Unknown Carousel type Jar Holder

[harborrat]

Hi folks.  I've got a few of these old carousel type jar holders.  I purchased them all at estate sales where the old guy had them mounted up in the garage near the workbench area.  They hold old style babyfood jars for storage nuts & bolts, etc.   They're great because they can be mounted up high, out of the way, and can be turned for easy access and the contents of the jars are visible.   Only pre-1950s baby food jars will work.  On later jars the threads are different.  Some of the old half-pint mayonaise jars will also work, as well as some of the old style glass "BarsLeak" radiator sealant jars. 

I haven't been able to find enough jars to fill up all the spaces, so I did an internet search for "Carousel Jar Holder" and every variation of "turnstile" "Jar Storage" etc etc etc, that I could think of but I have failed to find any information about these.  Does anyone know who made them, and when?  Also, what name were they sold under?

[OilyRascal]

I have not seen one before.  Neat!  It reminds me of how my grandfather would bolt a baby jar lid onto the handrail going up to oil storage tanks.  The oil pickup "tickets" would be left inside the weather-proof jar.

[HeelSpur]

I searched for about an hour last nite but came up empty. I did see a couple of them at an auction a few months back but lost track of them, people shuffling things around. Don't believe they were exactly like the one you have though.

[rusty]

The part in the middle looks suspiscously like a light fixture ceiling plate ....

[Papaw]

I can see that it wouldn't be too hard to make that. Or find some carousel to repurpose.

[harborrat]

The part in the middle looks suspiscously like a light fixture ceiling plate ....

It looks similar to a ceiling plate for an old light fixture but it's not.  I've seen literally hundreds of these in my lifetime of searching yard sales, garage sales, estate sales and auctions.  I just recently started buying them and have over a dozen so far.  Bought them for on average a buck apiece.  Been turned down when offering to buy a few as well.  In some cases the person having the sale claims they want to keep them mounted up in the work area as a permanent fixture.  They are incredibly handy for storing small miscellaneous items while keeping them in full view. I'm convinced that they were made by a local company, perhaps in the Cleveland area.  I'm in Northeast Ohio. 

Some of these have no jars at all.  I'd like to find more jars to fit them all.  I'm going to build a 1x6 drop down unit in my garage and mount them up in a row.  A buddy of mine is going to get a few off me and do the same. 

[Ken W.]

Personally,I don't like the baby food jars for hardware. In my garage I seem to break them.My best friend who had 4 kids has made use out of every jar they have ever used. He screwed the lids to the ceiling and screws the jars to that. They are everywhere. When we insulated his barn all those jars had to come down.What a chore that was.Now they are in bushel baskets on the floor. That thing looks like it would be handy in a work shop tho.

[rusty]

Perhaps these fellows?

They were stil wround in the late 90's , using plastic jars....

[harborrat]

Perhaps these fellows?

They were still wround in the late 90's , using plastic jars....

Hi.  Thanks for the find, but no.  Wickliffe industries was a plastics company and their "Handy Dandy" lids were for a different system.  I'm quite familiar with Wickliffe Ohio.  Lubrizol is headquartered there.

[harborrat]

Personally,I don't like the baby food jars for hardware. In my garage I seem to break them.My best friend who had 4 kids has made use out of every jar they have ever used. He screwed the lids to the ceiling and screws the jars to that. They are everywhere. When we insulated his barn all those jars had to come down.What a chore that was.Now they are in bushel baskets on the floor. That thing looks like it would be handy in a work shop tho.

Yes, it is.  And it is easily removed.  The "quarter twist" jars, introduced in about 1958 or 1959 and used thereafter, will not fit the lid threads on my holder.  Babyfood jars made before that era and SOME other jars will work, but none of them seem to be made today in that size. 

[HeelSpur]

Personally,I don't like the baby food jars for hardware. In my garage I seem to break them.My best friend who had 4 kids has made use out of every jar they have ever used. He screwed the lids to the ceiling and screws the jars to that. They are everywhere. When we insulated his barn all those jars had to come down.What a chore that was.Now they are in bushel baskets on the floor. That thing looks like it would be handy in a work shop tho.

Yes, it is.  And it is easily removed.  The "quarter twist" jars, introduced in about 1958 or 1959 and used thereafter, will not fit the lid threads on my holder.  Babyfood jars made before that era and SOME other jars will work, but none of them seem to be made today in that size.

I'm gonna have to remember this at my next auction I attend. Lots of old farms and backwoods homes around here and most kept everything they had. That's why I like the auctions here:-)

[SwissTech]

Years ago I purchased over a 1000 of the peg-board jar and caps from Wickliffe Industries in Ohio. These were called "Handy Dandy" caps and jars.  Unfortunately, these guys are probably out of business by now.  I still have about 300+ caps and jars that are still being used.  The plastic jars are now very fragile and I'm looking for the same bottle neck configuration which is the typical 4 entry thread baby bottle jar.  Sure would like to find some new bottles to replace the old ones.  Anyone finding a solution, please let me know.