Advertising Through the Ages
by Robert Stahr
Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", November 1993, page 10
Several issues of 1884 Electrical Review yielded some interesting
advertisements for the American Insulator Company.
April 3, 1884 - The American ad shows the CD 156 and CD 134. The ad indicates
pricing by weight. The CD 156 must be the 22 oz. double petticoat, while the 18
oz. must be a CD 145 American even though it is not pictured. The
"Standard" does not have a weight given, only a price. Anyone out
there want to weigh their insulators? Note, too, the typo "Prize" in
the ad.
April 10, 1884 - A week later the same ad appeared showing the CD 156 and CD
134. Note that the office is in New York, while the General Agent is D. J. Hem
in Boston, Massachusetts.
April 26, 1884 - Two weeks later the CD 156 and CD 134 again are used in the
American Insulator Company ad. Note that the General Agent's title has now been
changed to General Manager and that H.C. Andrews is listed as Treasurer. The ad
also contains the following letter that was written six days before the ad
appeared in print:
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To the American Insulator Company of New York |
|
GENTLEMEN, |
|
New York, April 20,
1884 |
|
I have made several careful comparative tests of your "DOUBLE
PETTICOA
T" Glass Insulator and the ordinary glass insulator heretofore universally used
by the different Telegraph and Telephone Companies, and as a result find the
SUPERIORITY of your Double Petticoat Insulators to range from 30 to 83 PER CENT;
the highest percentage of superiority occurring in the worst weather, just the
time it is most needed. |
|
Yours
truly, |
G.A. HAMILTON, ELECTRICIAN, WESTERN UNION
TELEGRAPH CO. |
May 10, 1884 - This American Insulator Company ad shows the CD 145 and CD
134. The drawing of the CD 145 matches line for line the drawing in the Boston
City Directory ad of 1893 on page 39 of Insulators, A History and Guide to North
American Glass Pintype Insulators by McDougald.
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