# Ball Improved HG



## deenodean (Feb 23, 2016)

Is this a natural colour or did it receive a UV bath?


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## andy volkerts (Feb 23, 2016)

It may have been, but that is also a natural color for this jar, if it was nuked, they did a good job of it, and I wouldnt be afraid of it. Just figure it had lain outdoors for a long time is all. I used to know of a guy who put bottles on a tin shed roof back in the sixties, just took about four years to get almost that dark.........Andy


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## botlguy (Feb 24, 2016)

It looks a little dark and a little blueish for my taste but definitely could be legit. Gamma ray and other non-natural occurring exposure tends to add more blue hue than UV exposure. The density of color doesn't bother me as exposure to long term natural and artificial UV rays (OK in my book) could produce that in a relatively short time. I still color bottles and jars outside way up here in the North. I've had a whiskey 1/5 sitting out for 7 or 8 years.        Jim


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## deenodean (Feb 24, 2016)

Thx Andy and Jim. It came in a collection I bought. The color is purplish. It is a great color if it is natural. I do have several bottles with the same likeness of hue. 
I could use an insert the same color if anyone has one. I will make room on the shelf for it.


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## jarsnstuff (Feb 29, 2016)

I have a Ball Special pint that's about this color.  I was told many of the Ball jars will turn a pretty dark amethyst in the sun.


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## botlguy (Mar 1, 2016)

Perhaps pictures in both direct and indirect sunlight will help in this discussion. I'm quite interested in this thread.    Jim


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## deenodean (Mar 2, 2016)

I will post better pictures when the sun shines, perhaps Friday.


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## deenodean (Mar 5, 2016)

Why does this website flip the pictures in the manage attachments section?


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## botlguy (Mar 5, 2016)

I can't answer about the photo manager problem but I'm sure your jar color is O.K. I am getting ready to offer a few SCA jars for sale that have much the same color density.            Jim


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## andy volkerts (Mar 5, 2016)

I have to second the emotion!! that color is really ok for that jar, sometimes SCA looks pinkish in some lights and just purple in others, nice color for a jar......Andy


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## Nickolas_ (Oct 24, 2016)

That's a gorgeous colored Improved. I used to collect Ball jars and had around 800 at one time but sold off a lot back in 2008 when I lost my job. Bought quite a few from Bob Clay and conversed with him a lot. I'm sad to lean recently of his passing it had been awhile since i talked to him. Anyway that's an E.B. Ball made Improved with helices on the rim which is a set of fine threads. Sometimes two and sometimes four helices can be seen on these. Just a characteristic of that particular machine. I collected jars made on certain machines and the E.B. Ball and Bingham machine jars were my favorites. I still have an Improved exactly like this one but not the dark. Most Ball jars made before the twenties will turn SCA or sun colored Amethyst from the amount of manganese dioxide used as a decolorizer in the glass batch. Later jars used selenium dioxide to save costs and those will get the dingy yellow tint to them. I had a bunch of SCA at one time but most are gone now. I still have some nice ones though. I miss my good jars I had some gorgeous colored Ball jars at one time. Im not much into collecting jars anymore but still like them and still have around 300 I guess, fruit jars that is downstairs boxed up. Nice jar.

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