Wizard Of Lids

06/21/2026

I've not been very active on this, my jar page, for a while now, and most folks following this page don't know me personally, but on this Father's Day I plugged some of my life story in ChatGpt AI and it composed this poem. I was going to read it at a family gathering today, but not sure I could make it through. It's all very true. I hope you like it.

Here's an example of what Chat Gpt can do with some highlights of my life. It's all true. I was going to read it at a gathering today, but I don't know that I can make it all the way through. So here it is for you.

A Father's Day Blessing

In Freedom, Wisconsin, I started my way,
The oldest of nine in a brighter day.
The Packers won often, or so it would seem,
And Beatles songs filled every young person's dream.

From transistor radios their music would play,
Providing the soundtrack of many a day.
Those years were happy, carefree, and fun,
With laughter and friendships beneath the sun.

Then Cathy Stephani came into my life,
My high school sweetheart, my partner, my wife.
We married while young with our hopes running high,
Trusting God's hand as the years hurried by.

Then Lisa and Nikki brought joy to our door,
Christopher followed, then Katie made four.
Our house overflowed with love, noise, and cheer,
Creating memories treasured each year.

The seasons kept turning, the children all grew,
And blessings arrived far beyond what we knew.
Now sixteen grandchildren bring smiles galore,
With two great-grandchildren and room still for more.

I've worked and I've struggled, I've laughed and I've cried,
Yet God's faithful presence stayed close by my side.
Through valleys and mountains, through sunshine and rain,
His goodness and mercy have always remained.

At seventy-three, as I pause and reflect,
My life has been richer than I could expect.
For wealth isn't measured by what we can hold,
But by family, faith, and memories of gold.

So this Father's Day, with a grateful heart true,
I thank God for Cathy and all of my crew.
For children and grandchildren gathered near me,
And a life filled with blessings too many to see.

If I counted God's gifts from the start until now,
I'd never reach all of them somehow.
For one thing is certain, and one thing I know:

God has been good to me wherever I go.

04/07/2026

https://www.insulators.info/general/glassfaq.htm

This excellent historical glass manufacturing information is focused on insulators, but also applies to what we see in the jar collecting hobby. Enjoy!

What we call 'underpours' are hardly ever caused by an insufficient volume of glass in the mold. They are usually caused because the glass cools before it can be squeezed into the small areas of the mold. This is why underpours occur on the base and inner skirt region. This is the area where there i...

02/22/2026

Part of my jar room display. As I relax in my favorite chair here today, this is part of my view.
I have about 150 jars in my collection. That's about all I can display and I won't buy a jar to pack it away. Many are not expensive, but I like them all. As I find and purchase new jars, it's hard and harder to give up any to make room. I've been collecting on and off and on again since the 1970's. Over 50 years now. The jars in the photo are literally some 'window jars' that don't fit in my main confessional display.

02/21/2026

Crowleytown Mason Patent Nov 30th 1858 are some of the very oldest fruit jars. They are sort of squarish with high, well defined shoulders. The jars in this photo are NOT Crowleytown jars. Being the jar heretic that I am though, I've created these 2 caricatures of them. They would be roughly the size of a pint and a full gallon. Pictured with a half gallon jar to better show size. I don't think there are any legitimate gallon size Crowleys out there. Only seen here. Enjoy!

02/20/2026

Sale, Saturday, Feb . 28. Jars, Insulators, Marble, Bottles!

Too far from Green Bay for me to go. Maybe you, or someone you know
can make it. Round Rock, Texas. Click on link for details.

https://share.google/BG1kLDGFVNivfe027

02/18/2026

Canadian jars (shipped from Canada) are less affordible now...

02/12/2026

Moon & Stars Mason jar cap, found in a box of old zinc caps from seller at Milwaukee (Waukesha) Bottle Collectors show last weekend. I'm always assuming that most of the 1,500 followers of this page are wanting to learn something about jar collecting. So, here's a lesson. When you see an engraved old jar cap similar (there are other variations) to this one, buy it. They are getting harder to find all the time. Condition is important, but this one is worth about $50...more or less.

02/10/2026

Another Muncie grab. So, this is another unique old jar. The color is not aqua, lol! The jar has an embedded nail in the glass. Also it has a long, well defined straw mark on the shoulder. And finally, the nice lady from St. Louis who sold it to me had lowered the price to $8! Yes, $8. And no one (except me) had wanted the jar because the bottom had a canning heat generated crack! I like jars with a story too.

02/08/2026

As far as I'm concerned, this is the most incredibly embossed fruit jar ever made. Was it also a good canning jar? Well, what could be better than an
"NE Plus Ultra"? A very old jar, often referred to as the 'circles & squares' jar. Spotted at Muncie by my friend Dana Gostomczik who knew I'd like it, and he was right! This one was about 10% of the $2,000+ regular price because the original top has been cut off. Probably done in the 1970s during a time when cutting up glass bottles and jars was popular and someone thought a damaged top was more of a detriment. I love it!
Bodine & Bros. jar.

02/07/2026

So, I don't know what the record price for a fruit jar is, but this one would be close at
$43,000. Just sold this week. One of a kind, and super desirable for anyone's collection. An amber version of this jar sold in December for $28,000. Both were sold thru the North American Glass (NAG) premier auctions.