This came into my possession about 9 months ago when I purchased the contents of an abandoned storage unit in Port Arthur, TX. The contents of the storage building were from the 1940's - mid 70s.
I have no idea what its purpose is, who made it or where it was made. What I do know is that the jar was made for a particular use. The jar's circumference is reduced in the middle to enable the metal band to fit around the jar and not slide off when the jar is suspended in somekind of a mount. The top cap just fit on, it does not screw on and the bottom cap has a slider opening to allow for whatever was inside to flow out. It may have had a purpose in a barbershop or beuaty salon.
I have shown this item to a great many people over the past 9 months and nobody has any idea about what it is.
I am not ready to sell it until I know what it is, where and when it was made and who made it.
Whatever you can share with me will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Re: An Unknown type of Dispensary Jar.
I actually don't know anything about such things.
However, I am exceptionally good at figuring things out.
Seeing the photos I have figured out what it is. Particularly since at some time I have seen a piece of furniture which housed something similar.
What you are looking at is a dispenser for a food item. Note the way the dispenser hole is designed. It is clearly not designed for anything liquid. Because, when hung upside down, a liquid would flow out too fast.
Since this was made back when people actually made their own food, it was used for something like oatmeal, or corn meal, or flour, etc. The dispensor lid allowed the food to flow out in a controlled amount. Such a container would normally be found within a pantry type piece of furniture. Such as the one I saw which actually had a large flour container/sifter combo still inside it.