I have recently been gifted with 45 quart and 15 pint jars. According to the markings, some of these are quite old. (1915 on some) Are they safe to use? I have inspected for scratches, chips and cracks and have put those aside for dry uses.
Safety of Vintage Jars
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Farmfresh
City Biddy
I use a lot of the old jars
* IF they are in perfect shape.. and
* IF they will take a normal MODERN canning lid and ring.
I find the old jars are usually made with thicker glass and are quite beautiful. I use them a lot for things that I serve directly from the jar, like tomato juice, jams, jellies and pickles. That way when I set them on the table they look good and they taste good!
* IF they are in perfect shape.. and
* IF they will take a normal MODERN canning lid and ring.
I find the old jars are usually made with thicker glass and are quite beautiful. I use them a lot for things that I serve directly from the jar, like tomato juice, jams, jellies and pickles. That way when I set them on the table they look good and they taste good!
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Of the 45 quarts, four are too deeply scratched on the interior for me to consider them safe.
One may be unusual, if my research proves accurate, in that it is a green Boyd Mason jar, no mention of Ball or perfect. The word Mason is in a banner. I went to a number of web sites and could not find that particular configuration.
The rest of the jars are perfect, as though they had never been used. A dozen are contemporary. All fit either standard or wide mouth rings perfectly.
One may be unusual, if my research proves accurate, in that it is a green Boyd Mason jar, no mention of Ball or perfect. The word Mason is in a banner. I went to a number of web sites and could not find that particular configuration.
The rest of the jars are perfect, as though they had never been used. A dozen are contemporary. All fit either standard or wide mouth rings perfectly.
Farmfresh
City Biddy
I have some really unusual jars in my collection. Presto jars, Magic Mason star jars, a couple marked Mother's and LOTS of Ball, Mason and old Kerr styles! I have even used some of them when I took canning to the State Fair. I have some old Ball pint jars that are square sided, for example and they display my jams wonderfully! Really cute! New jars are just BORING in comparison. Plus some of the old jars CAN be quite valuable to collectors.
Do you have any jars that look hazy? There were some minerals used long ago in the glass that are light reactive. If you place the jar in the sun (like a sunny window) for some time they will become iridescent! I have done that with a few of my "scratched" jars and then used them as dry storage or even a flower vase.
Those old green jars all make great dry storage. I like to use them for my dehydrated items as the tinted jar helps them to retain their proper colors. I love the Ball brand plastic screw on lids for dry storage. They are like a single piece white plastic lid and perfectly sized for canning jars.
The rest of those jars I would press into normal service!
info added
Do you have any jars that look hazy? There were some minerals used long ago in the glass that are light reactive. If you place the jar in the sun (like a sunny window) for some time they will become iridescent! I have done that with a few of my "scratched" jars and then used them as dry storage or even a flower vase.
Those old green jars all make great dry storage. I like to use them for my dehydrated items as the tinted jar helps them to retain their proper colors. I love the Ball brand plastic screw on lids for dry storage. They are like a single piece white plastic lid and perfectly sized for canning jars.
The rest of those jars I would press into normal service!
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keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
I use the old zinc lids on the old green canning jars and use them for pantry storage - crystalized ginger, dehydrated veggies and fruits. Like FF said, they are beautiful.
