Meeting Minutes November 2, 2008

Transcription

1 Since 1971 Midwest Glass Chatter November 2008 Club Officers Dave Rittenhouse, Pres CR 900 W. Farmland, IN Jean Harbron, V.P. 245 E. Oak St. Anderson, IN Anne Szopa, Treas U.S. Highway 35 Economy, IN Joe Coulson, Sec Collingswood Ln. Fishers, IN Norman Barnett, Pres. Emeritus P.O. Box 38 Flat Rock, IN Membership The Midwest Glass Chatter is a monthly publication and is a forum through which collectors can share information. Membership cost is $15.00 per year, per family, due each December 31. All jar/bottle related collectors are welcome. Send to MAFJBC, Attn: Joe Coulson, Collingswood Ln, Fishers, IN Next Club Show January 11, 2009 Make your reservation now! The hotel s phone number is Meeting Minutes November 2, 2008 The November club meeting was held at Minnetrista in Muncie, Indiana. Club president Dave Rittenhouse opened the meeting and welcomed 16 members. Anne Szopa presented the Treasurer s report for November. There was no change in income or expenses. We have a $4800 positive balance in the bank. Norman Barnett presented the 2009 officer nominating committee report. The 2009 officers will remain the same as This was voted upon and approved. Dick Cole gave us a final update on the production of the Phil Robinson DVD titled Parable of the Jars. The content has changed slightly and now includes: this year s presentation of Parable of the Jars (same as before); and a 1996 interview with Phil walking around his museum (same as before); and a Ball State University interview of Phil at his museum (this is new content, and it replaces the much older Parable of the Jars presentation that was previously on the DVD). There are no more plans to do further edits to the DVD. The price remains at $15 plus postage, and you may contact Dick Cole or Dave Rittenhouse to obtain a copy. Dick s address is: 2904 W. Moore Rd., Muncie, Indiana This DVD is a great tribute to Phil and will bring back many memories if you had ever visited with him and his museum. Dave told us that he would be attending the Terre Haute Bottle Show on November 22nd. He has been to all of them since the Wabash Valley Antique Bottle & Pottery Club started hosting them. Meredith Robinson attended our club meeting. We were all glad to visit with her and find out that she is doing okay. Meredith wanted to thank everyone who went to Dragoo s auction of the remainder inventory of Phil s common jars and items. She felt that the auction was well run and was glad to see many familiar faces. Dave also mentioned that our next Muncie Show is coming up real soon (January 11th). There is an advertisement currently running in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector. The Winter Show is always a well-attended event. Fruit jar collectors come from all across the United States to participate in a weekend of fun events (the hotel roomhopping, fruit jar get-together & auction, and show day). Dave and Kay reminded us that we would have new club T-shirts available at our January 2009 Show. We sold our inventory of the old ones. Be sure to stop by their hotel room during the show weekend to say hi and maybe buy a new T-shirt. The December 7th club meeting will be at Minnetrista in Muncie, IN at 1:30pm in the Cantina. This will be our Annual Christmas Pitch-In Dinner. Bring an under $10 jar-related gift to participate in the fun-filled Dirty Santa gift exchange. The club will pay for meat and rolls. Members should bring a small side dish and a small dessert. For more information, contact Dave Rittenhouse at Members are also always encouraged to bring interesting finds or recent purchases to any of our club meetings! See you all at the next meeting. Joe Coulson, Secretary

2 Page 2 Show and Tell Club members were asked to bring items embossed with Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 or some variation. This theme is in honor of November 30th, 2008 being the 150th anniversary of John Landis Mason s famous patent date! Jean Harbron displayed a bluish aqua HG #1769 Mason s Patent 1858(period) (reverse: Ball in script over erased Port); a green PT #1769 Mason s Patent 1858 (period) (reverse: Ball in script over erased Port); an aqua midget PT #1941 Mason s (arched) Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (4 lines) (reverse: lettered cross HFJCo) (base: Pat Nov 26 67); an aqua QT #1974 Mason s SGCo (monogram) Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858; and an aqua QT #253 Ball (script, dropped a ) Mason s Patent Lou Ebert shared an aqua midget PT #1920 Mason s CFJCo (monogram) Patent Nov 30 TH 1858 (base: F209) (made by Thompsons Glass Co., located in Gas City, Ind. for Consolidated Fruit Jar Co., 1893+); an aqua QT #1938 (HFJCo cross) Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (base: Pat Nov 26 67, mold: 299) (Base is a match to a shard found at the Marion Fruit Jar & Bottle Co. factory site in Marion, Ind.); a blue-green PT #1624 The Marion Jar Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (base: 5 dots in diamond shape, with original metal screw cap); an aqua QT #1625 The Marion Jar (fancy letters) Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH Lou also shared an aqua HG #1888 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (base: M.F.J. and B.Co.) (these jars, only found in half gallon, may have been made only in the Marion Fruit Jar and Bottle Co. s Coffeyville, Kansas plant in ); an aqua PT #1974 Mason s SGCo (monogram) Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (made by Swayzee Glass Co., Swayzee, Ind. between 1894 and the conversion to full machine operation circa 1899/1900); an aqua PT #1866 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858(period) (reverse heel: U.G.Co.) (Attributed to the Upland Glass Company, ); and a clear QT #549 Calcutt s Patent Apr. 11th Nov. 7th 1893 (on side of the glass lid) (made by the Canton Glass Co., Marion, Ind. circa and Canton Glass Works of National Glass Co., Marion, Ind and Cambridge Glass Co., Cambridge, Ohio 1903+). Lou also displayed an aqua HG #1898 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (base: Tigner G. Co Xenia, Ind.). At the end of May 1891, Lewis Edward Tigner agreed to establish a glass factory at Xenia, Ind. to be known as Tigner Glass Company. On Dec. 14, 1891, before the Tigner Glass Company ever started to operate, the company was sold. The new firm, Peerless Stamping and Glass Company, was organized on Dec. 23, Production started on Jan. 9, 1892, on quart and half gallon Mason fruit jars in the jar molds that were already on hand, base marked Tigner G. Co. Xenia, Ind.. Sue Wilson brought an aqua QT #2476 RED (over a key symbol) Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH Sue also brought a 3-ring notebook full of pencil drawings of fruit jars, which she purchased at Dragoo s remainder inventory auction of the Robinson Museum. Sue is willing to share them with other jar collectors, and she intends to use them in some interior decorating projects. Anne Szopa told us that she photocopied several of Sue s jar drawings and was going to frame them for an artsy display. Anne displayed a clear HG # Mason (ghosted WGCo monogram) Patent Nov 30 TH 1858; a clear QT # Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (reverse heel: U.C.Co., an error that should have been U.G.Co.); a dark aqua QT #1787 Mason s Patent Nov 30 TH 1858 (smooth lip); an aqua PT #1784 Mason s Patent Nov 30 TH 1858 (an improved type closure on a Mason s Patent jar made by Ball); and an aqua PT #1844 Mason s Patent Nov 30 TH 1858 (reverse: The Ball Jar, arched block letters). Mike Keith displayed an aqua HG #1920 Mason s CFJCo (monogram) Patent Nov 30 TH Mike also brought a few boxes of jars for our jar tailgate party after the meeting. George Judy brought a clear HG #1787 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858; a yellow green QT #1939 Mason s (cross) Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858; an aqua midget PT #1920 Mason s CFJCo (monogram) Patent Nov 30 TH 1858; a Ball blue HG #1787 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (smooth Dave Rittenhouse displayed this Mason s (keystone) Patent Nov 30 TH 1858

3 Page 3 Show and Tell, cont d lip); and an eye-popping dark teal HG #3063 (unembossed) Hemigray wax sealer that was returned to him after Dave Rittenhouse did his jar cleaning work on it. It was a real show-stopper. Dick Cole shared a clear / puce QT #1787 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858; an aqua QT #253 Ball (script, dropped a ) Mason s Patent 1858; an aqua QT #251-5 Ball (script, 3-L loop, dropped a ) Mason Patent (made on an F.C. Ball machine, offset neck seams). Dick also shared a jar which he purchased at the High Street Bazaar sponsored by Ruth Circle members. It was a clear PT #351-1 Ball Mason (with flower design on reverse). Dick thought it was worth mentioning that you can find interesting jars in unexpected places like these where people sell their homemade food in old canning jars! Anne added that you can also sometimes find odd Ball jars when purchasing from the Amish. Dave Rittenhouse displayed an aqua QT #1748 The Mason Jar of 1858 Trademark (base: Patd by Jno. L. Mason Nov. 30th 1858). This was the first jar that he ever bought at a York, Pa. jar show. He was out there with a flashlight in the early morning looking over sales tables (the show started before daylight back then). He got the jar for $8 because of his early-bird determination! Dave also displayed an aqua QT #1965 Mason s (keystone symbol) Patent Nov 30 TH 1858 (whittled, with correct lid); a light green QT #1851 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 (reverse: HGCo monogram) (3/8 taller than a regular quart); a light purple (sca) HG #1820 Mason s Patent Nov 30 HT 1858 (notice the backwards ht ). Dave also brought an article from an old Bottle World magazine about John L. Mason. Norm and Junne Barnett showed their very first jar that they acquired in It was a green PT Mason s Patent. Junne clerked at a sale where an amber Trade Mark Lightning sold for $18 and thought it was interesting that it went for such a price. At another sale the green Mason s Patent jar showed up. They purchased it for $7, but had to beat another gal out for it in a battle of bids. This sale occurred about one mile from where they now live. If they hadn t bought the jar then they probably wouldn t have gotten into the hobby. It struck Junne s fancy because it was a different color. Meredith Robinson told us a story about an aqua midget PT Mason s Patent Nov. 30th 1858 jar. This was a jar that Phil had purchased in his early days of collecting. Phil left it in a cubby hole in their car for about two weeks after buying it. He paid $15 for it, and they didn t have a lot of money to spend on jars at that time. He was afraid what Meredith might say when he showed it to her! Meredith commented that she could not believe the quantity of boxes at Dragoo s auction of the remainder inventory (common jars) of Phil s Museum. It surprised her that Phil had so much stuff tucked away in all corners of the museum and the house s basement. Meredith thought that the sale was great and that they cleared a good amount of money. She says she is grateful for all the friendships that were formed over the years. She is in good health and great spirits. Joe Coulson displayed a set of three different colors of a pint reproduction Mason s Patent Nov 30th 1858 jar (dark blue, deep purple, and reddish amber) (base: 44) (these jars are distributed by the Heart of Ohio Antique Mall). Joe reminded everyone that reproductions are out there and that first-time buyers need to educate themselves before spending a lot of money. Joe also displayed an aqua PT #2009 Mason s N Patent Nov. 30th 1858 (base: Port); a wooden box end for one dozen pint-size Ball Mason s Patent 1858 jars. Joe brought the circa 1876 large photograph that shows John L. Mason sitting with his fruit jars and metal screw cap-making machine invention. Joe displayed a large tin cup with the word Mason s embossed on it. John Mason was a tin-smith and several tin items can be found with his markings on them. After the regular meeting ended, club members participated in a jar tailgate party. Boxes of jars were brought for sale and trade. Norm and Junne Barnett showed their very first jar that they acquired in 1967

4 Page 4 Pictures from Show and Tell Dave Rittenhouse told us the story of how he acquired this jar during the dark at one of the early York, Pa. shows George Judy and Norm Barnett discuss fruit jars while examining the old photo of John Mason Sue s strongly embossed RED (key) Interesting colors of reproduction Mason jars. These pints all have 44 on the base. M.F.J.and B.Co. on the base A Mason jar made by Swayzee Glass Co. Keep an eye out John Mason was a tin-smith. Ball wooden shipping box end with Mason s Patent 1858 lettering Hemingray monogram The Marion Jar Original Marion Fruit Jar & Bottle Co. metal screw cap

5 Page 5 Pictures from Show and Tell, cont d Ironically it was the Peerless Glass Co. that made this jar which says Tigner Glass Co. on the base. Ball Mason s Patent 1858 This jar was embossed U.C.Co. instead of the correct U.G.Co. A Ball-made Mason jar A clear Mason Patent jar Mason jar with Ball over Port Mike Keith wheels and deals during the jar tailgate party after our club meeting Mason s N Patent (Port on base) Jearn Harbron and Dick Cole converse upon the finer points of Ball history Mike Keith and Lou Ebert look through Sue s jar pencil drawings Anne Szopa is in the middle of the action during the jar tailgate party

6 Page 6

7 Page 7

8 MIDWEST ANTIQUE FRUIT JAR & BOTTLE CLUB A jarrific place to share and learn Send articles and info here: Joe Coulson, Editor Collingswood Ln. Fishers, IN JCoulson@LeaderJar.com ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED WE RE ON THE WEB! Sue Wilson displayed a 3-ring binder full of many wonderful hand-drawn jar pictures. Sue obtained the binder from the Phil Robinson Museum remainder inventory auction in October. It is believed that these drawings were produced by Phil s friend, Frank Thrine. Sue is willing to share them with other jar collectors, and she intends to use them in some interior decorating projects. Announcements The December 7th club meeting will be at Minnetrista in Muncie, IN at 1:30pm in the Cantina. This will be our Annual Christmas Pitch-In Dinner. Bring an under $10 jar-related gift to participate in the fun-filled Dirty Santa gift exchange. For meeting directions or information, contact Dave Rittenhouse at Greg Spurgeon s North American Glass is currently conducting the Robinson Museum Part I auction. The auction bidding runs from Dec. 1st at 6pm to Dec. 11th at 9pm. Be sure to stop by and check out such spectacular jars as the deep emerald green quart TRADE MARK LIGHTNING. The January club meeting will be replaced by our famous Winter Show & Sale. The show headquarters will be at The Signature Inn ( ). The Jelly Jammers will meet at the hotel at 10am on Saturday, January 10th. The Fruit Jar Get-Together & Auction will be at the hotel starting at 1:30pm on Saturday, January 10th. The show location will be the Horizon Convention Center, and the show will occur 9am to 2pm on Sunday, January 11th. Call Dave Rittenhouse (show chairman) at or Jean Harbron (show information) at for more details and assistance. It s time to renew your club membership for 2009! Dues are $15 per calendar year (Jan. to Dec.). Please send your renewals and address changes to: MAFJBC Membership, c/o Joe Coulson, Collingswood Ln., Fishers, IN 46037