# I am Looking for examples of Wax Sealers and Masons



## stormysouth (Aug 7, 2008)

Hi All! I have a new obsession. (Like I need another) I found the slag dump for WCD (W.C. DePauw) / Star Glass / New Albany Glass Works / DePauw's American Glass Works. 1869 - 1896(?) maybe 1893 this weekend. One of the many things they made are Wax Sealers and Masons Patent and Masons Nov 30 1858. They may be embossed with W.C.D. on the base. Some of the wax sealers have New Albany Glass Works on them. If anyone one has any no matter if they are damaged or not let me know, please. If you are not interested in selling but would share pictures and or any history you have I would appreciate it. Tony & I are putting together a book of the the New Albany, IN Glass Companies. We have located a few of the original building still standing and I will try to get permission to go inside and tour. I have collected awesome shards and incredible pieces of slag in the most amazing colors. I will do my best to get pictures ASAP of the wonderful artifacts we have collected. This is really an important project for us. Please help. Thew also made various other bottles some have a 5 point star embossed on the bottom.

 Thank-you so much in advance for any help, knowledge, pictures, sales, etc....

 Lisa


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## Road Dog (Aug 7, 2008)

Some of the Millville Jars had stars on the bottom. Is that the same one? It's a six pointed star though.


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## stormysouth (Aug 7, 2008)

This is what the star looks like.





 I have not come across any fruit jar reference mentioning Milleville. Mostly it was W.C.D. on the base. I have found shards of both the wax sealers as well as the Mason. Some of the Masons had an 1861 patent date on them and some had crosses on them. I will get the pieces out tonight and try to get some good pictures. The pieces of wax sealers that I found are really diverse colors. It is really exciting. Thank-you.


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## appliedlips (Aug 7, 2008)

That sounds like a very fun and important project.If you know Greg Spurgeon,I am sure he can provide a ton of help.You can find him online at North American Glass auctions.He knows his jars,especially Indiana stuff. I will try and dig out some of the few that I have sometime soon.I think I only have a couple unembossed jars base marked with the star.Good luck with your new obsession.Keep us posted.


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## stormysouth (Aug 11, 2008)

Took a few pictures this weekend, need to get more. I have many shards with the cross on it. Here's a pic. Also this one had a lot of little amber streaks in it. I am finding that to be very common on a lot of the shards I find here.


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## stormysouth (Aug 11, 2008)

Here is some of the slag. A lot of wonderful colors!


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## stormysouth (Aug 11, 2008)

More...


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## darrellp (Aug 26, 2008)

Not interested in selling, but you can see a picture of my HG amber Star Glass Co., New Albany jar here:

http://www.darrellplank.com/jars/Individual%20Jar%20Pages/HG%20Star%20Glass%20Co.aspx

 Darrell


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## stormysouth (Aug 27, 2008)

Thanks Darrell. That is a beauty. Does it have the star on the bottom?


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## darrellp (Oct 15, 2008)

Sorry for taking so long - didn't see your reply/question.  Has a big "+" that stretches almost the width of the jar in both directions.

 Darrell


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## stormysouth (Oct 15, 2008)

Thanks for the reply. The big + on the bottom has me perplexed. If it is not asking too much, when you have time could you please post a picture of the bottom? I truly appreciate it. The Star facility has an incredible history although very short lived. That old river bank is probably my favorite spot on earth. As insane as it sounds, It speaks to me. Not in words... it just is so rich in history, mystery, and beauty.


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## capsoda (Oct 15, 2008)

Hey Lisa, Is that the river bank that you were walkin that first brought you here? Alot has happened since then. Glad to see you are still at it and going strong.


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## stormysouth (Oct 15, 2008)

Cap,

 Yep. That's the one. My little piece of heaven. (Well I don't actually own it, but it's mine none the less.) The river is way down. It's awesome. I have an incredible sinker collection going. Lures, stainless hooks, what ever I find. I just love that old river. I only get to go a once a week. I'm looking forward to the football season ending. My 87 adopted sons take up an awful lot of time. This time of the year my stump gets really grumpy, too. We went last night for a couple of hours an only walked about 3 1/2 miles. Does your stump get ouchy seasonally? Oh well the life of a pegger... We haven't found any wonderful bottles. Lots of shards. Unbelievable stoneware pieces. Nothing whole. That's okay tomorrow's a new day. 

 I hope all is well with you and yours.


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## darrellp (Nov 9, 2008)

Yeah, I'll try to get a pic, but it's pretty much just what I said - just a + all the way across the bottom.


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## Road Dog (Jan 30, 2009)

Spring 2005 "Bottles and Extras" had a little blurb on Star Glass.


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## RED Matthews (Jan 30, 2009)

Hello stormysouth;  The top of a Mason Jar you pictured is a metal ring CT - continuous thread jar.  I will keep watch of your thread,  I have several wax seal canning jars and have always been interested in how they were made.  Some had applied wax rings, some later ones had them formed - and I will try to put together some reference material for you.
 RED Matthews


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## capsoda (Jan 30, 2009)

Yep my stump gives me hell once in a while. This year has been tough with the weather changing every day. Some days I wake up in the morning and it is swollen and it is tough to put my leg on but I manage. How is everyone doing up your way. Things are going pretty good down here.


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## stormysouth (Jan 31, 2009)

Hey Red! I appreciate the reply. I look forward to hearing more from you in regards to the wax sealers. I collected several dozen broken examples of a little bit of the neck with lips. They are buried in the garage. They are really cool. Alot og crooked gloppy applied glass. I came across serveral pieces that didn't have the ring applied to it. I apologize if my terminology (and spelling) are not quite perfect. If you like I can dig them out in the next few days and post some pictures. It is supposed to warm up in the next couple days. The particular site is truly incredible. I can't wait for spring so we can get back to the river.


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## stormysouth (Jan 31, 2009)

Hey Cap... I feel your pain. The weather this year so far has been too drastic. Not friendly stubbie weather at all. We just had that nasty ice storm. Electric was out for a while. Everybody is okay up here. Stubbie is a little grumpy. (I named my stump. Sometimes it feels like she is her own little person. Or should I dictator.) Got to have a sense of humor when you are a leg carrying member of the pegger club! I'm glad things are well down your way. I thought of your better half the other day when I picked up a cute little cobalt Bromo-Cedin "For Headaches" Bottle at the local flea circus for a dollar. It was so cute and looked far to dignified to have to live on a shelf next to a common vicks bottle. I had to give it a good home. I'll post some pics of my little treasures later today.


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## stormysouth (Jan 31, 2009)

Road Dog,

 Thanks for the lead on the info.

 Lisa


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## RED Matthews (Jan 31, 2009)

For darrellp,  That big + is on my list of makers marks.  I don't have it indexed to any particular bottles or glass houses.  I have two different Case Gins with the big +,  I also have a Saratoga M/W with a one inch +.   Do you think yours is a Starr Glass Jar?  I will watch for the picture.  RED Mattews


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## stormysouth (Feb 1, 2009)

Red...I'll dig the glass pieces out of the garage today. There was a lot of bottoms, also. I don't remember any with the big plus on the bottom. Most were post New Albany Glass works. They come from the WCD (DePauw) era. John B. Ford started the Ford, J.B. and sons in about 1865(?). It then became Montgomery Ford & Company. In Feruary of 1867 it became the New Albany Glass Works. It sat by the river and took up the blocks of from 9th - 13th street. In 1873 DePuaw purchased the company. In 1893 it closed. Information on the factory is very hard to find. When I get my tax return I am going to take adds out in the local paper for any history and information I can get.

 Lisa


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## stormysouth (Feb 1, 2009)

I found a few of the bits and pieces from the site. I have more somewhere. I'll keep looking. The different colors they came up with are fantastic. Many of the shards have different swirls.


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## stormysouth (Feb 1, 2009)

The collage I posted was small here is hopefully a little bigger picture of the variuos examples collected.


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