Jarring Coments from Tom Caniff

Jarring Comments from Tom Caniff

Tom, at 80, takes the lid off and looks back on a lifetime of interesting jars and old friends

Compiled by Ralph Finch

In the middle of a cold January day, I got a warm message from friend, jar expert and AB&GC magazine columnist Tom Caniff of Steubenville, Ohio. So, since Tom and I are getting older, I thought that now might be a good time to ask him a few questions. His first few answers were:

“I’m afraid that the virus is getting to a lot of folks, leading them to be less careful, and I’m afraid that many, especially us old fogies, may well pay a stiff price for their foolishness.

“As far as I know, I’ve reached an age, almost 80, that none of my earlier relatives achieved, but although I’m grateful for what I’ve had, I don’t want to go down the tubes because of doing something stupid.

“I’m at the end of my rope with the jar column, I’m afraid, but it’s been a long run and there’s not much left that I’d like to cover. I’ve done this mainly to satisfy myself and now it’s getting to be too much like work, having covered so many topics that I’d wanted to clarify, for myself if not for others.

“I, too, find myself missing old friends and acquaintances, some of whom I barely talked to at bottle shows. Now that we don’t even see them, I find myself wondering how they are and, in some cases, if they’re still alive. I can’t blame all of this on Covid though, some of it’s due to health problems, and an unfortunate declining interest since we’re no longer actively collecting.

“We’re still doing as well as can be expected though.”

And we had more questions, to which Tom, using his unique, humorous style, generously replied.

“Questions? I’m too old to remember answers, and if I do, the answers are probably wrong.

“Quiz 1 – First jar? I already had a grouping of ‘old’ fruit jars that we’d liberated from abandoned farmhouses when I bought my first ‘good’ jar after several weeks of soul searching (and yes, I did finally find my soul and still have it today, although in somewhat worn condition). I shelled out $15 for a stained quart aqua LEADER jar with no lid nor clamp. Although I remember it kindly, it’s now long gone. Not sure if I got my money back or not. “Quiz 2 – First column? The ‘Label Space’ first appeared in the March 1992, issue of BOTTLES & EXTRAS, published by *Scott Grandstaff and Kitty Roach, of Happy Camp, California. My first

A photo of Tom hangs above his Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Hall of Fame Award from August 8, 2008.

printed article was, I believe, on the J. Ellwood Lee Gauze Jars in the October 1978 Federation Letter. Over the past 42 years I’ve written more than 500 columns, newsletters and articles.

“Quiz 3 – Sainthood? In putting up with me for 47 years, I suspect that Deena’s closer to sainthood than I’ll ever be, God love her.

“And, remember, keep away from people, some of them are carriers and most of them are nuts, one way or another.”

How many shows have you been to over the last century? None for the first 53 years, until 1974; since then, probably close to a couple hundred, starting out with one or two a year, peaking at 17 for several years, and then gradually declining to two a year for the last several years (until Covid), as age and health dictated.

What’s your fave show? Mansfield, Ohio.

What’s your fave pet? Right now, Spot Marie LeBlanc, our four-year-old cat. (Editor’s note: Tom is famous for a house filled with pets, including cats, turtles and a snake.)

What are some of your favorite memories? Learning as much as I did about fruit jars from Dick Roller, when we first started collecting. The research he did was awesome in a time before computers and the internet.

What’s the most unusual jar you have ever come across? I’ve seen a lot of great jars, but the most unusual? I give up.

What’s the most unusual ANYTHING you ever came across? Someone who lives in Michigan. (Editor’s note: Ha, ha, ha, lol.)

What else have you collected? Christmas lights.

What are the favorite jar people you’ve met over the years? Don and Glenny Burkett, Dick Roller, and Jerry McCann department? 28 years. (Note: Tom joined the department in 1962, and retired as the Fire Chief.)

In his latest composite photo, Tom shows Deena with the "kids" (Mr. Bird, Katrina Koala, Charles T. Chicken, Dipsy and Doodle Duckling, Squeekmore Mousely, Wartimer T. Frog, Mr. Bandit, Quackers N. Milik, and Kermit T. Frog, watching the beginning of a Randolph Scott western on TV. "I’m supervising on the left, dutifully wearing my mask, like the Lone Ranger," Tom says jokingly.

P.S. What exactly is a “fave”? You kids and your slang. –– Tom

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Tom also collects stuffed … stuff. He calls them “children.” He explained:

“Here’s my latest composite photo, showing the kids (Deena, Mr. Bird, Katrina Koala, Charles T. Chicken, Dipsy and Doodle Duckling, Squeekmore Mousely, Wartimer T. Frog, Mr. Bandit, Quackers N. Milik, and Kermit T. Frog), watching the beginning of a Randolph Scott western on TV. I’m supervising on the left, dutifully wearing my mask, like the Lone Ranger. (Tonight they stay up all night for cowboys.)”

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FYI* When Scott and Kitty announced their first issue, I wrote them — since I had already done that magazine thing myself — and warned them that the challenges they faced would be awesome. It didn’t take long of them to agree with me. –– Ralph

PS: Does anyone know if Scott and Kitty are still around?

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Publisher’s note: We would like to thank Tom for his tremendous contribution of articles to AB&GC over the past 12 years, and beyond (in earlier publications and other literary endeavors). Tom’s enormous wealth of knowledge is respected throughout the hobby. We wish Tom and Deena all the best in their retirement (Deena was instrumental in helping Tom with images for his articles). A well deserved thank you to both Tom and Deena on behalf of AB&GC.