Wood You Believe?

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", July 2000, page 6

The story behind this month's cover photograph began when I received an e-mail and attached photo in January from Mark Reutebuch regarding an interesting wooden insulator model about which he wanted information. I suggested that Elton Gish be contacted regarding patent information and that Dick Bowman had found a similar wooden insulator model which was featured on a "Crown Jewels of the Wire" cover in October 1996. Following is how three collectors put together the pieces of the puzzle.

Mark Reutebuch - The Owner

Hi Carol,
I mailed the pics and patent info that Elton sent me to you today. The patent seems to indicate the insulator would be made of glass. Maybe this was a wooden prototype? The patent drawings have a striking resemblance to the actual piece. Have you ever heard of another piece like this?

I ran an ad about 3 years ago in a collecting periodical called "America's Most Wanted Collectables". I advertised for unusual glass or wooden insulators. Several months went by, and I had forgotten about it, when I got a letter from upstate New York. 

An antique store owner said he had a 3 piece wooden insulator! My first thought was of a wood Wade that had been broken! He had a very crude "drawing" of it, because his camera was broken. He also said the insulator had wires, "like arms", coming out of each side.

Of course my imagination was running wild! After much discussion, we agreed on a price and he sent me the piece. He said it came from an auction and had been sitting on a shelf for over 25 years. No one had ever shown any interest in it. He was ready to throw it out, because he was retiring and had sold the store and most of the contents. By pure luck, a friend showed him my ad. 

I wonder if this type was ever placed in use? There are no markings that I can see.

Thanks,
Mark Reutebuch

Dick Bowman - The Wood Be Owner

Hi, Mark, 
I got your pictures of what you must know by now is a patent model judging from Elton's e-mails which I received copies of. I can verify that conclusion as I have seen this piece before, held it and was close to buying it.

I first saw it at an outdoor flea market in Clarence, New York and it was in the possession of a gentleman who had a booth there and had acquired numerous patent models. Included in that batch was what was the Simonds patent model pictured in CJ on the cover about 3 years ago. He did not have the papers with the Simonds patent at the time, and I did not want to purchase it without them as the price was pretty steep. He said he would be at Brimfield in Massachusetts in 3 weeks, so I asked him to hold onto it when he got the papers and I would see him at Brimfield. 

At the Clarence flea market he also had the one you have pictured but without the top and for which he also wanted a large sum. I was interested and could picture in my mind what the top would be like, but again was not about to put out big bucks for an incomplete piece. 

Later, knowing where he would be at Brimfield, I looked him up and he did have the papers for the Simonds. About the time I was looking at the Simonds, Dario DiMare, a well known collector from Massachusetts who will pay good money for a good piece came into the booth. I'm good friends with Dario and didn't want to get into any bidding war with him. As it turned out, the booth proprietor had another complete model which although ok, didn't turn me on. 

Dario and I huddled, decided to make him an offer on the pair and flipped a coin for first choice on the two, the winner paying a premium. I won the Simonds, my first choice after we got a better deal on the pair. Now, as an afterthought I asked him about the top for the piece in your pictures. No dice, he had not located it, so again I rejected the piece, perhaps unwisely.

Who knows how or when the top showed up, but I think you have a real prize there. The man I bought it from was associated (supposedly) with some non-profit foundation that acquired these models and was selling them to raise money for something or other. I would be curious to know where you found it as the last known location I am aware of was indeed in New England. 

Regards,
Dick Bowman

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Fox & Heston Patent Model

Completely assembled and. . .

with cap removed and. . .

with cap and sleeve removed from the threaded pin.

This shows how the wire enters the side of sleeve. . .

and how the wire rides the curve the sleeve's channel.