Here is the antique canning jar (square, ‘Perfect Seal’ brand, made in Canada) that I scored at a thrift shop recently and that I think is over 100 years old.

Not that you will particularly care, but here are the details I gleaned from about two days of reading up on jar and bottle history:

This type of closure is called a lightning closure (though it is missing its lid). Earlier models of lightning jars use a tie-wire at the neck to secure the lever wire. Later models will use molded dimples in the glass. This one uses a tie-wire and also lacks the flared sealing bead on the neck (where the lid would sit) which is another marker of later-years manufacture. (The green jar to its right has the flared bead.)

It has a ground rim, no evidence (that my untrained eye could see) of air-venting and was blown in a post-bottom mold.

I don’t know what proves it was mouth blown – but I think its signs of early manufacture and the fact that the neck was obviously worked by hand and its ground rim strongly suggest it.

Oh yes, and of course it is that tiny bit of purple. Which means manganese dioxide in the glass. Which means probably 1880s – 1920s.

If you’re ever interested, the Society for Historical Archeology was the website that had so much information that it kept me reading up on antique bottle and jar-making for two days.