featuring DICK BOWMAN

I suppose that somewhere in North America there lives a collector who has not purchased or coveted an insulator offered by "Marshal" Dick Bowman, but I have yet to meet him or her. At any given event; Dick's sales table is always masterfully arranged to highlight the color and rarity of his wares.

Bowman has been a steady fixture at insulator shows for a few decades now. If you've ever wondered how this ever-smiling, consummate gentleman got his start in the hobby, please read on. 

The very first insulator to enter the Bowman residence was an aqua Am. Tel. & Tel. Co. toll, which arrived in the fall of 1968 as a gift to Dick's wife, Ev. It was sent by a former neighbor who had moved to New Mexico as a souvenir of that state. Dick's first look at the CD 121 prompted him to exclaim, "What the devil is that?" Fortunately, Ev had done a bit of homework, explaining what insulators were and mentioning that they were becoming quite collectable. 

This gift seemed to dovetail nicely with a "collecting gene" in the Bowman family, who with their two sons (age nine and thirteen at the time and already inveterate scroungers) were quickly in full pursuit of insulators to accompany that lovely toll. They began by working the local "Hojack" line through Webster, meeting with enough success that soon most railroad rights-of-way within a 200 mile radius had Bowman-type footprints on them. Dick notes that except for one occasion, he has never climbed a pole, which he attributes to "an abundance of cowardice and lack of athletic skills."

It wasn't long before Ev attended her first meeting of the Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association, which in combination with Crown Jewels, Old Bottle Magazine and other publications provided for interaction with a myriad of other collectors and gave notification of shows. Dick, being somewhat of an entrepreneur, but with limited funds, quickly realized the sense of buying wholesale, selling retail, and keeping those pieces he desired. Thus, one of our hobby's most respected dealers was born.

Dick and Ev in front of a portion of the collection.

Early'on, all the Bowman men maintained their own separate collections. Ev, who had started the whole thing, was an active participant, but not the prime collector, and daughter Connie was a tolerant but not enthralled collecting companion for years. Eventually sons Doug and Tim sold their collections. Tim ventured from insulators directly into lightning rod balls where for a number of years he held an excellent collection. This too was sold during his college career. 

Dick Bowman was born in Massachusetts on March 4,1932, but did not remain there long. His father was a salesman whose job entailed moving frequently. Dick recalls attending over a dozen different schools and living at 22 different locations prior to his enrollment at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. After earning his degree there, a B.S. in Management Engineering, he went to work with Eastman Kodak Co as an industrial engineer in 1954. Following a two year stint in the Army as officer of an Aerial Tramway Company, Dick returned to Kodak, working there until his retirement in 1986. 

During his tenure at Kodak, Bowman held a number of positions in a variety of locations, not least of which included the responsibility of Industrial Engineering manager. He became interested in the field of material handling and facilities planning, spending his last seven years with the company as an internal consultant in that field. One of the highlights of Dick's career was his 1985 appointment as the company representative to the Material Handling Research Center at Georgia Tech, where he presided over the Industry Advisory Board. 

After retirement, Dick continued in the consulting business, finally relenting to a full retirement in 1990 so he could enjoy the fruits of his labor. When he's not cleaning insulators, Dick likes to play golf, and is especially fond of fishing in the lake adjoining his Florida condominium. 

Bowman met his wife Evelyn in the summer of 1951 while they were both working at the same New Hampshire resort. They were married on September 18,1954, and as we have read, have three great children and have been additionally blessed with two delightful grandchildren. Ev was born and raised in Lebanon, NH and attended the University of New Hampshire as an English major. She taught high school for two years in Massachusetts before becoming a substitute librarian after the Bowman's move to Webster in 1965. As a collector, Ev in interested in early Christmas items, sample tins and sample medicines. For many years she has been extremely active in the national Christmas collectors group, The Golden Glow of Christmas Past, serving on their Board of Directors for six years. Currently Ev is chairman of community concerns at her church, and she is also actively involved in food cupboard outreach services of the Webster Community Chest. 

Both Ev and Dick have been officers and show chairmen of the Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association, and Ev has edited the club's newsletter for eleven years. Together, they hosted the 1983 National insulator show in Rochester, NY. More recently, Dick has held the National Insulator Association Eastern region vice presidency for a four year span. 

Dick, like most other collectors, started out wanting one of everything. Although he still has a bit of everything, his interests have migrated mainly to threadless, ultra-rare pieces, and odd CD's in pretty or unusual colors. Also like most other collectors, Dick thoroughly enjoys a bargain, noting that he has found his share, but has also probably paid too much for a few items.

Threadless portion of collection with Twin Pin, Twiggs & Fishers

Due to limited space in the Bowman family room, Dick's collection is, perpetually limited to about 550 pieces. Among the favorites are: the Twiggs; the Buzby; the Twin Pin; the Combination Safety; the Garrity; baby teapot; cobalt Confederate egg; citron CD 701; purple CD 726; and root beer amber CD 737.

Dick still gets a smug feeling every time he gazes at the sapphire blue Diamond P he found early one morning at Brimfield priced at an astonishing $3.00.

Among other collectibles which interest Bowman are Thornton Burgess books, a few bottles, and lightning rod balls, which he does not collect, only deals in. What is Dick Bowman's number one insulator want? He doesn't really have an answer to that oft-asked question, but he does relate some of his most exciting times in the hobby.

1. Hosting the 1983 NIA show. Dick, although saddened to see it end, was thrilled that he and Ev had successfully pulled off a national.

2. The Richmond, VA dig for confederate eggs was a real zinger. What a feeling -- to be pulling eggs out of the ground in such quantity, knowing that a Confederate soldier was the last person to handle them. Dick also had the good fortune to be one of the diggers in the hole where the first cobalt pieces turned up.

3. The Fisher find of 1989. Dick had been shown an embossed Fisher by a Canadian dealer who indicated he had five others available. The final deal was consummated by the Skylon near Niagara Falls in Bowman's station wagon, an all cash deal. Dick says he was never so nervous in his life, fearing the transaction might be perceived as some sort of drug deal by a wandering gendarme.

4. Dick was unwrapping a teapot sent to him on approval, and as he dug into the package he realized the package was too small to hold a regular teapot. He let out a yell he says his wife will never forget as a baby teapot revealed itself.

5. The Bowmans had set up at Renningers outside Reading, PA. A gentleman mentioned that he had a Combination Safety at home. Dick made a offer, and the man said he might go home to get it. An hour later, after Ev said they would never see him again, Dick spied him walking down the aisle with a paper bag in his hand. The pristine beauty rests comfortably in Dick's display these days.

Rare CD's featuring porcelain teapots and Elliots

A triple crossarm display completes Bowman's family room display.

After over 250 events as a dealer, Dick Bowman admits he still gets excited preparing for a show. He is concerned for the future and quality of shows if they are not actively supported; he also worried about the effects of alternative marketing strategies. Dick feels strongly that shows are the lifeblood of our hobby, and without incentive for hosts to sponsor them and collectors to attend them, the hobby will not continue to prosper as it has. 

All in all, Dick feels his life would have been less enjoyable without the insulator hobby and the opportunity it has given him to meet so many great people. Dick says he and Ev have taken their share of ribbing on account of their interest, but notes that those same non-hobby friends almost universally admit they envy the Bowmans for what they do.