"NOW, HERE IS THE REAL STORY"

"Have you ever seen a red glass insulator before? I saw one once. Yep, it was in an antique shop. Just sittin' there pretty as you please, and it was a real insulator, too! It had threads inside, some writing on the outside, and was one of those smaller types. Bet it would be worth a lot of money now, huh?"

Yes, we've all heard that one before, haven't we? It's right up there with the jaw tightening, teeth grinding..."Yah, I used to shoot at those when I was a kid" remarks. Personally, I always enjoy a good red insulator story. Typically, these stories are proudly told by unenlightened souls who eagerly anticipate our enthusiastic reaction. Until recently, collectors shrugged of these tales as meaningless and unworthy of pursuit. Such an insulator would inevitably turn out to be a painted fake, or a useless "reproduction". As with anything, though, time has a way of changing things...

Enter now the "VTS Industrial Co." insulator. This CD 102 style insulator exists in two striking colors: brilliant peacock blue; and a deep blood red. Each is embossed: (F) "VTS INDUSTRIAL Co", (B) "NUMBER 8". There appears to be somewhat of a mystery shrouding their origin and initial purpose. Several tales have filtered into the hobby since their introduction years ago. Some say they were originally intended for actual line use. I've even heard stories that they were placed in service for a short time. I have interviewed collectors that recall dozens of these insulators appearing at a Central California show many years ago, complete with tiny "Made in Korea" stickers attached to them. Reliable sources say the guy peddling them was ultimately escorted out of the show building! Crown Jewels of the Wire and the NIA even put out an alert that fake pony style insulators in colors of red and blue were infiltrating our hobby! At that time, anyone foolish enough could purchase one or more for a mere $3.00 each. 

The red VTS Industrial ponies are likely the source of most red insulator sightings. Nothing to get excited about, right? Wrong! These once highly controversial insulators are now eagerly sought by many collectors. Recent reports reveal that collectors are paying an average of $75-100 for the reds, and $200-250 for the peacock blues! In the back section of McDougald's current price guide, under the heading "Private Issue Insulators", the VTS Industrial pony is listed at $125-150 for the ruby red and $200-250 for the peacock blue. 

What about the previously mentioned controversies and mysteries surrounding these insulators, you ask? I'm delighted to present the following documentation that will hopefully put to rest all previous speculation concerning the VTS Industrial insulators.

It all began about a year ago when I purchased a local collection. With the collection came several notebooks full of personal insulator related notes. While scanning the multitude of notes a large hand written title caught my eye, boldly stating, "NOW -- HERE IS THE STORY". I continued to read on about how this collector met a fellow at an antique shop in Redlands, CA in 1987. This fellow turned out to be the person who had the VTS insulators made! The notes continued on with a brief account of the evolution of the VTS insulator. Low and behold an address and phone number was listed in the notes for VTS Industrial Co., VTS Building, Highway 60, Salome, AZ.

It was too much to resist, so I called the phone number to see if it was still in service. A gentleman at the other end of the line answered, "VTS Industrial Company." After a brief introduction of myself and why I was calling, I quickly learned I was speaking with the owner of the company, Steve Hilsz. Steve quickly replied that, yes indeed, he was the creator of the VTS Industrial pony!

The phone call quickly turned into an interview, of which Steve was politely receptive. Steve owns a telecommunications salvage and antique telephone repair and restoration business, called VTS Industrial Co., in Salome, AZ. 

The VTS insulators he ordered were intended as a "novelty advertisement paperweight". Steve contracted with several glass mills in Korea that supplied him with reproduction replacement parts for telephones, glass lenses for model "A" Fords, and Bi-Centennial bell paperweights, to mention a few. The design and specs for the VTS insulator were drawn up on paper and sent to one of these Korean glass mills. The order called for the following embossing on each unit: (front skirt) "VTS INDUSTRIAL Co" (back skirt) "NUMBER 8".

Steve located an old purchase order dated July 5, 1977, listing 500 red insulators ordered at $2.97 each. An order was placed later that year for 100 cobalt blue ponies. Unfortunately, the factory could not obtain cobalt, as it was then restricted. They tried to produce a color as close to cobalt blue as possible, resulting in the beautiful peacock blue!

The glass of the red VTS insulators is colored with gold chloride. Steve commented that if you look closely at them you may see some of the free gold in the glass! "That's why they cost nearly $3.00 each in 1977," remarked Steve. "Gold was still reasonable in cost, but nonetheless expensive to use in making 'ruby glass'."

Steve never physically saw the mold. He paid a total of $750 to have it fabricated. The embossing engraver made one minor error by not providing a space between the "R" and the "8", so the actual embossing appears as "NUMBER8". Steve recalls other embossing errors on items he had produced that cost him substantial monetary losses. 

The insulators were originally offered for $3 each, your choice of the two colors, peacock or red. Several boxes were sold to other individuals who later tried to market them at insulator shows. 

Steve recalls several insulator collectors being very upset with him when they found out he was selling "new" insulators. Many collectors looked upon the VTS insulators as fakes and would have nothing to do with them. Since they were embossed with the name of his company, Steve felt he had not created a reproduction or a fake, just a novelty advertisement item for his company. 

"It was never my policy to destroy my molds," said Steve, "but the uproar from the insulator people was so great that I finally ordered the mold disassembled, just to keep the peace." 

So there you have it, the real story! It was one man's attempt to create an "advertising paperweight" that backfired on him. Well, sort of backfired. With the value rising on these curiosity pieces, I'm sure Steve's only regret today is that he did not keep a box or two stowed away for himself! Steve noted, "I did manage to hold on to one blue and one red insulator for souvenirs."

I wish to thank Bill Muth for passing his notes on to me, which ultimately inspired this article. Also, a sincere "thank you" to Steve Hilsz of VTS Industrial for his kindness and assistance during my interview and subsequent contacts with him.