John Landis Mason

Antique Mason’s Patent 1858 Aqua Glass Jar No. 17 with Presto Lid

Name: Antique Mason’s Patent 1858 Aqua Glass Jar No. 17 with Presto Lid
Brand: John Landis Mason
Price: 36.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$36.00 USD

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Low stock: 1 left

Type:: Canning jar
Era:: Late 19th Early 20th Century (1880 - 1930)
Circa:: 1880 - 1908
Date:: 1858 patent date; should not be interpreted as manufacturing date
Origin:: United States
Maker:: Unknown; John Landis Mason design
Material:: Glass
Dimensions:: 7" tall with 3 ⅝" base | 1 quart capacity
Condition:: Good (G)
Color:: Aqua
Maker’s mark:: Front: Embossed MASON’S PATENT NOV. 30TH 1858 | Base Mark: Embossed with 17 embossed

Bring a piece of early American food-preservation history into your home with this antique Mason’s patent jar. Its softly green-tinted aqua glass, raised lettering, and vintage Presto glass-and-metal closure evoke the practical beauty of an old-fashioned farmhouse pantry. Originally designed for preserving and storing food, the jar now makes a wonderful addition to an antique kitchen, farmhouse pantry, or fruit jar collection.

Construction is mold-blown aqua glass with a cylindrical body, rounded shoulders, threaded neck, and a ground-style mouth. The jar appears consistent with an early shoulder-seal Mason design. The front is embossed “MASON’S PATENT NOV. 30TH 1858,” referring to John Landis Mason’s historic screw-top jar patent. The base is marked with the number 17. Its pale aqua color, simple cylindrical form, and visible signs of age give it the appeal of a jar that has survived generations of practical use.

The included Presto closure features a glass insert held by an aluminum screw band with a distinctive slotted opening. The band is marked “Tested and Approved by Good Housekeeping.” This is a later-style closure and is not believed to be original to the jar. The jar measures 7" tall with 3 ⅝" base, not including the lid. Its weight is 1 pound.

Highlights:

Object: Antique Mason’s patent fruit or food-preservation jar.
Embossing: Raised lettering on front reads “MASON’S PATENT NOV. 30TH 1858.”
Base Mark: Number 17 embossed on the bottom.
Glass Color: Pale aqua with a soft green tint, characteristic of early utilitarian glass.
Construction: Mold-blown glass with a cylindrical body, rounded shoulders, and threaded neck.
Closure: Metal screw-top closure with glass insert; marked with Good Housekeeping Institute approval wording and additional manufacturer’s information.
Date: Antique, with an 1858 patent date.

Collector’s Note

Mason’s November 30, 1858 patent helped transform home food preservation through the use of a threaded glass jar and screw closure. Antique Mason’s patent jars are collected for their embossed lettering, glass colors, mold variations, and connection to nineteenth-century domestic life. This example combines the appeal of blue-green aqua glass with an embossed base number and a later Presto closure, illustrating how older jars continued to be used and adapted over time.

Antique condition with turning wear along the inside rim, as shown in the close-up photographs. No cracks. The glass has age-related surface wear, and the later Presto aluminum band shows patina. The separate rubber sealing ring is not included. Offered as a collectible and decorative storage piece, not for modern home canning.

Display Appeal

The soft aqua-green tint catches natural light beautifully and adds a subtle touch of color to a kitchen shelf or antique glass collection. Display it alongside old milk bottles, stoneware crocks, or other preserving jars for a collected farmhouse look. The raised lettering, aged metal band, and simple utilitarian shape make it equally appealing as a standalone piece of American kitchen history.

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