On June 2nd, 2024 Joe Hardin auctioned fruit jars of long time Ohio collector Larry Henschen of Springfield. Larry collected bottles and jars for over 50 years compiling a collection of outstanding fruit Jars, many featuring rare original closures. Myself, Tina, Brian and my Service Dog Khalessi headed out just after 6 am to make the trip to Southern Ohio.

When we arrived the parking lot around the building was congested and the crowd was excited with many ready, willing and able buyers. I immediately took to the task of viewing the collection and selecting some highlights to focus on viewing before the auction started. The two top jars were the Quart Dalby Jar with early 2-Screw Closure which was completely original and the only known Blue Half Gallon All Right jar with complete original closure. Many friendly faces and fellow collectors were present for this event. Collectors that I remember seeing included: Mike M., Tom S., Mario P., Steve J., Marty T., Mathew A., Donald K., Jesse, Bill B., Dave R., John B., and Bonnie. I’m sure I missed one or two that are part of the Facebook Jar Collecting Groups but I promise it was not on purpose. For the Record, Joe Hardin, and his crew did a wonderful job of organizing and conducting this Auction. Great Job Joe!

The Following History of this jar was recollected and written by John Bartley. And by the way, John Bartley was the underbidder or the guy who ran me up after everyone else dropped out around 4,000.00. Thanks John! Love Ya!

All Right, here it is………..

The Washington Court House flea market in the early seventies with hundreds of dealers from all over the country, was a gold mine for local collectors. Paul and Mary Ballentine, Felix and Wanda York, Jack Lyons, Roger Durflinger, Carl Conklin, Jim Coffman, Walt Douglas and more built major parts of their collections by flashlight early Saturday mornings looking for treasures.

On one such weekend, Bill Dudley, legendary Xenia, OH jar collector, picked up the blue half gallon All Right jar off a vendor’s table. Because he had spent too much the previous month at the Court House, Bill’s wife, Wanda, had limited his pocket money this trip, and he was a few dollars short of being able to buy the beautiful blue jar. With almost tears in his eyes, he sat the jar down and it was immediately snatched up by Larry.

Years later, Larry brought the jar to the local bottle club meeting. Bill could be seen off in a corner shaking his head, waving his arms and mumbling, “Wanda! That could have been my jar!”

Until it came to light in preparing for the auction, the only other time I ever saw him have the jar out was when he entered it one year in the Antiques Division at the Clark County Fair where it unbelievably came in second in the Fruit jar category.  That is, until you saw that Paul Ballentine had entered his cobalt blue Willoughby with the original iron stopple that year.

It may be a desirable and rare jar, but all these people I knew were even more rare and desirable friends.  And years later, the mention of their names brings back memories and stories that can’t help but make me smile.