I would like to find a half pint blue mason or ball canning jar with glass lid and wire bale. This is for a friend of my for a gift would be willing to pay fair price. Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (bunyard@cnz.com), November 15, 2000

Answers

I wish you luck, for I believe the you are going to have a pretty tough time finding the half pint blue Mason jar.

I am a bit of a jar collector, and I don't have one. I've been in a lot of antique shops in several states and haven't even seen one. Perhaps in this part of the country they just weren't used.

While half pint screw tops aren't rare, they aren't plentiful either. I'm not speaking of the modern jelly jar type half pints, which are.

Again, good luck.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), November 15, 2000.

Sorry, Jack, can't help you with half pints, but I'm curious about blue quarts. Are they worth anything?

-- Cathy Horn in NY (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 16, 2000.

Hi,

I have several pint and quart blue glass jars. I have not seen a half pint either, sounds like its going to be the type of search that is like: "finding a needle in a haystack!" but I hope not for you. As for the value of the jars, I have seen the jars go for 12.00 each for qts and about 8 or so for the pints. Good luck and hope this helps.

Bernice

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), November 16, 2000.

Try eBay for a while. Some 700,000 each auctions open and close on an average day.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 16, 2000.

I'll take a look around my neck of the woods.

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), November 16, 2000.

Thanks so much for all your help I will keep looking . I have never used this board. You guys are all great I will be back for other things I know I love the country and this is the place to come for information. Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (,bunyard@cnz.com), November 16, 2000.

The jars sell for $2-4 here. $4 is for perfect ones with perfect zinc lids.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 16, 2000.

The blue glass bail top canning jars go for as little as a couple of dollars each to nearly $100 depending on the rarity of the jar.

Other jars, such as the Ravenna Glassworks jar from circa 1864, is listed at $800 in a 1977 price guide that I currently have checked out from the library. Certain "Beaver" jars in amber are listed at $350 each.

I purchased my most valuable jars in Madison County Iowa while there looking over the covered bridges. One is a Weir bail top of pottery, and the other is a Mcomb Pottery screw top. I paid less than $15 for each, but have seen them here in Kansas for $65 due to the rarity of them here. Coffee jars are quite collectible, and I have a "Butternut" jar, but do not have a clue as to the value of it.

In the antique shops I see certain bottom numbered Kerr half pints for $40 each. I have two that I purchased for regular Kerr half pint prices.

My most prized jars are those that belonged to my grandmother.

I use the jars I have as cannisters. From flour in wide mouthed gallons to bay leaves in half pints, they are filled with many colorful goods such as cinnamon red hots and brightly colored foil wrapped bouillon cubes.

Jars as collectibles can be fun and a relatively cheap hobby, but you do need a "heads up" as to what you are buying. I typically just buy what I don't already have, paying little for each. I have close to 100 differently marked jars. Many came from garage sales where you typically buy a box of jars for $3 to get just one or two that you want. The others can them be resold to pay for those that you do keep.

Now then, if any of you come across those half pint bail tops, keep me in mind please. greenbeanman@ourtownusa.net

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), November 16, 2000.

e-bay is a good place to start. A gentleman that set up at a local flea market told us the last that we saw him there that he was going to put all his antique jars and bottles up for e auction.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 16, 2000.

I have several of the blue ball mason pint & quart jars with original lids. They were wedding gifts to my grandmother in 1927 and she used them every year until her death in 1987. The sentimental value is much more than any monetary value that could ever be put on them. I'm going to fill them with homemade potpourri and give them to each of my nieces for wedding gifts with a note about where they're from. I have a question: Why don't they make them anymore?

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), November 16, 2000.

I have been looking for an Atlas EZ seal half pint to complete a set, for about 20 years. Have not even found one that I couldn't afford to buy. Lotsa luck! The old style half pints for regular lids and rings are still available at Goodwill stores. I buy these for $.35 each, for gifts of jelly.

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), November 20, 2000.

I also have some of the blue jars and have a few of the smaller ones. I just use them for my everyday canning. I have read that people actually pay "money" for them. Maybe I'll stop giving them away with my peaches and I thought everyone just wanted the peaches !! Have you tried the auction sites...ebay ? Good luck on your hunt !!

-- Helena Di Maio (windyacs@ptdprolog.net), November 21, 2000.