THE MASON FRUIT JAR~ 

At the age 26, a tinsmith from New York City name John L. Mason invented the term Mason Jar. He perfected a machine that could cut threads into lids, which introduced the ability of manufacturing a jar with a reusable, screw-on lid. These jars freed farming families from having to rely on pickle barrels, root cellars, and smoke houses to get through the winter months. For urban families, Mason Jars allowed excess fruits and vegetables to be preserved for use later.

Historians believe the first jars were made at Crowleytown's Atlantic Glass Works in Crowleytown, New Jersey. These are rare and quite valuable to collectors.

Some jars carry the familiar embossing "Mason's Patent Nov. 30th 1858." This date refers to the original patent date, not the actual manufactured date. Jars carrying this embossing and found with other monograms, numbers, letters, etc. were widely produced until about 1920. Most were produced in the 1880's-1910's. The identities of many actual manufacturers are unknown.

Value depends on embossing, color, and size. Common Mason Jars are worth about $6, but some rarer versions can be worth $100 or more to collectors. The rare colors of most Mason Jars, such as dark cobalt, can reach over $12000. It's also important that the original lid is present; some styles hold 50% of it's jar's value.