Additional information is available from the A. B. Chance Co. regarding Fred Collier's report of the "C" marking in December 1984 CJ page 25. The "C" marking was first used in 1967 in marking (1) shown on page 114 of Porcelain Insulators - Guide Book for Collectors by Jack H. Tod.

Markings (2) and (3) were first used in 1963 and markings (4) and (5) in 1958. The "C" marking is used only on pin type insulators and not on line-posts. The A. B. Chance Co. became a totally owned subsidiary of Emerson Electric Company in 1975.

The line-post insulators first used the marking shown below in 1977.

The number after the year of manufacture is the dryer number (1,2,3,4 or 5) The style number is below the name followed by a neck type (A, C, F, J, K or N). The neck type is shown only if the neck dimensions match one of the six standard types.

Dear Elton,

In Jack Tod's book Porcelain Insulators - Guide Book for Collectors, he mentions a pin type insulator with the number (8) Westinghouse recess-embossed marking. Was this marking reported on U-625? I have two powder blue U-625's with this marking.

I also have an unmarked cobalt blue U-215 and a bell-shaped suspension insulator made by Pittsburg High Voltage Insulator Co. The metal hook on the suspension insulator is embossed P. H. V. I. Co. I also have a plug-type "widow maker" fuse cutout with a Pittsburg marking. Are any of these four insulators rare?

Fred Collier Jr., NIA *2933

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Dear Fred,

You are the first to report the Westinghouse recessed-embossed marking on U-625. That marking is rare on pin types and was reported in CJ 9-73-23 on a brown U-293 and a cobalt U-288.

Regarding the cobalt blue U-215, a white one with a 1929 Lapp marking was reported in CJ 1-76-24 and another one (color unknown) in the 1975 Porcelain Collector Survey.

The Pittsburg suspension insulator and fuse cutout are both new to me. Pittsburg markings are very rare on pin types and have only been reported on U-709A, sim U-710 and U-746.

All of the insulators that you have reported are rare. Hopefully, the CJ readers will report if they also have these or any other rare or unusual combination of marking and style in their collection.

Elton

As previously mentioned, Jack ran the Porcelain Collector Survey in 1975. There were 41 collectors responding to produce a fairly successful indication of collector interests, inventory of uncommon glazes, markings, styles and even new reports. If interest is great enough, we may consider a similar survey. I will welcome any suggestions.

Dear Elton,

The local R.E.A. warehouse foreman showed me a carton of new dark brown insulators sim U-568 with an incuse Lapp marking on the side of the skirt. The letters were capitals about 3/8 of an inch tall. Has this marking been reported?

William Ogden, NIA *1857

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Dear William,

The only previously known incuse Lapp marking is the Lapp logo (below) from the 1917-1927 period.

All other Lapp markings are underglaze ink. It is unusual for companies to use anything other than the standard sky glaze color. The brown glaze is a special order item and the units may have been ordered as replacements on an old line.

Elton