Antique Canning Jars

Do you have antique canning jars you are thinking of selling and wondering the value of old canning jars? Maybe you love the jars from back when your grandparents used to can foods at home and would like your own set. Whatever the reason may be, this post will help you figure out what is a good price for them, whether buying or selling. If you are a collector, the authoritive guide on canning jars is a book called 1000 Fruit Jars and can be very helpful in identifying the characteristics that help make some jars valuable and rare.

First things first, probably the best place to check the prices and find others selling antique canning jars is ebay, and so below you can see all the latest listings for them:

Now, whether you are selling or buying antique Mason jars, it helps to know a bit about the history as well as what distinguishing features exist to help you determine exactly what you have or what you are getting.

The very first Mason jar was created by John Mason in 1858. Many jars have the embossing of the year 1858, but this refers to the year of the patent, not the actual year it was manufactured. Most of these were produced between then and the early 1900′s. The actual manufacturer who made these various jars is considered to be unknown, though there are some speculations.

The actual value will greatly depend on the coloring, embossing, and size of the jar, as well as if the age of the jar can be accurately proven.

Some people looking for antique canning jars may also be interested in learning about the style of jars that are called lightning jars – these are the ones which come with glass lids and have metal clamps on the side, which was invented somewhere around the year 1885 and made primarily in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Folklore is that jars that have the number 13 on them are worth more because 13 is an unlucky number and therefore rarer since people were more likely to throw them away, however this is only a rumor and does not have any evidence to prove it.

Jars that have an unusual shape may also be worth more, as these types were also rarer. Square jars for this reason are typically worth more.

Jars that were hand blown are usually the oldest and of course the most rare, since they were not mass produced in a factory. You can often identify a hand blown jar if it has a marking on it usually called a pontil scar that is usually a ring or indentation at the bottom of the job which is where the glass blower would have used a rod to hold it. You can also sometimes identify the age of the jar based on the seam of the glass, since it will show if a mold was used, and if it was machine made or hand blown.

Clear jars that are purple are typically older than World War II due to chemical supply shortages. The jar whether it has rough or jagged edges or grips can also help you identify the age of the jar.

It can be really hard for many people who do not know everything there is to know about these jars to really know the true value, so if in doubt of when a jar was made and its actual age and whether it is common or rare, your best best is to either go with a trusted appraiser who can give you an estimated value for an item, or consult a helpful book like 1000 Fruit Jars, which not only gives you a description and illustration of each jar ever to be made, but also offers the selling price for 2007. While the selling price may be outdated, it is still a great starting reference to begin with to learn what kind of canning jars you have and what you can expect to pay for them if you wish to buy them and what to sell them for if you are looking to sell.

Click Here for 1000 Fruit Jars