Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Show Me Your Balls Challenge

There is a chart floating around Facebook that shows Ball canning jars logos over the years.  I thought it would be fun to see when some of my jars were from.  Based on that chart, it looks like the jars I have sitting on the counter waiting for me to decide what to do with because they are too chipped for canning were made sometime between 1923 and 1933!  The jars I borrowed from my mom and a few of mine, as demonstrated by the middle rubbing, were probably made in my lifetime, sometime since 1975, as evidenced by the registered trademark symbol.  Most of my jars were from sometime between 1960 and 1975 though!  I guess some canning granny stopped canning or something and that's how I got them off Freecycle, because they've clearly been around the block a few times!

I didn't go through all my jars, since I didn't want to dig them all out, so I might find jars from other eras as we eat up our homecanned goodies.  I'll definitely be comparing them to this chart:
whenever I come across any jars that look different to see when they were from though!  Canning jars certainly are a lot more interesting (and environmental friendly) and thrifty than one time use cans from the store!  Every jar is a little piece of history in a way.

So here's the challenge:  If you have any canning jars around, check them out and see when they are from.  Even if you don't, but know someone else that does can, print the chart out and take it with you to see what part of history they're canning from.  Either do a crayon rubbing like I did and post it somewhere on the internet to share and post a link, or just post the dates you have as a comment, but I really hope to see lots of rubbings so I can be more connected to that piece of history as well.

6 comments:

  1. I can't reach my oldest ones.LOL They are decorating the tops of my kitchen cabinets.

    However the oldest seem to be from 1910-1923.I have many from 1923-1933 as well.

    Some of mine that I still use for canning were made in the 1960-1975 range.

    It would be interesting to see how old some of the other brands are that I have,but the guidebook was $40.00....can't swing that right now. :)

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    1. Would the library have the guidebook? If not, you might be able to request they purchase it.

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  2. I'll have to do this later....need to remember where I put the straight sided one that can be frozen in (.99 at Savers)....I've been stalking the thrift stores and picking up reasonably priced oddities such as the freezer one and some bale top jars in mint condition.

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  3. I know I have a couple of the 1923 - 1933 ones. I also have a handful of Star Mason Jars and old Atlas jars!! ;) LOVE!

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  4. I found only two old (1923-33) Ball jars but like Anisa I have several Atlas, Kerr and other brands too.

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  5. I linked up to this post. The jar that I know where is in the 1910-1923 range. It's in good shape too.

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