Bea Lines
by H.G. "Bea" Hyve

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", April 1986, page 3

This time "Bea Lines" is moving down South, for an interview with Bob and Phoebe Adams of Miami, Florida. Unless I am mistaken, Bob and Phoebe have the distinction of being the hobby's southernmost dwellers, as far as the continental United States is concerned. So, except for the Florida shows, these two dedicated collectors have quite a ways to travel to any show.

Bob and Phoebe are extremely active in our hobby, and I think it would be safe to say that they are known by just about everyone. I'd like to put in a personal note here by saying that I truly love these two people. They are always cheerful and kind, and I think their charm partly lies in the fact that after being with them, I like myself a little better then I did before. How many people do that for you? Although Phoebe and I only see each other once a year at the National , we seem to be able to take up right where we left off the year before. Her warmth and enthusiasm just radiates from her, making her someone you want to be with.

Bob Adams

Phoebe Adams

Bob and Phoebe first became interested in insulators in 1971. Their daughter, Roberta, brought several insulators home from a summer vacation in Alabama, thinking they would make good paperweights. Their son, Tim, then pointed out that there were some insulators out where he worked, but they were different. He brought some home also, and therein started a collection.

Phoebe says, "As we went to flea markets, shops, bottle shows, etc., we became more aware of, and interested in insulators. With both of us loving to travel, we gradually started going farther away from home in our quest for those crown jewels of the wire. We have been averaging 12 trips a year, including shows and just traveling, looking for insulators. I guess the ultimate would have to be when 'Chicken' and her 'Better Half' flew to the National in Tacoma. We have to be 'true blue' collectors to fly 7,000 miles round trip, and spend over $1,000.00 for our plane tickets, just to spend one day plus a few hours in Tacoma! But it was worth every penny of it, and the tranquilizers I had to take to get myself there! I would do it again, too!"

Bob collects lightning rods and all related go-withs; lightning rod balls, arrows, insulators, advertising, salesman's samples, and installation plates. It is Bob's collection of lrb's that appears in Art Kottman's Time-Life Collectibles series. When I wrote and asked Bob to tell me exactly what it was that he was standing next to in the accompanying photo, his answer was, "the front door"! But then he added the following information: "It is a Star lightning rod with a scroll brace (bottom part). The point is an Ajax point, and the four pendants were used to indicate North, East, South, and West, and are white milkglass."

Bob standing by the front door (!)
(Barn in picture at left has a lightning rod on it)

Phoebe says she has narrowed her collecting to threadless insulators, with at least 40 currently in the display. With having over 2,000 different insulators, she had to draw the line somewhere! She also has a very good collection of pots and pot lids. She has at least 100 different ones and finds more periodically.

Phoebe holding her favorite insulator, the little Elliot signal.

Originally, in the early 70's, they collected general glass and porcelain insulators, and had a side-bar (additional specialty "collection within a collection") of foreign insulators which they displayed around the Southeast. They still have all of the foreign pieces, which amount to several hundred. But their station wagon can only carry so many.

The Adams' favorite insulators are the Elliots, including the small Elliot signal (only 1 of 2 known), and their four glass blocks, including the rare emerald green and amber ones. What is their main "want"? It is the threadless insulator known as "Big Blue" (CD 735.6). How many insulators do they have in their collection? Although they have been selling duplicates, there are still about 2,000 different ones.

Bob end Phoebe and the black wagon ready to leave on a trip

Besides their shared hobby of collecting insulators, Bob and Phoebe list their other hobbies as traveling (first and foremost), reading, producing articles and newsletters, and collecting friends. They love meeting people and having new and old friends from all over. Phoebe also has an alligator collection which continues to grow. Not real 'gators that is, but stuffed, felt, ceramic, etc. She also collects all kinds of Paddington bears.

This would be a good spot to mention something about their newsletter (and Phoebe doesn't know that I'm doing this!). One of the many things this couple does for the benefit of our hobby is the writing (Phoebe) and editing (Bob) of the (Central Florida Insulator Club) C.F.I.C. Newsnotes. They are in their 7th year of publishing, and I must tell you, it is absolutely adorable! Even though I can't attend any of the club's shows or meetings, I subscribe to the newsletter just because it is so cute. It is written with Phoebe's characteristic enthusiasm, and it is delightful. It only costs $3.00 a year, so anyone who enjoys getting insulator-related mail full of humor, cute illustrations, and stories, ought to subscribe to this newsletter.

The Adams' are life members in the NIA (Bob is #381 and Phoebe is #380). And at one point, they held the office of Co-Membership Chairman. They also hold life memberships in the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs, and the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, NY. They are also on the Board of Governors for the National Bottle Museum. Bob has been State Chairman of the Association of Florida Antique Bottle Clubs for the past 6 years, and Phoebe has been Secretary/Treasurer for the same length of time. Bob has been Secretary of the Central Florida Insulator Club for the past 6 years, and as mentioned above, they write and edit the C.F.I.C. Newsnotes. In addition to all of this, a few years ago they co-hosted the Everglades Antique Bottle & Collectibles Club Show and Sale at Fort Lauderdale, FL. Are they busy, or WHAT?? All of this work represents a great love for the field of collecting.

The Bob And Phoebe Adams
Showmanship Award

One of the nicest things to ever happen to our hobby was the introduction of the BOB AND PHOEBE ADAMS SHOWMANSHIP AWARD. Out of their love for our hobby, and their generosity, they established this award in July of 1978. It is to be awarded "to the most creative display regardless of category, division or age of displayer." It is a classy trophy and one well worth trying for. (You can read more about this award in Crown Jewels, July 1978, pp. 5 & 6). In this article they state, "We hope that this (award) will serve to encourage more and better displays at shows, since it is our firm belief that displays are an important and integral part of each show." The trophy design has been modified somewhat since this photo was taken, to facilitate packing for shipping or taking to shows.

Bob Adams was born on May 5, 1923, in Cincinnati, OH. He graduated from Miami U. at Oxford, OH, with a B.S. Degree in Education. He received a Directors Degree and Masters Degree at Indiana U. He has also taken some advanced work at the U. of Miami, FL, and lacks only a few hours to complete his Doctors Degree in Education. Bob is currently in his 36th year with the Dade County (Miami) school system. He is the coordinator for the Comprehensive Health Programs in the school system, which is the 4th largest in the nation. This includes 228,000 students in 251 schools. During his first few years he was a physical education instructor, but has been serving in his present capacity ever since.

Phoebe Adams was born on July 6, 1925, in Blanchester, OH. She says it is 30 miles from Cincinnati and about 10 miles from Jerry Turner's house in Goshen. Phoebe also attended Miami U. at Oxford, and in her senior year, transferred to the U. of Cincinnati. She graduated from there with a B.S. Degree in the College of Home Economics, a Dietetics major. She was all set to do her internship at a Cincinnati hospital when she and Bob decided to get married. She never did intern, but instead put all of that 4 years of hard study to practical use. She worked as a secretary during the summer when she was in college, and has been a homemaker ever since, rearing 3 children, one cat, and taking care of her mother for 30 years.

As you probably suspected, Bob end Phoebe met at Miami U. at Oxford, in May of 1946. Phoebe says, "I was dating a fraternity brother of Bob's when Bob returned to campus after 3 years in India during WW II. My date introduced us at a dance, and we danced together almost the whole evening. My date was very understanding, thank goodness! (Could write pages here.)"

The Adams' were married on August 21, 1948. They lived one year in Bloomington, IN, while Bob was doing graduate work at Indiana U., and have lived in Miami since 1950. Before the insulator-collecting bug bit them, Bob and Phoebe taught dancing for years at many of the Miami Beach hotels. They have a son, Robin, 36, a daughter, Roberta, 34, and a son, Tim, 32-1/2. All three children are married and have homes of their own. Phoebe says, "We thought things would slow down after our three children married and moved away, but we have been twice as busy!" And on their questionnaire for this interview, when asked if they were retired, Bob answered, "No, just tired!"

I'm not certain Phoebe wanted me to tell you this, but I don't think she'll mind. She wrote me once that, "I was the one who nominated John McDougald for NIA President. I fell in love with him and Carol at their show in Berea in 1976. And when I was asked to be on the nominating committee, I felt so strongly about John and what a fine president he would make, I couldn't wait for my letter [asking his permission to nominate him] to get to him, so I called him!!! And, as they say, 'the rest is history!'"

Bob and Phoebe on their wedding day
Blanchester, Ohio
August 21, 1948

When asked about their personal achievements, they listed "having been married for 38 years!" And as for goals and hopes, "We hope to make continuing contributions to the insulator collecting hobby."

In conclusion, I'd just like to thank Bob and Phoebe for their cooperation in this interview. They were just terrific! I truly believe that our hobby is certainly a much better one because of these two fine people. They are faithful displayers, show-goers, writers, award-presenters, office-servers, show hosts, and just plain hard workers in our hobby. I'm so glad to be able to count them as my friends.