Variations of an Unthreaded Insulator Mulford & Biddle
by Chris Buys
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire",, July 1970, page 21
At present, collector's lack of knowledge concerning the origin of insulators embossed MULFORD & BIDDLE is out weighed only by the difficulties in finding them. To my knowledge, at least five varieties of these highly sought after pilgrim hats have been found:
Embossing
Color
Front
Back
1. MULFORD & BIDDLE U. P. R. R.
aqua (several shades)
2. MULFORD & BIDDLE U. P. R. R.
green
3. MULFORD & BIDDLE U. P. R. R.
deep blue
4. MULFORD & BIDDLE
aqua (several shades)
5. MULFORD & BIDDLE
green
Descriptions of the above insulators are not based on hearsay. Some exist in my
collection and the rest exist in private collections throughout Wyoming and Colorado.
All of them were found along the old Union Pacific Railroad grade.
In reference to rarity it appears that the deep blue MULFORD & BIDDLE, U. P.R.R., and the green MULFORD & BIDDLE without the U. P. R. R. are the least common.
It should be mentioned that all of the insulators appear to have come from excellent molds. Indeed, the quality of the embossing and the uniformity of the glass mixture far exceeds these same properties in many insulators produced years later.
Hopefully, information concerning the production and distribution of MULFORD &
BIDDLES will soon be available to insulator collectors.
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