N. R. "Woody" Woodward is the author of THE GLASS INSULATOR IN AMERICA, 1988 Report and developed the Consolidated Design Numbers identification system for glass insulators. 

The following question comes from Peter Hoffman, Mesa, Arizona

QUESTION: I am writing for help in identifying a piece I picked up several months ago. It looks somewhat similar to a CD 724 but is not closed on the end. If it's a base to an insulator, I am unable to catalog it. What is it? Who made it? The antique dealer said it may have come from a hydroelectric dam, but she wasn't sure. There is a mold that runs up and down on the sides of the insulator and one that runs around the insulator as well.

The piece you have is not a line insulator. Rather, in all probability it is a bushing made on special order. Since these were not catalogued, there is no way to find definite information unless the source is known and engineering specifications are available.

Such bushings are used where a conductor passes through a floor, wall or other support. Generally made of porcelain, they were at one time available in a great many sizes. However, this piece would have been for use with a very heavy cable and is larger than any I have seen in catalogs.

The following question comes from Alan Tanz, Winslow Twp., New Jersey

QUESTION: I have a two piece transposition insulator I recently picked up at a show. At first I didn't notice anything unusual about it until my wife noticed a blotted out Hemingray embossing on the top, very faint. but it's there. I thought I got a good piece, but here is where it gets interesting. 

A few weeks ago I was rearranging my tramps and noticed the bottom piece to this was misspelled -- TRANSPOSITON. I am unable to find a listing. 

As a new collector I can sometimes be taken in by what's on a table and not pay too much attention to what it is that I'm buying because I'm trying to add diversity to my collection and I am not noticing these things. But is it possible that people over time collect tops and bottoms of tramp glass insulators and then saw a peg down to size that fits the tramp glass piece? I'm not pointing a finger at this gentleman who I bought this piece from and saying he switched pieces, but I am wondering does this occur and why.

You have acquired an interesting TWO PIECE TRANSPOSITION pair. I had not seen the misspelled TRANSPOSITON either: but it appears on page 79 of McDougald's Price Guide (1991), as well as page 141 of their "Insulators, Vol. 2". Since these were made by Hemingray it's not surprising that there is "ghost embossing" of the Hemingray name. 

As for matched tops and bottoms: there are several facts you should keep in mind. When these were in general use, they were often mismatched on the pins. Although they were probably quite well matched when installed new, as lines were repaired and they were reused, linemen didn't pay that much attention to matching tops and bottoms exactly. So, as they come into the hands of collectors they will be mixed. When buying, it works best to think of tops and bottoms as separate items and examine them individually. You may need to buy several pairs and re-match them to make exact sets. Or sometimes you can find separate tops and bottoms for sale. I don't believe that most sellers try to deceive purchasers with mismatched pairs. They assemble them the best they can, hoping the result will be acceptable. But it's up to the buyer to decide. 

Another thing to remember, if you are trying to match exact colors. In some cases that may not be possible. Since the tops and bottoms were manufactured separately there could be, as an example, an extra batch of amber cullet introduced during a run of bottoms causing amber streaking in the glass that might not have occurred in a run of matching tops. 

Also, the sawed off pin is just a way of keeping the top and bottom halves of a transposition insulator together for display purposes.