MAC's Believe It Or Not!

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", March 1986, page 40

One of the areas that I want to work on in Mac's "Believe It or Not" is sharing new CD's that have been assigned to new finds since the publication of Milholland's Bicentennial Edition. All of us need to have a way to find out what's out there. All contributions will be much appreciated.

One of the changes that were made in the Bicentennial Edition was to provide a full sized picture of CD 102.7. Since many of you may be working with earlier editions, you may be as surprised as I was the first time I saw a CD 102.7 in person. The picture (below) shows a CD 102.7 next to a CD 102 Westinghouse for relative size. I hope this picture is helpful for some of you in identifying the California "blob".

Next, we take a look at one of the really rare items in the insulator hobby. Unfortunately, I can't share a CD number with you because it is listed as a CD 127 in the book. Looking at the picture (below left), you can see why it might have been called a CD 127. Only the rounded top and the two little holes just below the wire groove indicate that something strange is going on. Suspicions are confirmed when the insulator is turned 90 Degrees and viewed from the side (below right). As you can see, the insulator has two scooped out areas which flatten the sides and result in a very unique looking insulator. It appeared in Eldon Myers' display at the 1985 National in Chicago --- a real jewel.

I would also like to take this opportunity to share with you some relatively new information on CD's for the top half of two piece tramps. My original information was provided by Grant Salzman, West Sacramento, California, who had corresponded with N. R. Woodward regarding the new CD. The pictures, comparing the transposition tops, were taken at the Western Regional last fall after Ross Huth of Atascadero, California, had purchased the new CD from Grant for his transposition collection. Shown, both side and bottom view, are from left to right CD 193.1 (new CD) embossed Am. Tel & Tel. Co., CD 193 No Name, and CD 191 Am. Tel. & Tel. Co. The new CD number was assigned by Mr. Woodward to distinguish between the smaller diameter base of the Am. Tel. & Tel. and the difference in the shape of the dome.

CD 193.1	CD 193	CD 191

Mr. Woodward mentioned in his correspondence with Grant that CD 192, representing the base of the smaller tramp, has been designated should a base be found. I thought I remembered seeing one at the Eastern Regional show in East Windsor, Conn. in 1979. If someone can confirm, please let me know. I would be happy to publish a picture of a base to match either a CD 193 or a CD 193.1.