NATIONAL - How To Identify A Pittsburg Insulator

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", September 2000, (Insert) page 19

Rick Soller, Gurnee, Illinois 
NIA Award for Porcelain 
Best Exhibit Using Power Insulators by GCIC

Very few insulators are actually marked Pittsburg, yet Pittsburg made a vast range of styles. Color, a mold line over the dome, an unglazed pinhole, a dimple in the top of the pinhole, crude construction, known markings, top rests on the U-171 haystack style, and established shapes made only by Pittsburg with glass insulator look-alikes: U-395 (CD 257); U-41O (CD 251); and 

U-154 (CD 151); U-179 (CD 162.5).

Rick says: I began the Pittsburg specialty when Bob Stahr sold me his collection three years ago and I built on it from there. Bob mentored me with his knowledge of ways to identify this manufacturer, as did Jack Tod's book.

The latest addition to my display occurred during my trip to the show. It was in a collection I purchased, it looked common and was something I was going to leave behind because I didn't have room. It is a multipart with a P date code marking.

My favorite insulator is the light blue porcelain tramp with a glazed chip. And, I really would like to add a piece that is marked PITTSBURG.

Many insulators made by the Pittsburg High Voltage Insulators Company have a characteristic mahogany or dark mahogany glaze as you can see in several of the higher voltage insulators displayed.

Unusual shades of colors like the aqua (turquoise) U-268 or the various shades of blue, gray and carmels shown are generally associated with Pittsburg. This is especially true when the glaze is uneven on the insulator or when it collects around an edge creating a darker band of color. Other manufacturers made colors that were more consistent from insulator to insulator and which uniformly colored the insulator.

Rick Soller