Ball Jar Age Finder

Dating a Ball jar by its logo

Ball changed the script on its jars several times, and collectors use those logo styles as the quickest way to date a jar. The ranges overlap because old molds stayed in use after new ones arrived, so treat the result as an era, not an exact year.

Three things that do not tell you the age

• “Patent Nov 30th 1858”: that is the date of John Landis Mason's patent, and it was embossed on jars for decades afterward.
• The number on the bottom: it identifies the mold, not the year.
• The lid: lids and bands are easily swapped, so judge the glass, not the closure.

For the full walk-through, with glass colors, rare variants and what to collect, read how to date Ball mason jars and what vintage jars to look for.