how to date your ball jar

 

In 1880, the five Ball brothers used a $200 loan from their uncle to start a business manufacturing tin cans for products such as paint and kerosene. Then, in 1884, the brothers switched to glass home-canning jars and created the household name that we still know and love today. 🥰

Ball jars are classic vintage pieces that add so much class to every room! ✨ Not only are they beautiful as décor, but they are genuine pieces of history that bring so much life to a home. Each is unique in its own way!

Ball jars are one of the MOST sought-after vintage jar brands, which is why we created our Small Batch Candles. 💙 Antiques are our obsession (it IS in our name, after all!). 😉 We want to continue to repurpose beautiful, vintage, and completely one of a kind antique vessels, so we created a collection of these beauties to do just that. Many of the Ball jars available in the Small Batch Candles vary in their production dates. We even have some that are verified as 100+ years old! So, that begs the question: 

HOW DO YOU DATE YOUR BALL JAR? 🧐

 

To answer that, compare the logo of your jar to those on this chart: (from Minnetrista Gathering Place)

You can also use other identifying marks to help date your jar! Phrases such as “IMPROVED,” “PERFECT,” and “IDEAL,” give further clues to find the approximate year that your Ball jar was made.

Some helpful notes to keep in mind:

  1. Not every jar has their manufacture date on the glass, but most have the patent date. However, this date has no relation to the year your jar was made.
  2. There will be a large number on the bottom of your jar. This is the mold number, and unfortunately also has no relation to the manufacture date.
  3. These charts tell you the approximate decade in which your Ball jar was made.
  4. EVERY Ball jar is special, and no matter what decade yours was manufactured, it’ll still look beautiful in your home! 😍😍

 

Shop our Small Batch Candles to snag your vintage Ball Jar - these beauties are actual, REAL repurposed antiques. Each one is hand-poured with love and made-to-order to YOUR specifications! 💙

 

SMALL BATCH CANDLES


59 comments


  • Tasha Oliver

    I have a ball perfect Mason. The ball shows by thus guide to be from 1922 to 1932. By your guide the word perfect stopped being used the year vefor the style for the the word ball. So how do I know what I have?


  • Rachel Harrison

    What is it about canning jars that are so peaceful? Even empty.


  • Rachel Harrison

    My friend gave me a box of his Grandma’s mason jars. Viola was a 101 when she went home. Anyway in the box where 2 quart jars marked Perfect one has a 4 and one a 10 the 10 looks older. I’m truly delighted over Viola’s jars. Rachel


  • Peggy

    Found a 1933-1960 “Ball Perfect Mason” (Perfect Mason in all block letter” could you tell me if it’s worth anything


  • Kathy Haderlie

    I found a jar labeled The Ball Pat Pending with 13 on the bottom, the bottle is blue, with no metal top. They wanted a good price for the bottle as 13 is a rare find. How do I find the year of The Ball jar and history of The Ball jar?


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