Foreign Insulators
By Richard Wentzel
Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", March 2006, page 12
Glass Insulators of Argentina, Part One
It has been almost a decade since Marilyn Albers and N.R. Woodward released
the Second Revision to their book, "Glass Insulators from Outside North
America". In that time span, there have been numerous discoveries of
previously unrecorded insulator shapes and manufacturers.
This article outlines some of these new finds; specifically those in the CD
101.6, CD 106 & CD 107 range from Argentina. Consolidated design drawings
accompanying this report are reproduced with permission from N.R. Woodward.
The CD 101.6 insulator design is identified with three listings in
"GIFONA" Second Revision. Those listings are included in this overview
with permission from the authors. They are marked with "*". The format
for the following listings is the same as that developed by John & Carol
McDougald for their guide books, and is used herein with their permission.
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Left: CD 101.6' s
Shown are the reverse skirts of mold styles [010] & [020] of the MyB
embossed insulators.
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CD 101.6
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CRISTALERIAS RIGOLLEAU |
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[010] |
(F-Skirt) C.R. / INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB Straw, off clear
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[020] |
(F-Skirt) C.R. / INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
(R-Skirt) (number) SB *clear
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MyB |
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[010] |
(F-Skirt) MyB (in hexagon)
(R-Skirt) U.T. (in triangle) / AI-29
SB
Green, olive green
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[020] |
(F-Skirt) MyB (in hexagon)
(R-Skirt) TA / AI-29
SB Green
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NO NAME |
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[010] |
(F-Skirt) INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB (CRISTALERIAS RIGOLLEAU product)
*Straw
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UNEMBOSSED |
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[010] |
SB Smokey blue aqua, ice yellow green, *bubbly sage green
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VIDRART |
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[010] |
(F-Skirt) CRISTALERIAS / VIDRART SA / (number)
(R-Skirt) EN TEL. AI.29
/ INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB Ice blue tint, ice steel blue, light cornflower blue
|
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[020] |
(F-Skirt) CIRSTALERIAS / VIDRART SA / (number)
(R-Skirt) EN TEL. AI.29
/ INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB (Note spelling) Ice blue tint
|
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[030] |
(F-Skirt) CRISTALERIAS / VIDRART S A / (number)
(R-Skirt) AISLATRON /
INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB Light gray blue
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[040] |
(F-Skirt) (number) / CRISTALERIAS / VIDRART SA
(R-Skirt) T.E. AI 29 /
OTALOGO AR 114 / INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB Straw
|
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[050] |
(F-Skirt) (number) / CRISTALERIAS / VIDRART SA / (3 dots)
(R-Skirt) T.E.
AI 29 / OTALOGO AR 114 / INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA
SB Straw (Note: "N" in
INDUSTRIA is embossed over a reverse "N")
Most straw CD lD1.6 VIDRART
insulators exhibit some degree of milky inclusions.
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A new discovery from Argentina in the CD 106 style has surfaced, but without
much solid information behind it. The color and molding characteristics of this
insulator correspond closely with CD 101.6, CD 115 & CD 154 styles bearing
the MyB logo, but there is no proof of any link to that manufacturer.
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CD 106 Style
UNEMBOSSED
[010] SB Green |
 |
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CD 107 Style |
To conclude this survey, it is noted that a CD 107 Argentine variant exists.
In general, the lettering is extremely weak on embossed examples, often to the
point of becoming unreadable. Such was the case in the listing included in
"GIFONA", which was misinterpreted slightly.
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SULMINAR |
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[010] |
(F-Skirt) SULMINAR SA / IND. ARG.
(R-Skirt) EN TEL. 1979
SB Clear,
straw, peach, light SCA, olive green
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UNEMBOSSED |
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[010] |
SB Clear, straw |
A majority of embossed SULMINAR CD 107 examples with readable rear embossing
have the "E.N. TEL." ground off. Evidence of grinding at over-pressed
mold seams is also commonly seen in this style.
The above listed embossing styles should bring foreign CD 101.6 and CD 107
information up to date. The same cannot be said about foreign CD 106 styles, as
there are at least four other foreign manufacturers of that design which have
not been included in this survey of some of the smaller glass insulators
specifically from Argentina.
As a final note, there also exists a porcelain version of the CD 101.6 design
which Elton Gish reports is similar in appearance to a Pittsburg U-42C. Produced
by FABRICA ARGENTINA DE PORCELANAS ARMANINO SA, examples have been found bearing
the initials FAPA over IND. ARG. and the year of production in green ink
underglaze on a white insulator.
Thanks to John Graham, Caleb Thimell and Elton Gish for their assistance in
providing information used in this article. For those with internet access who
might be interested in the early history of Argentine glass manufacturer
CRISTALERIAS RIGOLLEAU, a visit to www.buzzle.com/editorials/1-18-2005-64446.asp
is
recommended.
CD 101.6 photograph by Richard Wentzel
CD 106 illustration from Glass Insulators From Outside North America,
Second Revision, by Marilyn Albers & N.R. Woodward, page 59.
CD 107 illustration from Glass Insulators From Outside North America,
Second Revision, Price Guide, by Marilyn Albers & N.R. Woodward, page 50.
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