Do you know how your favourite Mason Jars were invented?
When you are storing pickles or homemade jam in a Mason Jar, you're utilising a technology that has been around for over 160 years. But why Mason jars? The airtight lids of these jars have a rubber seal that keeps everything fresh and prevents them from growing stale.
The versatile nature of Mason Jars, which can be used for DIY projects as well as storage, has made them immensely popular nowadays. But have you ever thought about the history of attractive glass cans? Let's take a deep dive into their origin and journey through time.
The invention of Mason Jars
It all began in the 1850s when John Landis Mason, a tinsmith from New Jersey, was looking for a way to improve the practice of preserving home food in a can. But why did he want to improve it? Well, canning food at home required the use of wax to create an airtight seal over the food. Jars were sealed with wax, corked with wood and then boiled. As this process was clumsy and far from reliable, Mason decided to make better jars to preserve food. In 1858, the 26-year-old Mason designed jars to be air- and water-tight by inventing a wax-coloured airtight zinc lid. It was a true game-changer. But he made one minor error that really cost him dear later on. Mason's patent claim didn’t mention the rubber ring at the bottom of the flat metal lids, which is necessary for an airtight seal and eliminates the need for wax! Nevertheless, a whole decade later, he attempted to include this in his patent claim. But by this time Mason jars were already being mass produced widely. Mason fought to reclaim ownership of his invention, but he lost after several legal battles.
The evolution of Mason Jars
In 1880, five American businessmen—Edmund, Frank, George, Lucius and William established Ball Corporation in Indiana. In 1884, Ball Corporation began manufacturing glass home-canning jars, establishing Ball as a household name and licencing Mason's design. Ball Corporation created a variety of jar sizes, ranging from large to little ones with attractive lids. They quickly became America's biggest Mason Jar manufacturer, making these containers even more popular. Another landmark in the journey of Mason Jars was the introduction of the economy versions in 1903 by Alexander H. Kerr, an American businessman. Kerr jars were widely used for beverages.
Over the years, Ball Corporation and other similar businesses have produced Mason Jars in a range of colours. You may find vintage jars in pink, cobalt, aqua, amber and violet hues. By the late 19th century, Americans had access to a wide range of fruits and vegetables year-round because of the widespread availability of Mason Jars. So, their pantry shelves were overflowing with jars of peach chutney, tomatillo salsa, blackberry jam and pickled okra!
Mason Jars during World War II
During World War II, Americans were urged to construct ‘victory gardens.’ Victory gardens were vegetable gardens created during World War II to provide sufficient food supply for residents and the military. These supplies, as you rightly predicted, had to be stored and this is where Mason Jars came into play. Thus, three million Mason Jars were purchased in the U.S. during World War II. Even the US government stored supplies in Mason Jars during this time.