# Finds from Auburn show



## jarsnstuff (Dec 4, 2012)

Picked up a couple of jars at the Auburn show this past weekend.  The first is this cute little Golden West Peanut Butter half-pint with original lid:


----------



## jarsnstuff (Dec 4, 2012)

And second is this weird Kerr 65th anniversary jar with a black or grey streak.  Anybody familiar with this one, can only find info on blue or green streaks, or gold painted.  Any enlightenment is appreciated!  -Tammy


----------



## LC (Dec 4, 2012)

Nice jars , I like them both . Especially the peanut butter jar , first one I have seen with embossed peanuts on the jar . Thanks for posting them .


----------



## botlguy (Dec 6, 2012)

I'm very pleased to see that picture of the Kerr Anniversary jar. 

 I am sure I have told the story here on ABN about my participation in the making of these jars. I mentioned that there were some attempts to make amethyst swirled jars along with the Cobalt and Green ones, this verifies the stoty as few people know they exist.

 What you have there is FAR, FAR rarer than the others and an excellent example, most were far lighter and less pronounced. Treasure that, I very possibly owned it at one time.


----------



## jarsnstuff (Dec 7, 2012)

Thanks for the info Jim, I was thinking maybe this was a gold-painted jar with all the gold paint scrubbed off.  Far less intriguing.  Do you have any idea how many were made?  Did they get anything closer to purple?  -Tammy


----------



## LC (Dec 7, 2012)

What year was the Kerr 65th anniversary Jim ?


----------



## botlguy (Dec 7, 2012)

Anniversary was 1968.  The failed amethyst and a few other attempted colors were mostly the ones used to paint gold colored. Some had little to no color, some of the better but still "ugly" ones were pirated off the line by the Quality Control Manager, my next door neighbor, who gave them to me. This may have been one of those. They were never meant for public consumption. Only a few dozen were termed "failures", most of those got painted gold. I was part of the Fruit Jar Collectors club that was present at the making of these jars but having Ray Gentry, the Q.C.M., as a neighbor was a plus. I got lots of neat stuff from him as well as personal guided tours of the plant rather frequently.


----------



## Leanna (Dec 22, 2012)

Jim,

 I think this one might surprise you.

 I'm looking for any information on 12 Kerr canning jars, 65th Anniversary, (5) with blue streaks, (5) with green/ green blue streaks, (1) light weird purple or rose color and one *glass blob* with blue streaks that never became a jar.( The little branch stamp is clearly visible and you can see where the letters were starting to form)

  I purchased hundreds of Kerr canning Jars from an estate sale in Santa Ana, CA. Not knowing much about jars, I posted them on Craigslist to make a small profit. While organizing the jars for easy transport, something told me to open this one particular box and I was excited to find these cool looking jars. Of course, now this meant I had to go through every box to make sure I didn't sell "the cool ones".

 In my opinion, I'm rather proficient in researching things I come across before I sell them. Well, I started three days ago and I must say it hasn't been very easy finding anything about these jars. Your post has enlightened my knowledge about these jars, but has also created much mystery.
 One last strange thing, my Grandmother Kathriene Reison/Shroudle used to work for Kerr, she past away when I was 6.

 Since they are so obscure, do you think anyone would ever buy them?
 Thank you for your time


----------



## botlguy (Dec 22, 2012)

You have a treasure, those jars are worth a fair amount of money and do have some historical, albeit recent, value as well. I don't have time at this moment, it is midnight and I'm getting sleepy, but I can fill you in on the entire story if you like.

 Back to you later.


----------



## Leanna (Dec 22, 2012)

Jim,

 Thank you for your reply. Yes, please share everything you know about these jars.

 Close up of one green streaked jar.


----------



## Leanna (Dec 22, 2012)

Note*  The close up of the green streaked jar above  is not dirty. It's the green embedded in the glass.

 Here his close up of blue streaked glass blob that was supposed to be a jar. 

 Notice the little branch symbol.


----------



## Leanna (Dec 22, 2012)

Here is a close up of one of the blue streaked jars. Very beautiful cobalt streak.


----------



## Leanna (Dec 22, 2012)

This is the original way I found the jars and glass blob.


----------



## coreya (Dec 22, 2012)

WOW,WOW,WOW!!! what a find. These are # 1387 in the Red Book 9 and it says " Streaked with cobalt blue... 1500 made - 500 released 50-75, streaked with green Not Released to public 75-100, Applied gold finish 750 made 50-75 and last was a Qt cobalt streaked with high kick up unpriced. as for the glass blob looks like a blob of glass prior to blowing. To find a whole case is stupendeous and wish I could afford it. And yes many will line up to buy those!!!! Merry Christmas!


----------



## Leanna (Dec 23, 2012)

Coreya,

 Thank you very much for the information. I'm excited and blessed.
 Couldn't have happened at a better time.

 I am planning to sell them on Ebay. Do you think I should put the whole case up or just sell one at a time? I do realize that my question is almost impossible to answer, considering all the variables.  I'm curious as to what your opinion is?
 I am an experienced Ebay seller, but would like as much input as possible to obtain the best results.


----------



## coreya (Dec 23, 2012)

To me personaly it would be a shame to break up the case if that did in fact come like that. That being said by breaking it up you would have a better chance of maximizing your dollars not to mention minimizing your shipping difficulty. ( I couldnt begin to dream what the postal service would do to a whole case and how much packing that would require) Still wish I could afford them,  especially the blob and a blue one. Keep us posted on your sale because who knows perhaps things might improve. Good luck


----------



## idigjars (Dec 23, 2012)

Nice find.   Paul


----------



## botlguy (Dec 23, 2012)

I agree with Coreya in that they would do much better all around selling them individually. Few folks would want more than one of each. My mental vision of mailing or shipping them all at once makes me shudder. It will be a lot of work to mail each one seperately but for safety sake I like that scenario best.


----------



## Leanna (Dec 24, 2012)

> Coreya


 
 Coreya, 

 Thank you for the information on the jars. I have decided to list them on Ebay separately, excluding one blue streaked jar and the blob of glass, that I will auction as a set.  

 I suppose I'm  making history in a way. How exciting!

 I will be starting a new thread today, these jars deserve it. 


 "Incredible Estate Sale Find" 


 As I gather the details, I'll post the info. reg. the Ebay auction.

  Thank you all for your help..


----------



## Leanna (Jan 22, 2013)

Hello Coreya,

 The auction is currently running on ebay. You can find the listing under:
 RARE! KERR 65th ANNIVERSARY. COBALT/ GREEN STREAKED QUART MASON JAR RB. #1387

 Out of 50 views 18 people have added it to their watch list.  Awesome!


----------



## RED Matthews (Jan 22, 2013)

Hello to all - this is an interesting sideline to producing glass jars - but then everyone likes to play around with things.
 That blob of the jar is obviously the glass removed from the blank (or parison mold) before it was formed with the parison plunger.  I canâ€™t imagine how they got it, except some one wanted it, so they caught the delivered blob of glass from the delivery chute of the delivery system.  They must have inserted the coloring in the feeder for-hearth just before the shearing from the orifice ring.  It would be part of the story for these colored jars â€“ this blob of a gob is something anyone would like to have, that knew how tricky the objective coloring trick had to be.  It is hot up there over the forehearth.  I know because I have been there when I was working on orifice rings.   RED Matthews


----------



## botlguy (Jan 22, 2013)

The coloring agents were indeed added at exactly the time you described Red. I was there. They used a long handled ladel type affair to drop the chemicals / elements right where that taffy like glass was swirling down the orfice / hole just like water out of a bathtub. The tank was almost empty, they were preparing for a tank tear down and rebuild.

 I was surprised that Leanna posted my note to her in it's entirety including my name and location with the description for the auction but I have no problem with that, I gave her permission to include the information. I feel honored to have been present at these jars making.


----------



## Leanna (Feb 1, 2013)

Hello Red,

 Thank you for all of the information. I was hoping that, with your permission I might be able to quote your message on my eBay listing in the future? My plan is to auction all the jars, ending with one final, incredible auction that will contain a blue streaked jar and the blue streaked blob as a set.  I want to provide as much information as possible about the blob, I have a feeling that it's going to be very profitable.  

 Jim, if I may quote your reply to Red's message as well?

 Than you both for your time and valuable information.


----------



## RED Matthews (Feb 1, 2013)

Leonna   You may certainly use my description in your sale promotion descriptions,  I hope it all works out well and in a few grand of dollars.  It is sad that the whole group canâ€™t be left in the box with the whole story displayed in a museum.  I have six items of antiquity that should be in museum displays, but our age and lack of $ to live on, make us go for the bucks.  It is better than being without something â€“ especially in my old age and daily diminishing health. 
  GOOD LUCK !!!    RED Matthews


----------



## Leanna (Feb 1, 2013)

Thank you Red,

 I do agree with you about breaking up the case.  Prior to finding these jars, my knowledge of canning jars was that a person put preserves, nuts, etc. for the holidays.  Now after so many hours of research and realizing what an incredible find I was blessed with, I get very sad when I look at the case with one missing. At least we know that whoever buys these jars wants them enough to take good care of them.  

 Never would I have thought that "I" would become a jar enthusiast, but I am now. I am also keeping one of the jars, wish it could be the blob and a jar, but like you said, got to go for the bucks.

 Thank you so much, Leanna


----------



## Leanna (Feb 1, 2013)

Hi Jim,

 Quick question.  I went back to the home where I bought these jars, it was on Newhope St. in Santa Ana, CA. The house went into foreclosure, but I did find out that it was a Mother and Son who lived right next to from each other.  That was the only info. that the neighbors could tell me. Ring a bell?


----------



## botlguy (Feb 1, 2013)

Leanna. As Red said, you may use any information I give / gave you for your auctions.

 The street name does not mean anything to me at this time, 1968 was 45 years ago and my memory is not the best. Whoever had those must have been factory employees or got them from employees. Simply by the fact that what is in that case are not generally in the public, especially the blob leads me to believe that.

 As far as them being in a museum, I say they are FAR better appreciated in collector's hands where they will be seen by far more people. Museums have a tendancy to store 10 times more items than they display. Most donated items NEVER get on public display. When I left Santa Ana I offered Bowers Museum my entire Orange County memorabilia collection, the largest artifact & ephemera collection ever assembled and it included over 100 Santa Ana bottles, for only the stipulation that it be displayed for two weeks minimum on a regular, minimum every 5 year basis. They scoffed at the idea, said my junk was way too new and if donated they would damn well do anything they pleased with it. I actually bought several of those items from other museums.  Nuff said ! !


----------

