# Question concerning Midget Mason jars



## junkyard jack (Jun 12, 2009)

Hi. Was wondering if anyone knows when the "Midget" style fruit jars were last produced. Not any particular jar, just that type of jar in general. I'm just curious as to the timeline that these jars were produced & when/why they vanished. There are alot of them out there, so for a brief moment in time they must have been fairly popular with jobbers/canners. Did a certain style of jar replace them or did they just fall from grace in the fruit jar world? Thanks for any input.


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## cyberdigger (Jun 12, 2009)

I bet it had to do with the non-standard lid size.. just like the good old Sony Betamax, driven out of business by VHS


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## LC (Jun 12, 2009)

You have to watch when buying those blasted things , there are reproductions floating around out there .


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## LC (Jun 13, 2009)

The tapered jars with the small lids are the ones I call a midget jar . Will see if I can figure out where mine are , I think they are here in a box in the house . If I can find them, I will take a pic of a couple of them  .


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## cyberdigger (Jun 13, 2009)

..the difference is in the size of the opening / lid part.. "midget" jars take a smaller lid than standard threaded fruit jars.. just learnt that myself a couple weeks ago.. right here on ABN!! []


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## LC (Jun 13, 2009)

Well , I thought I knew right where those midgits were but was unable to locate them . Maybe a forum member who has some will read this post and post a couple of pics of some they have .


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## cyberdigger (Jun 13, 2009)

[&o] ..OK,,,


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## LC (Jun 13, 2009)

The one at left looks like a midgit . What is the diameter of the lid ?


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## cyberdigger (Jun 13, 2009)

it's 2" on top, 2Â½" on the bottom..the lid came from Woody.. THANKS WOODY!!!!!


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## LC (Jun 13, 2009)

That's what I call a midget . All the digging I have done over the years , I never once dug one of them .


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## LC (Jun 13, 2009)

Because of the small opening in the jar , I have always wondered if they were used for specific things like sauces or something to that effect .


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## capsoda (Jun 13, 2009)

Here is a pair. Not the greatest pic.


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## LC (Jun 13, 2009)

They look pretty good to me Cap !


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## cyberdigger (Jun 13, 2009)

They look downright huge in front of that paper border on the wall..[]


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## GuntherHess (Jun 13, 2009)

I dont know the exact date but the midget jars were ended fairly early.
 One of the jar people can probably tell you.
 The lid size would be the reason. They just went to the pints with the normal lids. Then people could use the regular lids and the opening of the jar was bigger. Probably made it easier to make the molds too.


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## cookie (Jun 13, 2009)

A picture of a real nice midget....I tend to agree with Matt..I think these jars were phased out for a cople of reasons...practicality and cost.


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## jarsnstuff (Jun 13, 2009)

Another thought along those same lines...  I've never seen a "real" midget with a smooth lip, so that would make their demise some time before 1900.   Here's a not-so-good photo of our set of 4 Mason's Patents.  The half pint is unembossed.


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## jarsnstuff (Jun 13, 2009)

Sorry, I thought I had a better pic & deleted the one I put in there.  But, I can't find it so here's the lousy photo again.


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## GuntherHess (Jun 13, 2009)

Midgets have lug lids which indicate they are early mason jars.


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## cyberdigger (Jun 13, 2009)

Mine has a big ole number 42 on the base.. if that is at all helpful..[8|]


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## RED Matthews (Jun 13, 2009)

Hi Matt,  I haven't done that much study on the jar world, so I have to ask: What was the purpose of the lug?  It looks like it might have been for the placement of a special tool for sealing torque on the threaded lid.  RED Matthews


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## cyberdigger (Jun 13, 2009)

I've been fondling my lugged lid since Woody sent it to me, and it seems that "special tool" is most likely a human finger.. possibly a thumb..[]


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## junkyard jack (Jun 13, 2009)

A jar wrench would engage against the lug to be used as an aid in loosening up the lid.


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## junkyard jack (Jun 13, 2009)

As far as the Electric jar, was it embossed "Electric", "Trademark Electric" or "Electric Fruit Jar"??? If it's the last one, that's a pretty good jar. []


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## RED Matthews (Jun 14, 2009)

Thanks guys.  I figured it would be a handled circular hook type tool with a foot on the inside to turn the lid either way.  Much like the wrench I use on my water filter cartridge holder.  I just hadn't paid attention to the lugs before.  

 Regarding the half-pint craze - I know that Ball made a lot of them for special annual meetings of management or stock holders.  They also made them for jams and jellies.

 Something I have collected are special bottles made for special peoples retirement from the glass industry they worked in and assisted.  If anyone sees one - pass it buy me!
 Thanks.  RED Matthews


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## jarsnstuff (Jun 15, 2009)

Here's a photo of a couple of wrenches for lugged lids.  The one on the left is for midget jars.


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## GuntherHess (Jun 15, 2009)

Thanks for posting those tools. 
 Do you know about when the midgets and lugged lids died out?


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## RED Matthews (Jun 15, 2009)

Neat to get the pictures of the tools.  They are what is called a Spanner Wrench in the mechanics world today.  Thanks,  RED Matthews


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## jimsears (Jun 15, 2009)

The lugged lids seem to have been phased out around 1890.  Mason jar caps with glass liners had been patented in 1869, and those made under patent are generally found with lugs.  After the patent expired in 1886, several companies began competing to produce cheap caps, and the lug went by the wayside.   The Ball Brothers were among the most successful competitors.  They began cap production in 1886.  A very few lugged Ball Brothers caps are known, and these are highly prized by collectors.  Around 1892 Ball advertised a jar wrench that it hoped people would use instead of the "old-fashioned" lugged caps. 

 The switch from midget to regular mouth pints was probably more gradual than the phasing out of lugged caps, but it began around the same time.  Most companies that began Mason jar production in the 1880s produced some midget pints.  For example, the Mason Fruit Jar Company began producing jars marked with keystone emblems in 1886, and some of its pints are midgets.  A few companies that made Mason jars in the 1890s actually reworked their old midget molds.  (I have midget and regular mouth pints from the Nail City Lantern Company that were made in the same mold.)  However, it is likely that some other companies continued using their old molds to make midgets throughout the 1890s. 

 Jim Sears


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## jimsears (Jun 15, 2009)

One thing I forgot to mention: midget pints remained popular in Canada after they had been phased out in the U.S.  While I am not an expert on Canadian jars, I believe that many of the machine-made Crown midgets date from around 1910.

 Jim


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## woody (Jun 15, 2009)

Why is it that I find lugs running horizontal on the lids and some running vertical???


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## coboltmoon (Jun 15, 2009)

> Why is it that I find lugs running horizontal on the lids and some running vertical???


 
 At one time I ran across the vertical lug info.  I think the vertical is the old of the two but  I am not sure.


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## woody (Jun 15, 2009)

Here is the vertical lug.


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## woody (Jun 15, 2009)

Here is a horizontal lug.


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## GuntherHess (Jun 15, 2009)

Thanks for the enlightening input Jim.


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## jimsears (Jun 16, 2009)

The vertical lug goes back to unlined lids made in the 1860's by the Sheet Metal Screw Company.  Around 1871 the Sheet Metal Screw Company became part of the Consolidated Fruit Jar Company, which was formed to to bring together patents including those for Mason's 1858 jar and Boyd's 1869 glass-lined cap.  Consolidated contracted to have various glass houses blow Mason jars, but it made many of the caps with vertical lugs itself.

 In 1872 the patent office granted Rowley a patent that was nearly identical to Boyd's patent for the lined cap.  Rowley was associated with Hero, which immediately began manufacturing caps with horizontal lugs for use on Porcelain Lined jars.  Once Mason's 1858 patent expired, Hero also made its horizontally lugged cap for Mason jars.  

 Consolidated and Hero engaged in law suits over the conflicting patents, but the two companies eventually agreed to collaborate.  Some later Consolidated caps feature the horizontal style lugs.  The Supreme Court eventually invalidated Rowley's patent, and other companies were free to make lined caps (with or without lugs) once Boyd's patent expired.

 Jim Sears


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## woody (Jun 16, 2009)

The second lid I have listed with the horizontal lug has the Hero Fruit Jar Company, Phila, Pa. porcelain insert with the maltese cross.


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