Research Division
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", November 1973, page 15
Dear Dora,
Recently I purchased two CD 121 Am. Tel. & Tel. Co. in aqua. These two
are full of bubbles, but what I have not seen before is the heavy mold line over
the dome. I couldn't find this in Milholland's book and wondered if this was a
common type. Could you or other readers help in this? I have many regular CD 121
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO., but these really look old! Also have flatter domes.
"Bud" Perry
Box 934
Napanee, Ontario, Canada KOK2RO
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Dear "Bud",
You are right. These are the older C.D. 121's. Any insulator with the mold
line over the dome is older than one with mold line running only up the side.
This does not necessarily mean the insulator is worth more; but in the case of
these C.D. 121's with the mold line over the dome, they are scarcer in our area.
Dora
Dear Editor,
I have been told all carnival Mickey Mouse Hemi 60's are fakes. Please verify
this. Several are being advertised, and purchased one several months ago for
$60.00. Did I get took? Thanks.
Sincerely,
R. L. Hufman
1018 Galena St.
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
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Dear Bob,
Far be it from me to hang my neck out and say your carnival Hemi 60 is a
fake, but I will tell you that every carnival Mickey Mouse I have seen was a
fake carnival. It's a shame that this sort of thing had to get started in our
hobby, because it really hurts the market value of the true factory carnivals.
Dora
Editor:
In the August issue of Crown Jewels I would like to refer to Cordell Smith's
article (page 24) about the Pyrex CD 128, and also to enquire how a person can
tell if you have a fake (amber) CD 128 Pyrex.
I've had one (amber) for about 5 years, and I've scraped it, used steel wool
(fine) to try and see if I could remove the amber color - and as yet I've had no
success. So until someone can tell me authentically that I have a fake, I'll
still keep it on my nontradeable shelf.
Also, right below Cordell Smith's article is an article by A. J. Rash
concerning frosted insulators. I believe he has some that have been sand
blasted. I had this treatment done to some of mine a few years back by a friend
who sells gravel stones.
Yours truly,
C. B. Mosier
215 E. 28th St.
Kearney, Nebraska 68847
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The preceding letter and the one below both came in the same mail.
Editor
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..............YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS...............
I have just taken this specimen off the shelf where it has been for over 5
years to look at it, and I detected some unevenness in the color. A bit of
acetone (always in my drawer here) on my handkerchief removed this color!!!
Thus, this item is also a "fake", and it has faked me for all this
time.
I do also have one of the alleged treated CD-128 items. Its color is a more
brownish light amber. I've had this in the window for 2 years waiting to see if
it will turn back to clear as it's supposed to. It doesn't appear to be getting
any lighter, but I have no way of knowing how dark it started.
Re A. L. Rash, frosted insulators. I can't understand why this is any puzzle.
Any glass can be frosted very quickly with a dilute solution of hydroflouric
acid -- just as are the inside surfaces of every light bulb you have in your
house. Not only-can I not see why people (collectors) would want frosted,
painted, lacquered or "treated" insulators, but I was under the
impression that this is the thing we were trying to discourage.
Jack H. Tod
Dear Dora,
I have just gotten a new insulator in my collection and am really excited
about it. I'm enclosing a very poor drawing of it (as I am not an artist), and
would like to know if this insulator has shown up any other place in this color
and size. I have the new reference book by Gary Cranfill and Greg Kareofelas,
and they have it listed in aqua. The one I have is a beautiful root beer color.
Considering its age, I would say it is very near mint. I would appreciate
hearing from anyone about this.
Thanks for a very enjoyable magazine.
Kathleen Harbarth
770 El Verano Dr.
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
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