Meeting Minutes, August 2nd, 2009

Transcription

1 Since 1972 Midwest Glass Chatter August 2009 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./Editor Collingswood Ln. Fishers, IN Richard Cole, Librarian 2904 W. Moore Rd. Muncie, 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 Meeting Minutes, August 2nd, 2009 The August club meeting was held at the home of Jerry and Colleen Dixon in Muncie, Indiana. This was the club s annual picnic! Dave Rittenhouse opened the meeting and welcomed 13 members. Dave reported some details on our recent July Show and Sale. There were 58 sales tables (including 1 dealer from Canada), 9 displays, and 100 people through the door (versus 75 last year). This was our Last Summer Show. Anne Szopa gave the Treasurer s report. Expenses included buying some new books for the club Library, printing and postage for the newsletter, and the July Show. Income included some membership renewals, sales of club T-shirts, and sales of Phil Robinson DVDs. The club netted a small profit from income versus expenses for the July Show. The club maintains a positive bank balance. Dick Cole told us that he would bring the most popular books from our club Library to each club meeting. There is a sign-out sheet for tracking purposes. Some new books were recently purchased: Granny Kath s Kitchen (compilation); Indiana Glass Factory Notes; Fruit Jar Works 1 & 2; The Label Space; Australian Jars; Fruit Jar Annual Dick also mentioned that he would gladly accept book donations for our Library. He has donated some books himself. Dave said that he was contacted by three gentlemen from Mitchell, Indiana that were interested in forming a new jar club. They have about a half dozen people interested from that area. Maybe it is possible that they somehow become a satellite club connected to ours. Dave will keep us updated. See you all at the next meeting. Joe Coulson, Secretary October 4 Minnetrista Cantina at 1:30pm. Show and Tell: bring product jars. November 1 Minnetrista Cantina at 1:30pm. Program: Joe Coulson Ball Buffalo Jars. Show and Tell: Bring one or two Ball jars. December 6 Christmas Party, Minnetrista Cantina at 1:30pm. Food and Drinks: the club will provide ham and turkey, paper products and plastic utensils. Members bring a small side dish and a small dessert. Coffee and wa- Photos: Dick Cole, the Ice Cream Man, hard at work scooping out his home-made ice cream for all of us to enjoy at the picnic! Everyone really loved the ice cream. ter will be provided; a soft drink machine ($1.25) is available. Activities: Short business meeting to plan for the Muncie Show on January 10; Dirty Santa bring a wrapped jar, bottle or go-with ($10) and enjoy the fun. January 10 Our Winter Show and Sale!

2 Page 2 Show and Tell Club members were asked to bring purchases from the July Show or other recent purchases. Sue Wilson displayed an aqua QT Red Book #3059 six paneled (base: 13), without top. She paid $5 for it, and it lists for $80 in the price guide. Sue also displayed a pale blue 1 gallon jar that had a wire bail handle closure. The base had the Illinois Glass Co. maker s mark. Anne Szopa shared a clear PT embossed Golden Eagle Mustard, made by Wellsburg Glass & Mfg. Co. and distributed by E.C. Flaccus. Anne also shared a clear QT RB #36-1 AGEE Special (base: groove, to be used with the AGEE jar wrench); and a sky blue HG #1096 Improved Gem Trade Mark Reg D. Dick Cole opened the shipping package from a recent ebay purchase in front of us. We got to witness the unveiling. The jar was wrapped so well that it was not going to break in the mail unless the postal service ran over it with a semi truck. The jar was a clear QT RB #192-6 with the Ball logo near the base under the Cups measurements. This is a scarce Ball jar that was made at the El Monte, California plant. Dick also brought three different variations of Ball glass top seal lids. Each one had TO OPEN INSERT KNIFE and various other wording. There are many variations of these lids and are a topic worth studying by themselves. Dick showed us a dozen jar ring rubbers that were held together in a package with a metal band. The metal band had the Ball logo on it. Jean Harbron displayed an SCA QT RB #1635 Mason (underlined with loop) (octagon-shaped neck); and an SCA QT # unmarked jar (same octagon-shaped neck). Both jars were made by the Pennsylvania Glass Co. in Anderson, Indiana in the early 1900s. Kay Rittenhouse shared a pretty ruby red colored PT Mason s Patent Nov. 30th 1858 jar. This is one of a series of reproduction jars in attractive colors. Joe Coulson displayed a Ball blue QT # Jay B. Rhodes oil jar. This jar looks identical in shape and color to a Ball Perfect Mason. The jar was made on an Owens machine and is believed to have been made by Ball Brothers. Joe displayed a clear QT #2587 Sealfast Sold By Cummings & Cummings. This jar is one of a series of slug plate jars that were made for small companies, which makes them hard to find today. Joe someday hopes to find the one that says C.B. Hobbs, Tipton, Ind. Joe also displayed some paper items. The first was a Red Key Glass Co. letter from the 1890s. He purchased this from the auction after the Fruit Jar Get-Together. It has a beautiful design of a shipping box on the letterhead and the contents of the letter discuss some interesting his- toric information about the purchase of the wooden shipping boxes! Joe s other paper item was an advertising pamphlet for the Ball Perfection jars from Ball Brothers. Joe has a large collection of Ball advertising and this was his first piece specifically for the Ball Perfection jars (an unsuccessful jar that was available during 1914). Colleen Dixon displayed the Ball History Timeline poster that she won at the Winter Show auction. She finally got it professionally framed. She also showed a clear QT #620 The Clyde; a clear pint-sized Santa Claus jug made by the Overmyer Mould Co. (given to employees at Christmas in 1920s); a clear Tall Pint unembossed jar (on lid: PAT OCT 24); a cornflower blue PT Trade Mark Lightning; an amber PT Trade Mark Lightning; and an aqua PT #1042 Fruit-Keeper. Dave Rittenhouse shared a clear QT #1787 Mason s Patent Nov. 30 TH 1858 with very strong embossing that makes it look machine-made (base: AA, similar style mold number as Tudor Rose jars). Dave also shared an aqua QT # HOOSIER JAR. It was stained, but it cleaned up real nice (Dave runs a jar cleaning business).

3 Midwest Glass Chatter August 2009 Page 3 Show and Tell Pictures Clear QT The Clyde Overmyer Mould Co. syrup jug Amber QT Trade Mark Lightning Aqua PT Mason s CFJCo Aqua PT Fruit-Keeper GCCo SCA QT jars with Octagon-shaped neck Aqua QT Hoosier Jar Clear QT Mason (loop underline) Boldly embossed Mason s Patent

4 Midwest Glass Chatter August 2009 Page 4 Show and Tell Pictures Ball Mason with logo under cups Jar rubber rings with Ball logo on clip Clear QT AGEE Special with grooved base Aqua HG six panel jar Clear PT Flaccus-style mustard jar Aqua 1 gallon bail handle jar There are several variations of this top seal lid Sky blue HG Improved Gem Jay B. Rhodes oil jar Sealfast Cummings jar

5 Page 5 [Editor s Note: This article is a result of long time collector and author Bruce W. Schank reaching out to long time collector Phil Smith.] To say Phil s collection is fabulous is an understatement. What I love about his collection is that you can look on one shelf and find a Beech Nut jar with a super label and pristine lid, look to the right a shelf over and find an incredible deep amber 3L Ball Mason pint, only to look over to the right across the room on a completely different shelf and there s an absolutely phenomenal peacock blue HG Cross over Mason s, plus on the other side of the room you see a plain ordinary Ball blue HG Sanitary Sure Seal. black memorabilia, phenomenal colored Lightning s, 1858 s, pontiled wax sealers, corkers, superb and rare odd closured jars and Hemingrays. Phil also has many modern jars, and a nice shelf of reproductions, which he uses for educational purposes. In addition, Phil has a fantastic colored collection of miniature lamps, salt & peppers and kerosene cans too. For all you go with nuts, Phil has a fantastic perfect condition mould used for the Kerr Bells. Phil is an eclectic collector with so much varying degrees of taste that he has jars almost anyone would love or appreciate, from the beginner to the ultimate fruit jar collector. Phil has a complete set of colorful Kerr Bell s, a substantial range of Jumbo peanut jars, Phil was born in 1947 in Indianapolis IN. Phil grew up mostly in northern Kentucky, and he is a 1970 graduate of Morehead State University. Hey, that s Phil Simms Alma Mater too.

6 Page 6 Phil has worked most of life in the pharmaceutical industry in Sales Mgt. Phil started collecting approx. 22 years ago, and according to Phil, his first Show was probably in the late 80 s. His first experience with fruit jars was with his brother, who collected Ball jars by the numbers on the base, only his brother wouldn t spend real money on jars, so Phil decided he would have to. A fellow by the name of Schroll in Findlay, Ohio passed away many years ago, and Phil went to the auction of his collection. Phil ended up buying 76 jars that day, and spent $1, in the process, and of course at that time he believed he was now big into the hobby. Then he went to his first Indy Show at the East 21st St. location, and to his chagrin discovered he didn t really have anything of real consequence, after seeing all of the great jars there. It was there though that he met Ken Dippold, Jerry McCann, the Lowry s and other notable collectors. Phil bought some half way decent jars in the middle price range while there, but it wasn t until the following Winter Indy Show when he finally bought his first really good jar from Tom Caniff. The jar happened to be a HG Hoosier jar for $650, and it was at that point Phil believed he had finally arrived on the scene. Well, that buy was the true energizer or trigger that caused him to then live to buy good fruit jars. Phil remembers when he went to the Burlington Antique Market many years ago, and how he met a guy who told him he had some Jumbo Peanut jars for sale. Phil collects Jumbos of course and wanted to see what the guy had. When he went to his house, he noticed instead that he had two really nice jars. One was a push down cobalt, and the other a ribbed Hemingray, and he immediately decided his goal was to leave the house with

7 Page 7 those two jars which are still in his collection to this day. Phil said it was probably the best deal he ever made, because he was able to buy both jars for $250 and didn t give a hoot about the Jumbos at that point, imagine that. Phil told me that he just happened to get into the hobby when things started to get really expensive. He was buying good jars, but he really had to pay for them. At the time, $100 jars were going for $200, $250 jars for $500, and $500 jars upwards of $1k. Dick Landis was at an Indy Show many years ago and due to poor health brought a lot of his good jars. Phil managed to get a gallon 1858 and a Mason s Union Shield for not too much money. Phil was still learning at this point and was still buying jars from Jim Chamberlain, John Hathaway and others, and he was collecting just about everything. But as he got more experienced, he went from buying just one or two good jars to three and four good jars. He told me at that time my friends were building homes while I was buying fruit jars. Phil said another advantage he had was that he teamed up with pretty bright people early in his collecting career, such as Jerry McCann, Ken Dippold, Margaret Shaw, Al Vignon, George McConnell, Alex Kerr etc., and he benefitted from their knowledge in a great way. Phil said he had the kind of relationship with Al that if he (Al) wanted to sell something pretty good he (Phil) got the call. Phil also remembers how Bob Christ once had a very dark green olive Trade Mark Lightning with matching lid that sat on his table at a very early York Show for $650, and it didn t sell. Before Bob left the parking lot Phil managed to flag him down and told him he would call him about that jar. Phil called him within two days and both agreed on a price and subsequently Bob

8 Page 8 brought it to the next Indy show. Incredibly according to Phil, there are only three or four known examples of this color jar and that jar is still in Phil s collection to this day. I asked Phil why he had so many HG s in the collection, and he said it was basically because colors in HG s became available and were more reasonably priced than pints and quarts. Besides Phil told me, HG s look good and there s more glass to love. Yet if you look over Phil s collection you can clearly see he loves all sizes of jars, and in many cases has put together fantastic sets, such as his Ladies Favorites in half gallon, quart and pint. Phil s philosophy on collecting seems pretty reasonable actually; He says we need to encourage new collectors that they don t have to fill their shelves with very expensive jars. That there are still a lot of unusual jars out there that aren t worth a lot of money that advanced collectors just don t want but still add a lot to a collection. Phil also says if you do have the funds of course, it s most important to buy the good things, i.e., the good colors, the good sizes and invest your money there, but also make sure they have good closures. Phil says he looks at buying jars in relation to the five C s of buying diamonds, which are: Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat and Cost. The five Factors of Jars are similar such as: Character, Color, Whittle, Crudeness and Cleanness. Phil had one particularly sad jar story to tell me. Five years ago he had just finished washing a 4 ½ gallon Whitney 1858, and for some reason the lid when he put it on didn t catch the threads properly. So when he picked it up, the jar fell out of the lid and tumbled across his jar room and into a cabinet, ending its magnificent existence.

9 Page 9 I didn t even know who Phil Smith was until the January 2008 Indy Show, when I actually met him for the first time. It was then that I found out from other collectors that Phil was a very serious collector indeed, backgrounds could get along together so well. It s because no matter what some people will tell you, the plain truth is that the vast majority of those in this great hobby of ours are just down right good decent people, and that includes Phil Smith. so the rest is history in regards to this article. I must say, Phil and his wonderful wife Joan are great hosts, and while there at their home (which in itself is fantastic) I just had one hell of a super time. Phil and I, as well as Bo Trimble, Dick Watson, Phil Alvarez and Dan Corker were all there together enjoying what we all have in common, fruit jars. This was actually my first exposure to activities of this sort, and I found it fascinating how people of varying financial and philosophical Without a shadow of a doubt, Phil has a killer fruit jar collection that rivals the best of the best. Yet I came away from my short visit there with a sense of something much more important than fruit jars. What impressed me was the life style he lived, and how I didn t have what he did in that respect. Phil s daughter and two sons live only houses away, and his grand kids are at his home with him a good amount of the time. I sensed a family unity, devotion to one another and love that transcends the nonsense and daily grind of life, and for that reason I am envious of him. Lastly, at one point I jokingly asked Phil if I could be his permanent Jar Room Security person, but we all know that s akin to letting the fox guard the hen house!

10 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! If you didn t make it to the annual picnic, here are some of the desserts you missed out on: Wick s cream pie, apple pie, cheesecake, chocolate brownies, and last but not least home-made ice cream! Announcements The inventory of the Lending Library is viewable on the club s website. Get in touch with Dick Cole (contact details on first page) if you would like to borrow an item. Dick is also seeking book donations from our club members. Please consider donating your old bottle and glass books. Are you enjoying Bruce Schank s series of articles on long-time jar collectors? Want to see more stories like this? Bruce is willing to do interviews within reasonable driving distance of his home in Pompton Plains, New Jersey get in touch with him by balljars@balljars.net. Also consider doing your own interview and sharing it! The Ball Jar Collectors Community Center (BJCCC) is located at this site: