# Kerr jar?



## Robby Raccoon (Apr 17, 2015)

It was cheap, and I was bored. Front: "KERR / GLASS TOP / MASON" Mouth: "H6-44" Lid: "GENUINE PORCELAIN LINED MASON CAP 44" 1944? Any info on it?


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 17, 2015)

The lid. I assume it is original as it shares the "44" with the jar.
I also dug a similar one to a Ball Mason outside of a graveyard. They shattered tombstones even during work and dumped them in a pile near a shard to a bottle that always eludes me. Also, someone dumped actual paintings.


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## botlguy (Apr 17, 2015)

Robert, the zinc lid is not correct for that jar, the correct one is a clear / colorless flat lid, similar to modern metal lids, that is held down by a screw on band. This style was developed after the metal lids because many of the old time canners did not like their fruits and vegetables to come in contact with metal. They believed it gave them a metallic taste. I remember having a specific conversation with Alex Kerr, Jr. about this subject, I used to know all the details of that conversion.         Jim


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 17, 2015)

Thank you for the information, Jim. But does the 44 mean 1944? Kerr is still around, if I recall. Must be interesting talking to him. I assume his father started the company? Wasn't it in the 1910s?


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## botlguy (Apr 17, 2015)

Alex Sr. started the company in I believe 1903. I know it was before the 1906 San Francisco earthquake / fire. I am not very familiar with later jar date codes but I suspect the 44 is 1944. The Kerr name is still used but the company is VERY different than it used to be. There are online history sites available, I knew Alex Jr. in the 1960s and 80s. I lived in Santa Ana, California in those days, next door to Ray Gentry the Quality Control Manager at the Kerr plant in Santa Ana, and we had a Fruit Jar Collectors Club in those days. Alex had the best collection and was a terrifically nice person. I've written up the story of the making if the 65th Anniversary jars, it is in our archives somewhere I believe.


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 17, 2015)

That's pretty awesome, Jim. Good neighbor to have, and good story to write.


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## jarsnstuff (Apr 18, 2015)

The Kerr Glass Top Mason was made during WWII, so the 44 would be 1944.  It took a glass insert embossed Kerr with a metal screw band.  When I get home I can post a photo.  -Tammy


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## cowseatmaize (Apr 18, 2015)

Here's the story I heard.They were a dual market jar during the war and metal shortages especially. For the military the metal bands were allowed and worked fine but for home use the threaded glass lids alone failed miserably (failed miserably?, shouldn't that be failed very well).[] Anyway the whole idea was discontinued after the war with new developments.


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 18, 2015)

Tammy, Eric, this is more interesting than I had anticipated. Lol. Thanks for the posts.


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## jarsnstuff (Apr 22, 2015)

Here is my set of 3 Kerr Glass Top Masons.  I probably have some extra glass inserts around here somewhere if you're interested.  -Tammy


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 22, 2015)

Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass. I only picked it up as it was cheap and I curious. As I highly doubt it holds any value, I'll likely throw it into a yard sale for a few bucks this summer. Many bottles to sell as well. 
I got another jar for free along with numerous bottles-- I'll likely post this weekend, as I have much research to do as well as finish highlighting the 'good' ones and cleaning them up. There will be a Ball jar that I assume is early 1900s, smooth-top, no lid. There will also be other jars, including an apple green one and a aqua one I haven't seen before (nothing to get excited on, mind you; the green one is only by miracle still intact.) The small jar is very cute! Do the metal bands say anything?
Thanks for the pic!


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## jarsnstuff (Apr 22, 2015)

The metal bands are plain, gold lacquered, and the deeper bands that are used with glass inserts.


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 22, 2015)

jarsnstuff said:
			
		

> ....gold lacquered, and the deeper bands that are used with glass inserts.



I'm afraid I do not understand either of the last two parts. 
Lacquered as in? 
Deeper bands?


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## jarsnstuff (Apr 23, 2015)

Hi Robert, "gold lacquered" is just the shiny gold colored finish on the bands when they're new.  After 50 or 60 years, you may see some of the remnants of the original finish.  "deeper band" is the width of the band to accomodate the additional depth of a glass insert instead of a flat metal one.  In the photo, the band on the left is for glass inserts, one on the right is for flat metal inserts.  They both retain a little of the gold colored finish.


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## Robby Raccoon (Apr 23, 2015)

Thank you for clarifying.


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