patrick, if you wish, you can email me a pic of the jar and of the base to my email address which is listed on the bottom right hand corner of any page on this site. I suspect it is an irradiated jar, or a modern repro, but I would like to see a pic of it, if possible.
      Best regards,
      David

  79. Hi – I have a Mason’s Patent Nov 30th 1858 with an A5 on the bottom. Any ideas how old it may be? I found it along with 40 other different mason jars when we tore down an old house.

    1. Sandra, many molds were used by hundreds of glass factories to produce the Nov 30th 1858 jars (over a period of 50+ years) and many of those molds were marked with mold identification numbers or letters on the base. In the great majority of cases, it is not possible to find the year of manufacture.
      David

  80. I have a jar with “Mason”patented November 30th 1880 the number on the bottom 75. This bottle has a lot of oblong air bubbles in it. I have not been able to find any information on this jar

    1. Hi Patrick, See my reply I posted today on a similar jar, in answer to a post by Ellen. Your jar has a “75” mold number on it, and hers has the number “72”. They were both presumably made in the early 1880s.
      David

  81. I recent bought a clear half gallon canning jar that says “”Mason” Patent Nov. 30th 1880″ – not 1858 and I have not been able to find anything about this jar online or find one like it for sale anywhere. Can you tell me anything about it? There are no other markings on the jar except for the number 72 on bottom. Thank you

    1. Hi Ellen,
      Although at first glance, this jar might seem to be an “Error Jar”, this was referring to an actual patent awarded on November 30th, 1880. The patent was relating to a milkglass “Immerser lid” which originally came with the jar. There are two jar variants listed in the official fruit jar collectors’ “REDBOOK”, they are listed as jars numbered #2130 and 2131. The jar number 2131 has “quotation marks” on both sides of the word “MASON”, otherwise they are similar. I do not have info on rarity or current values. I would suggest you try posting a query in the Fruit Jars discussion forums at the antique-bottles.net site. A lot of good, in-depth information is posted on that site.
      Best regards,
      David

  82. I’ve inherited a 6 cup Ball Special, made in U.S.A. har which has a zinc lid with glass center which has PAT RE.17562 in raised capital letters across the center of the glass. (There is the number 13 above the Pat # at about 11 o’clock, “13”. Could someone help me to better understand what I have inherited? I do not know if this was my mother’s who was born in 1928, or from her mother? Very curious, and would like to know!

  83. I have a nov 30 “ht” 1885 I’ve hade it since the 70’s bought it in a box lot at a farm auction. Have not been able to find any others with ht not th

    1. Hi Barbara,
      I am assuming you meant to write “1858”, correct? If so, your jar variant is listed as catalog #1820 in the “Redbook” of antique fruit jars used by jar collectors. There is also a jar with the error date “1885” but the “TH” is correctly embossed. That jar is listed as #1829.
      Hope this helps,
      David

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