Collecting canning jars is a hobby that many people are involved in and can get incredible value from the products they collect and sell. Hazel-Atlas mason jars are an old-time classic and some consider these jars to be of great value.
Most vintage Hazel Atlas mason jars are worth between $5-$20. However, certain colors or styles of Hazel-Atlas jars are more valuable and can sell for between $50-100 or more.
The Hazel Atlas Mason jars are some of the most unique and rare kinds of jars that we see today. Let’s explore where these jars come from that makes them so sought after and what makes them distinguishable from others. Check out the images throughout this post for examples and prices of recently sold Hazel-Atlas jars.
Origins of the Hazel Atlas Mason Jars
As you may assume, the jars were created by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company (Hazel and Atlas companies merging) in the early 1900s and ended in the early 60s.
The Hazel-Atlas Glass company was not the first company to widely distribute these mason jars, as that honor would be given to the Ball Corporation (Mason Jars, 2021). However, Hazel-Atlas helped gain the mason jar’s popularity and therefore became a new and rising company in the canning industry and eventually became the largest known glass-making company globally.
In 1964, the Hazel-Atlas Glass company would come to an end and close its doors in mason jar production and sold all its assets to the Brockway Glass Company (Glass Lovers Glass Database, 2016) and removed all Hazel-Atlas specific labels and printings that made them stand out from their other mason jar competitors.
From this, many other companies decided to mimic the Hazel-Atlas formula with its printings and some labels and resold them under the “Hazel-Atlas” name. Though these mimics were successful in their own rights, they could not replicate the authenticity of the true mason jars that the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company was known for and therefore obtained mediocre to no value.
Though the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company era has ended, mason jars are continuing to spread widely and whether you like the “knockoffs” or not, you must admit that the Atlas mason jars are an inspiration to many other companies and folks today are just as passionate about these jars as were their original creators.
Attributes of Hazel Atlas Mason Jars
To everyone’s surprise, the original mason jars produced by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company only included the word “Atlas Mason” inscription on the face of the jar rather than “Hazel Atlas”. It is either the inscription of “Atlas Mason” or simply the Hazel-Atlas logo. The other inscriptions that make authentic Hazel Atlas mason jars were both the capitalized “H” and “A” on the bottom of the mason jar where the “H” is directly above the “A”.
The color of the jar itself may be an indication of its authenticity or not. The original Hazel Atlas mason jars were either aqua or clear in their colorization. This is a simple design decision and is commonplace among all other companies, so it is hard to really tell if it is a true Hazel Atlas or not. The only redeeming factor of this is returning to the labeling and checking if the labels are in line with what the original creators had produced.
This next attribute is one not usually produced initially by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, but by those who used the mason jars back in the company’s inception and rise which are the dates imprinted. This is a tricky situation for any collector in terms of relying on dates that would reflect the Hazel-Atlas’ original work.
Again, we must return to the labels and other inscriptions since these are not easily, if not at all, duplicated. We must be wary of greedy sellers who display a date from which the jar was used that looks like it was used during the early to mid-1900s, but in fact, is a fake jar with a date not appropriate for these imposters.
What makes a Hazel Atlas mason jar authentic is observing its texture. The original models had various textures implemented on a single model which can be distinguishable from today’s uniform glass models using only a single texture per model.
Another is also the mold seams; mold seams were common back then and were a perfect place for placing the dates. Mold seams are rarely seen in today’s mason jars which can identify if it is a newer model or not.
Now that we have discussed attributes that make up an authentic Hazel Atlas mason jar, let’s mention some attributes of fake models.
Firstly, as previously said, authentic jars have the inscription “Atlas Mason” on the original Hazel Atlas mason jars. The newer ones include the “Hazel” portion of the “Atlas Mason” that the finished model now displays “Hazel Atlas Mason”. The bottom printings are most likely missing because they were never there in the first place. This should be an immediate signal that this isn’t an authentic jar.
Again, returning to the mold seams, newer jars do not produce any visible mold seams and therefore may not be authentic. Some say that some older models don’t produce seams as well but that could be the result of a hand-processed method for these aspects. If any, return to the labels in general for possible verification.
Hazel Atlas Mason Jar’s Value
We now know what an authentic Hazel Atlas mason jar entails, so we will now focus on the actual value of these jars. First, let’s understand the value as a whole, and then we will briefly discuss some factors of authentic Hazel Atlas mason jars that makes one more valuable than the others.
Two factors are of great importance when figuring out whether the jars increase or decrease in value: the age and the condition. Both age and condition are significant aspects of inspecting a jar and determining a reasonable price for what it is worth. We all should be aware that the older the product is, the value increases.
However, this comes at a cost: the condition. The older the item is, it tends to deteriorate in color, durability, functionality, and many more possible outcomes that would warrant a decrease in price. Even minted items could possibly be subjected to the harsh conditions that comes with aging. As a consensus though, the older it is and the if condition is acceptable, it can be valued as high as $60-$100 per unit.
Focusing on the second aspect: the condition of the jar. The condition of the jar is important to keep track of since, again, the condition comes with age. For an acceptable condition, the jar must be able to seal itself, no identification of cracks or scratches, and no gunk piled up.
Of course, because of the age, some of these things may produce naturally, but the job is to reduce as much as possible is the goal. The less gunk, for example, the better. Individuals with expertise may be able to restore the jar but that comes at a cost.
Additional add ons may counteract its originality and therefore becomes tampered with. Overall, original works remain more valuable than restored ones. Also, if the original manufacturer had their own defects, these would not affect the value of the jar so do not worry about these issues.
Types of Hazel Atlas Mason Jars
There are four definable Hazel Atlas Jars that are of great importance to consider: the “Strong Shoulder” mason jar, trademark mason jar, and the E-Z seal mason jar. Each of these have their own unique quirks to them and if both the age and condition of the jar are optimal, you can imagine the value of taking into account all these factors.
First, the E-Z seal (Antique Mall, 2021) is a Hazel Atlas mason jar that features a glass lid and a bail with an inscription on the face of the jar that says “E-Z Seal”, alongside the standard “Atlas” or “Atlas Mason” inscriptions. Vintage clear or aqua blue E-Z Seal Atlas jars are typically worth between $8-20. The green color E-Z seal Atlas jars like the one shown below are much more valuable and typically sell for $50-$100 on ebay.
Some of the older models are created with amber glass which increased the value significantly since most others were produced from opal glass (Abandoned, 2022). These are considered one of the rarest jars of all time (Kitchen Ask, 2022). The amber E-Z seal Atlas jars sell for around $50+ on ebay.
Next up, is the trademark mason jar (Love to Know, 2022). These jars are very identical to the regularly produced mason jars that have the usual inscription of “Atlas” or “Atlas Mason” on the face and the “H” and “A” on the bottom. The only difference is the addon of a unique “H” and A” insignia on the face of the jar.
The concept is the same with the “H” above the “A”, however, the difference between this one and the ones on the bottoms, the “H” is somewhat larger and it overtakes the “A” and both are surrounded by a circular border to reflect circle.
Lastly, the “strong shoulder” mason jar (Love to Know, 2022) simply features a ledge that sits right above the shoulders of the jar and just below the screw threads for the lid. Again, “Strong Shoulder” is added onto the face of the jar.
All these jars, with their subtle and obvious differences, are significant factors in appraising their overall value and should always be considered with collecting, selling, or buying.
Should You Collect, Sell, or Buy Hazel Atlas Mason Jars?
Hope this article helped you understand the possible value of these Hazel Atlas mason jars and perhaps will ignite a passion to invest time and effort to effectively research and explore the field of buying, selling, and collecting these special canning jars. With proper observation and judgment, anyone can find worth in any authentic Hazel Atlas mason jar.
