Fruit Jar Color Guide

This is possibly the most important section of this book to read so you have a better understanding of color and why so many collectors have differences of opinion when describing and determining colors.

Over the last 40 years I have lost count of the number of discussions and even down right disagreements that turned into an argument over the color name given to a jar. After carefully studying how the human eye interprets the spectrum of color, I have come to understand that in many cases both people who were in disagreement were actually both correct.

How can this be? Technically, it cannot be. However, each human eye processes color differently. So the two who are in disagreement with each other, about a specific color, actually see the jar color differently.

This becomes more obvious as I travel to appraise, view and record jars from other long-term collections. I have noticed that many collectors gravitate towards a certain color range. Examples include a collector of 50+ years, on the West Coast, who predominately has jars in the Green Spectrum and another in the Heartland who has every shade of Amber including examples with very slight differences that virtually no one seems to see as easily as him. These are excellent examples, in my opinion, of how each human experiences the visual perception of color differently.

Acknowledged Jar Color Terms Used:

Dead Clear, Near Clear, (SCA)Sun Colored Amethyst, Aqua, Apple Green, Lime Green, 7Up Green, Emerald Green, Yellow Green, Citron,  Straw Yellow, Olive Yellow, Yellow Olive, Amber Olive, Amber Yellow, Yellow Amber(Honey), Medium to Dark Amber, Dark Amber, Olive Amber, Light Olive, Medium Olive, Dark Olive, Sky Blue, Ball Blue, Light Cornflower, Medium Cornflower, Dark Cornflower, Sapphire, Light Cobalt, Medium Cobalt, Dark Cobalt, Teal Blue, Teal Green(Blue Green), Peacock Blue, Prussian Blue, Black Amethyst, Black Amber and Black Olive. That makes 40+ distinctive colors that can be collected with numerous variations in between and several more that are difficult to name. 

Gradients of Color Saturation:
Very Light, Light, Medium, Dark, Very Dark,  Black/Opaque.

Jars with high enough levels of manganese dioxide will often turn a light to medium shade of (purple)Amethyst if exposed to sunlight over a period of time. Natural SCA jars are collectible however, beware that there are a number of people who turn clear/near clear jars with modern technology to quicken the SCA process. Most of these are easy to spot as they are TOO Dark Purple(SCA) and not natural looking. A trained eye from any long time jar collector will easily know the difference. Some of these radiated jars come out in a off brown color and are not natural. 

DEAD CLEAR

NEAR CLEAR

SCA

AQUA

Dead Clear/Crystal - Having no shade or slight toning of any color. Colorless, Crystal or Clear Glass.
Near Clear - Having very light shade of any color. Most commonly aqua, yellow, gray or sun colored amethyst. The Jar body from the side may appear clear but when held up to light this slight coloration will most easily show in rounded edge of base and/or shoulder.
SCA - Sun Colored Amethyst. This color occurs due to manganese dioxide which was used as a decolorizer during the manufacturing process to eliminate the green glass color and clarify the glass to appear clear or near clear. Jar shown is Natural and has not been enhanced or modified with technology. 
Aqua/Aquamarine - Originally manufactured and called Green Glass. Aqua is a term given by collectors as these jars generally look more like the mineral aquamarine or spring water, hence Aqua. Shades range from Light to Dark

AMBER

YELLOW AMBER

AMBER YELLOW

DARK AMBER

Amber - Amber ranges from light to dark and comes in many different shades comprised of mixed colors.
Yellow Amber 
Amber Yellow
Very Dark Amber, Old Amber or Tobacco Amber.

APPLE GREEN

LIME GREEN

CITRON

STRAW YELLOW

Apple Green
Lime Green
Greenish Yellow (Citron) - Citron yellow is a bright yellow with a hint of green.
Straw Yellow - Extremely Rare in its pure form without any green

AMBER OLIVE

OLIVE AMBER

OLIVE YELLOW

YELLOW OLIVE

Amber Olive 
Olive Amber
Olive Yellow
Yellow Olive

LIGHT-MED OLIVE

DARK OLIVE

SKY BLUE

BALL BLUE

Light-Medium Olive
Dark Olive
Sky Blue
Ball Blue - It is a Brighter Blue. Deep Ball Blue Jars in the Mason's Patent Nov. 30th 1858 Series ARE NOT COMMON.

LIGHT CORNFLOWER BLUE

MED-DARK CORNFLOWER BLUE

SAPPHIRE BLUE

LIGHT COBALT BLUE

Light Cornflower Blue - a shade of blue containing relatively little green.
Medium-Dark Cornflower Blue - More bold and pronounced than light cornflower blue. A highly sought color in the Mason Jar Series. Once you see it, you won't forget it.
Sapphire Blue - Extremely Rare and likewise, Extremely Desirable. Very Few collectors will own or have seen a true Sapphire Mason's Patent Jar. 
Light Cobalt Blue

MEDIUM COBALT BLUE

DARK COBALT BLUE

TEAL GREEN

TEAL BLUE

Medium Cobalt Blue
Dark Cobalt Blue
Teal - Extremely Rare
Blue Green 

PRUSSIAN BLUE

PEACOCK BLUE

BLACK AMBER/OLIVER

BLACK AMETHYST

Prussian Blue - Having a Blackish Gray cast. Extremely Rare and Sought by those who know it exists.  (2)Known Examples with a 3rd Reported but not verified to exist!
Peacock Blue - Extremely Rare - Only known to exist in this particular Half Gallon Mold. (4)Known Examples!
Black Amber & Black Olive - The Primary Glass Color is either Amber or Green and can only be seen by holding jar up to sunlight or by shining a bright light through the mouth or base of the jar.
Black Amethyst - The Glass Color is Very Dark Amethyst (Purple) and can only be seen by holding the jar up to sunlight or by shining a bright light through the mouth or base of the jar.

SMOKE

LIGHTLY SWIRLED COLORS

MODERATE SWIRLED COLORS

HEAVY SWIRLED COLORS

Smoke - This jar has smoke throughout the glass. Most likely the batch burnt. A very interesting and odd jar to see. It is not staining and does not wash out.
Lightly swirled colors - Jars having some light wisp or fine lines of color. This is caused by impurities and other colors mixed into the primary batch of glass.
Moderate swirled colors - Jars having obvious swaths and lines of color. This is caused by impurities and other colors mixed into the primary batch of glass. You do not need to hold these in hand to see the swirls and swirling. 
Heavy swirled colors - These Jars jump off the shelf and stand out in a crowd. Profusely Swirled causing extreme glass character and are Rarely encountered.  This is caused by heavy impurities and larger amount of other colors mixed into the primary batch of glass.