# AMETHYST BALL SURE SEAL



## karenandgordonmyers (Mar 4, 2007)

*WE CANT FIND THIS BALL SURE SEAL IN THE RED FRUIT JAR BOOK *
*ITS 6 3/4 " HIGH*
*COLOR IS AMETHYST*
*IT *HAS A NO*.2 ON THE BOTTOM OF THE JAR AND IT HAS A MATCHING LID THAT ASLO HAS A NO. 2 ON IT *
*IT HAS A LITT*LE LIP ON THE TOP O*F THE JAR IT HAS A SCREW LIP IT DOESNT MATCH ANY IN THE RED FRUIT JAR BOOK *
*IF ANY ONE CA**N HELP JUST EMAIL* US AT karenandgordonmyers@yahoo.com
ANY INFORMATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED 
THANK YOU KAREN AND GORDON MYERS 
DIG AND YOU WILL FIND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## karenandgordonmyers (Mar 4, 2007)

*CLOSE UP OF EMBOSSING*


----------



## karenandgordonmyers (Mar 4, 2007)

*LIP OF THE JAR*


----------



## karenandgordonmyers (Mar 4, 2007)

BOTTOM OF THE JAR


----------



## karenandgordonmyers (Mar 4, 2007)

*UNDERSIDE OF THE LID WHERE THE NO. 2 IS*


----------



## karenandgordonmyers (Mar 4, 2007)

*TOP OF THE MATCHING JAR LID*


----------



## bobclay (Mar 4, 2007)

Hi!

 This is going to be a RB9 #316 or #316-5. It looks like it might have the ghosted 3-L loop, but I can't tell for sure.

 The tiny "threads" on the top of the lip were not meant for any kind of closure. This jar took a full wire bail to secure the glass lid. These tiny threads are called "helices" and can be seen in two types. Jars that have 2 of them and jars that have four of them. These let us know the machine that produced these jars, the E.B. Ball machine as that was a characteristic of jars made on it as having these helices in the finish ring. 

 Hope this helps!  []

 Bob


----------



## bobclay (Mar 5, 2007)

I thought I'd post a closeup pic of what these helices look like. This one is referred to as the "quad helices" because there are four of them. It is thought these tiny threads helped keep the jar secure in the machine as it was being made. Some of the Ball IMPROVED jars (ones made on this machine) also exhibit these helices.






 Bob


----------



## diginit (Mar 12, 2007)

I always thought that those threads were to keep the seal from slipping into the soup when the jar was turned upsidedown. Hence "improved" 
 So what was Improved about Ball jars anyways? 
 Do you think it is sun colored amethyst? or is it pre 1915?


----------



## bobclay (Mar 12, 2007)

Hi diginit,

 Generally, the IMPROVED type jars take a glass insert and zinc band, which supposedly was an improvement over the Mason's patent type jars that took a zinc cap. Some of the first machine made Ball jars were called IMPROVED MASON and the improvement there was being machine made.  

 This SURE SEAL looks like it is a nice Sun Colored Amethyst and is definitely pre 1915, probably between 1910-1912.

 Most people associate the light purple or SCA glass as being pre 1915 because of the Manganese used as a decolorizer makes the glass turn this pleasing lavender color when exposed to the sun for a long period of time. The source of most manganese was Germany, so the start of WWI cut off most supplies. Then Selenium began to be used as a decolorizer. But it is just a general term, not ALL purple or SCA glass is pre 1915. The sources of manganese didn't just dry up over night so we see a lot of glass from the 20s that also turns purple. Jars that contain manganese will turn the super dark purple if irradiated, and also will glow slightly under a blacklight. Jars containing selenium will turn a straw yellow under natural conditions and a yucky smoky brownish amber if irradiated.

 Bob


----------

