# Tiny Ball Jar... Is It the Real Deal?



## GlassKitTin (May 5, 2020)

Very excited to post this find from about a month ago. Found it in a creek near some big broken crocks while hiking. It was packed clear full of mud, but I got it cleaned up nicely and started looking it up. I think it’s a little Salesman Sample from what I’ve seen, but I’m also worried it’s just a salt shaker or some little reproduction that looks like the real old one.

It stands roughly 2 inches from bottom to top, and is a little bigger around than a quarter on the base. There’s a little 4 embossed on the base it looks like and Ball Perfect Mason embossed on the front. There are seams on the sides also.

So is it for real? My mother-in-law wants to nab it either way... But I think I want it for myself, lol!


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## shotdwn (May 5, 2020)

It is one jar from a salt and pepper shaker set. Ball first started making them in the 30's. The also made a square shaped shaker jar as part of some sets.


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## GlassKitTin (May 5, 2020)

shotdwn said:


> It is one jar from a salt and pepper shaker set. Ball first started making them in the 30's. The also made a square shaped shaker jar as part of some sets.




Ack! Your screen name perfectly says how I feel now, lol. Shot down. Oh well, not quite what I thought I had, but still cool I suppose! So you think it’s still possibly from the 30s though? I just googled up some examples and yep, sure looks like that’s what I got, though admitting it and the Salesman Sample on google look pretty dang same as long as you’re not counting the lids, at least to my very untrained eye.
Thanks much for responding though! At least I feel a bit better about letting the mom-in-law have it now anyway... Lol!


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## Catcat16 (May 5, 2020)

GlassKitTin said:


> Very excited to post this find from about a month ago. Found it in a creek near some big broken crocks while hiking. It was packed clear full of mud, but I got it cleaned up nicely and started looking it up. I think it’s a little Salesman Sample from what I’ve seen, but I’m also worried it’s just a salt shaker or some little reproduction that looks like the real old one.
> 
> It stands roughly 2 inches from bottom to top, and is a little bigger around than a quarter on the base. There’s a little 4 embossed on the base it looks like and Ball Perfect Mason embossed on the front. There are seams on the sides also.
> 
> So is it for real? My mother-in-law wants to nab it either way... But I think I want it for myself, lol!



Omg! When I saw this I freaked out and my husband looked over at me and I screamed in a high pitched voice “it’s tiny!!!!!” He of course comes back with “that’s what she said”  lol but I’m so happy to see this exists! I collect mini bottles those are the only ones I refuse to sell so when I saw this I freaked out cause I bet my spot could possibly have this! Thanks so much for sharing your so lucky!


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## PlaneDiggerCam (May 5, 2020)

Catcat16 said:


> Omg! When I saw this I freaked out and my husband looked over at me and I screamed in a high pitched voice “it’s tiny!!!!!” He of course comes back with “that’s what she said”  lol but I’m so happy to see this exists! I collect mini bottles those are the only ones I refuse to sell so when I saw this I freaked out cause I bet my spot could possibly have this! Thanks so much for sharing your so lucky!


Agreed, you are lucky! these small type ball saleseman samples from the 1930s are hard to find. I've always wanted to dig one.


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## Catcat16 (May 5, 2020)

PlaneDiggerCam said:


> Agreed, you are lucky! these small type ball saleseman samples from the 1930s are hard to find. I've always wanted to


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## GlassKitTin (May 5, 2020)

Catcat16 said:


> Omg! When I saw this I freaked out and my husband looked over at me and I screamed in a high pitched voice “it’s tiny!!!!!” He of course comes back with “that’s what she said”  lol but I’m so happy to see this exists! I collect mini bottles those are the only ones I refuse to sell so when I saw this I freaked out cause I bet my spot could possibly have this! Thanks so much for sharing your so lucky!



Ha! That’s great!  I love the tiny bottles too, finding one is like an amazing little experience that such a small fragile thing survived for so long to be found. And also you can collect a lot more in a small space, lol!


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## GlassKitTin (May 5, 2020)

PlaneDiggerCam said:


> Agreed, you are lucky! these small type ball saleseman samples from the 1930s are hard to find. I've always wanted to dig one.


 
I for sure want to go back where that one was with the crock pieces, and see if any other treasure can be found in that creek run!


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## PlaneDiggerCam (May 5, 2020)

GlassKitTin said:


> Ha! That’s great!  I love the tiny bottles too, finding one is like an amazing little experience that such a small fragile thing survived for so long to be found. And also you can collect a lot more in a small space, lol!


Here are some pictires of the many mini bottles I have dug.


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## PlaneDiggerCam (May 5, 2020)

GlassKitTin said:


> I for sure want to go back where that one was with the crock pieces, and see if any other treasure can be found in that creek run!


Go for it!


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## Catcat16 (May 5, 2020)

GlassKitTin said:


> Ha! That’s great!  I love the tiny bottles too, finding one is like an amazing little experience that such a small fragile thing survived for so long to be found. And also you can collect a lot more in a small space, lol!


Yesssss you get me! Haha I collect mini bottles for two reasons. 1 is as you mentioned (the space) and two is because of their size, they aren’t worth nearly enough for how cool they are to me. The excitement of finding them would be ruined by selling them for 1-2 bucks... noooway. Look at this one I JUST found yesterday. It was sitting on top of a spot I previously dug. Must have missed it. You may not be able to tell in the picture but it’s slightly purple and filled with bubbles. This is an example of the best minis I find. I see other people find wayyyyy cooler ones that I couldn’t imagine finding but that’s ok. One day! Oh and I’d love to see some of your collection when you have time!


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## Catcat16 (May 5, 2020)

GlassKitTin said:


> Ha! That’s great!  I love the tiny bottles too, finding one is like an amazing little experience that such a small fragile thing survived for so long to be found. And also you can collect a lot more in a small space, lol!



mph and one more thing. I always think that it’s BECAUSE it’s so small it was able to survive. I say that because I’ll dig certain areas that are nothing but rust and broken glass. Tons and tons of broken glass piles of it where dirt isn’t even present and I’ll end up finding a tiny bottle usually every time. It’s almost as if the person who thru their trash there purposely smashed the glass to get it to fit in the hole better and because of its size the small ones survived. My best guess anyways. It’s rarer to find a broken mini then to find one in great condition. At least where I dig. Thats always so weird to me but that’s the only excuse to make it make sense lol


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## GlassKitTin (May 5, 2020)

They are small but mighty, lol! That slight purple tint in the bottle is cool! I wonder if that’s like how it was originally or like an effect from being underground?
I definitely will take and post more pics of my bottles in the near future. I’ve got a lil box of stuff in the garage just waiting for me to clean it up and make it shine! Also I know I’m gonna have a lot more questions once I get looking at em better, lol.


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## jarsnstuff (May 9, 2020)

The salesman sample jars are exactly the same salt & pepper shaker jars that were found at the Chicago world's fair in 1939.  The only difference being that instead of a solid zinc lid & tiny jar rubber, the jars came with holes punched in the lids.  So, while the Salesman Sample jar regularly sells for $100 plus for one, the S & P shakers sell for about $10 for the pair.   It's all in the lid.


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## GlassKitTin (May 9, 2020)

jarsnstuff said:


> The salesman sample jars are exactly the same salt & pepper shaker jars that were found at the Chicago world's fair in 1939.  The only difference being that instead of a solid zinc lid & tiny jar rubber, the jars came with holes punched in the lids.  So, while the Salesman Sample jar regularly sells for $100 plus for one, the S & P shakers sell for about $10 for the pair.   It's all in the lid.



Thank you for those pictures! Crazy the difference one lil bitty lid can make, huh? Curious though, do you know if the lil solid zinc lids still had the milk glass cap inside them like the larger jar lids did? Just wondering. Thanks again for the info!


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## nhpharm (May 10, 2020)

The lids were not lined.


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## GlassKitTin (May 11, 2020)

Ok thanks! Good to know


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## RNorwood (May 13, 2020)

I found these two The pair Salt and Pepper the other posted as a salesman sample both from the 1930s.


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## RNorwood (May 13, 2020)

I forgot to add the salesman's sample image is from a Worthpoint listing and sold on eBay in 2018 for $85 one sold in 2016 for $125.00.


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## jarsnstuff (May 14, 2020)

RNorwood, please note the S & P jars with the blue & white lids are embossed Ball Mason, not Ball Perfect Mason.  Ball issued these jars starting in 1974.


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## DFW Digger (May 14, 2020)

I found a small one like that with a slit in the zinc lid thought it was a penny or dime childs piggy bank toy. Maybe I should dig it out for closer inspection. Wow. Did they make these as piggy banks?. Thanks


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## jarsnstuff (May 15, 2020)

DFW Digger said:


> I found a small one like that with a slit in the zinc lid thought it was a penny or dime childs piggy bank toy. Maybe I should dig it out for closer inspection. Wow. Did they make these as piggy banks?. Thanks


Ball did not make mini banks, but Atlas did.  Here are a few examples


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