NEW BOOK

"The Story of Gerald & Esta Brown's Insulator Collecting", by Gerald Brown, 1979, softbound, 128 pages, 7" x 8-1/2", $4.75 postpaid (from author, P.O. Box 1, Two Buttes, Co 81084). 

Let me say right off that, by far, this is the best book that has been published in this hobby for quite some time. You may "need" some of the other books to look up certain insulators, but you will "want" this new book -- and you will rush to get it while the supply lasts if you are wise. You may glance at the reference books as the need arises, but you will read this book cover to cover -- and then reread it. Now I have quite a following of fellow insulator addicts who know that I'm very outspoken and don't say things I don't mean, so I expect most of you will take my advice to get this book muy pronto. Considering the content, it's almost a free gift at the price -- roughly equivalent to the cost of enough gasoline to travel to the next local flea market and back. 

When I received my copy of the book, I was flabbergasted at the extent of its contents. Gerald and I have always corresponded regularly, and I kept getting progress reports on "the book", including one long ago where Gerald said he was hoping to have the book ready by the Reno NIA convention (back in July 1978). No wonder it wasn't; that would have been humanly impossible. He kept expanding and expanding on it, striving to get every piece of the big picture.

The book is beautifully written, using the Browns' own collecting experiences and travels as a narrative to tie together all the important events through the years of the insulator-collecting hobby up to the present. You'll find descriptions and pictures of all the important collectors, all the big shows, the growth of the glass insulator hobby and the important finds along the way, how porcelain insulator collecting suddenly caught on and grew, etc. 

I myself am a paperwork packrat, but I was overwhelmed at the seemingly endless material preserved in orderly fashion by the Browns -- the old photos, articles, advertisements., letters, etc. The very interesting narrative ties all this material into a chronological history of the hobby, all the hundreds of photos and clippings in their proper place. 

I simply guarantee you'll enjoy this book more than any other, whether you are an old-timer wanting to reminisce about the early collecting days or a newcomer to the hobby wanting to find out how we got to this point. In the past 7 years, I've been able to describe each of the new books by various authors briefly and factually, but I just can't help raving over this latest book. It's the greatest! 

Jack

Dear Jack: 

I just picked up a Hartford Faience Co. HA109 (U-722A) in white, the first Hartford white I've heard of other than the signal. Hartfords are sure tough to come by. Seems quite a few are in the Vermont and New Hampshire area, so that may influence my plans for summer vacation! 

I'm also enclosing a print of a page from an 1895 publication, The Electrical Transmission of Power, Arthur Abbott, D Van Westrand & Co. Note in the picture (above) both the Pass & Seymour insulators (U-141 and U-146). 
Matt Grayson, NIA #387 
Roslyn, N.Y. 

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Dear Matt: 

I agree with what you say about the Hartford insulators. With the possible exception of the "hat" shapes, the others are all scarce, and I think collectors have always underrated them as to their true value. 

Yet another reference as to P & S pin type porcelains having been made, but still none have been located. The unusual U-146 beehive would be victory enough, but if anyone ever found one of those U-141 with the metal thimble held in place by the "parafine-filled-cement", I think he could name his price for one. If you ever hear of where those might be found, that should settle the question as to where to go on your summer vacation! 

I also can't help but notice the glass CD-144 in the photo -- the Foree Bain design of patent 443,187 of Dec 23, 1890. If you send in an order, get me a dozen of those too.

Also enjoy printing this old picture to show that I'm not the only one who goofs it every once in awhile; note the incorrect left-hand threads in the artist's sectional peek at the guts of the U-146 beehive. 

Jack

Dear Jack: 

Another new Imperial! At first, it appeared to be like the U-713, but the overall measurements outside and the petticoat details inside are all different from the U-713. 

By the way, did you ever resolve the question as to whether or not the U-934 was a glazeweld? I have two of these, dated 7-1-97 and 7-7-97. One is a top rest, the other a petticoat rest.
Lew Hohn, NIA #1135 
Rochester, N.Y. 

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Dear Lew: 

Your white Imperial sketched and mentioned as being similar U-713 is instead quite close to the U-931A. The drawing for the U-931A came from an unmarked brown specimen years ago, but it could have been an Imperial. 

No, I have never given much thought to the U-934 being a glaze-weld or not. I had several at one time, and from which I made the drawing. Since I drew it as a glazeweld, guess I thought then that they were. It also just figures that all these early, large items by Imperial, Locke & Thomas had to be glazewelds, and especially these made by Imperial in the 1897-1898 period. 

I've learned quite a bit from studying the sectioned specimens (lapidary saw) sent by Emma Almeida of Massachusetts. That is, some reasonably medium-large ones made early in the game are one-piecers (surprisingly), and some of the ones made quite a bit later on are glazewelds. Also, you know for certain the glazewelds with these sectioned specimens, and if you inspect the bottoms of the hollows between petticoats, it's very difficult to detect it. They poured in quite a bit of extra glaze, so you just don't see the joint. If the hollow has any unevenness (as opposed to the uniformity by a jiggering tool on turned one-piecers), this is a clue as to glazewelding. Also, especially on the browns, the poured-in glaze tends to look a bit different in texture and/or shade. Finally, if you can detect even very minute blown bubbles (escaping gasses) in the hollow, this means it is most probably a glazeweld. 

Jack

Dear Jack: 

Does a white U-388 Thomas with an upside down marking have a greater value than if the marking were right side up as most are? Also, how good an item is an unmarked, brown U-384B Roman Helmet?.... 
Tim Wood, NIA #1009 
Scio, Oregon 

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Dear Tim: 

Handstamp markings can naturally appear in any orientation and in any spot on the insulators. Although the stamping is done so rapidly in large numbers that markings tend to be done uniformly upright and in the same location on all items of a given style, inverted stampings are not uncommon on some styles -- notably the U-388. As with handstamp postal cancellations, collectors wouldn't (or shouldn't?) seek out inverts. I myself would rather have a specimen with the marking upright when the insulator is on the shelf upright. 

The Skirt Rest styles of Roman Helmets used to be scarce items, but enough have been "liberated" from your general area in past years that your U-384B would have a value of $3 to $4 at best at western shows. They would be better than that at eastern shows, but quite a few have found their way back there via collectors. Even with those found in the Pacific Northwest, I still think Skirt Rest helmets are maybe underrated on a supply and demand basis.

Jack

Dear Jack: 

While attending a local flea market about a year ago, I bought an insulator that looked like a hub cap. I considered it useless to try to find out about it, assuming it was not very old. 

Yesterday, I followed an old electric trolley line that ran from Norfolk to Virginia Beach. The line was built about 1902 and discontinued about 1916. A lot of houses have been built along it, and I didn't find much until I entered Seashore State Park. Here I found some pieces of the old insulators like I had bought. 

Upon crossing the highway into the government base, I found the Public Works dump. In there I found 2 more insulators like the first one but much smaller. 

The markings on both are very blurred from the glaze; however, I am able to read one as "PAT SEPT ...." The rest of it is very unreadable. They work like a strain insulator with the interlocking wire holes, but the ones in the dump had large power lines hooked to them. I followed the lines through the dump, and they hooked to some modern suspension insulators and onto a cutout. The insulators must have been early forerunners of the modern suspension disks. 

I'm enclosing a sketch of what we found, and would like to know who made these, what their age is, and their value.
David Turner 
Virginia Beach, VA 

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Dear David: 

These general insulator styles were designed in the 1905-1907 period, and patents were later granted on them to Edward M. Hewlett, Schenectady, N.Y., assignor to General Electric Co. of New York. 

Most are marked (if marked) "PAT. SEPT. 15 - 14" or similar. Some have reference to G. E. Co. or to the Hewlett patent of June 22, 1909. R. Thomas & Sons Co. was also licensed by G.E. to make Hewlets, and some have the THOMAS markings, with or without patent dates.

Hewlet-type insulators were not overly popular for suspensions or deadends when first introduced, mainly because they were cumbersome to install, but also because water could freeze in the connecting hole at top when used for vertical suspension strings. But just prior to the 1920's, an alarming number of failures started occurring with conventional cap-and-pin suspension disks, and especially with the Jeffery-Dewitt design introduced in 1915 (and in wide use at that time). Since the Hewlet-type has no such cemented-on caps and pins, it was rushed into mass production by G.E. (Locke) and Thomas, and millions of questionable cap-and-pin suspension insulators were replaced with Hewlets in the next several years. Companies (mainly Thomas) designed and marketed numerous forms of special hardware to facilitate interconnection of the various types of Hewlet disks.

Although improved and reliable cap-and-pin designs rather ended the big era of Hewlets in the 1920's, Thomas persisted with manufacture and promotion of Hewlets into the 1940's. One can occasionally still find old lines in service with the instantly recognizable Hewlet strings, and some smaller utilities still retain Hewlets in stock as serviceable -- especially the smaller styles used for deadending or as link strain insulators. 

The smaller Hewlets are generally available in collector circles for $5 or less. Mint specimens of larger styles with identifiable markings are easily worth $10 or more. If you left the Hewlets back in that dump, it's no great loss, but you'd better go back there anyway and collect up all of that copper wire connected to them. Have you checked the value of a pound of scrap copper lately?!!! 

Jack 

Dear Jack: 

I'm sending you a porcelain pin type for your inspection and comments. I'm a lineman and run across a fair bit of porcelain, but none like this one. There are a few left on the poles up here. Are they common, or are they worth "chasing"? 
Paul Styles 
64 Belgrave Ave. 
Toronto, Ont. M5M-3T1 Canada 

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Dear Paul: 

This is not a "super goody" item, but just a regular "goody". They'd be worth gathering for swapping or sale to other collectors. You could describe them on your list as "U-939B, No Name, pretty mahogany brown, Top Rest, Glazeweld."

These were made by Locke at Victor, N.Y., and I'd guess their vintage as about 1905-1910. You'll note by inspecting the valley between the petticoats that these are glazewelds made in two parts and then made into one piece by welding with extra glaze during the firing process. 

The immediate forerunners of this insulator, the U-939B made at Victor, N.Y. under Fred M. Locke, have a light tan glaze and Fred Locke patent date markings, and those are considered super goodies in the $30 to $75 range. Since these are rare items, your slightly later version would still be very desirable to collectors wanting a glazeweld of this early style. (I'll give Paul's address above so you hungry wolves can contact him directly to get in line for one of these goodies.) 

Jack

Dear Jack: 

We've had a U-784A porcelain for a couple of years, and it has a marking that looks odd to us. The insulator has a white glaze. Any info would be appreciated. 
Emma & Tony Almeida, NIA #979 & #1166 
Shrewsbury, Mass. 

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Dear Emma & Tony: 

The complete middle line on this marking would naturally be "HI-TOP". It's incomplete either due to a week application of the marking handstamp or to a faulty stamping device. These handstamps were made up from loose type, probably held together with a tape wrapping. If individual letters slip upwards in the type bundle, they won't leave an impression on the insulator. 

By the way, I presume you may have noticed from other collections and what you see at insulator shows, that the Locke HI-TOP insulators are quite scarce in anything other than the ordinary brown glaze. I personally have never laid eyes on a white U-784A. 

Jack

Dear Jack: 

Enclosed is a sketch of a strain-type porcelain insulator I dug, and I was wondering what you could tell me about it. It's a football type, no markings, 11" in circumference and about 13" around it lengthwise. Note the 1/2" band around the middle. It is kind of a tan color with a tinge of yellow, and lots of white freckles -- super crude. 

I wonder how old it is and who made it. I was digging for bottles and found all kinds of broken California glass insulators and the big porcelain pieces. The broken Californias really upset me, and this strain was all I could bring home. Oh well, so goes life. Thanks for any info. 
Janet Bond, NIA #210 
Antioc, Calif. 

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Dear Janet: 

The old crude "egg" strains like you dug are always a real jewel on the shelf. Unfortunately, the old strains such as this are almost all impossible to attribute as to manufacturer or exact vintage. None of the porcelain "egg" strains are marked, and many companies made them over a period of years. Your general description of the specimen, plus the band around the middle, indicate it was made by the "dry process" method, as were most "eggs". I'd hazard a guess of 1900-1915 vintage. 

It's not surprising this insulator of porcelain survived the other glass and porcelain insulators in that dump. Except for some chips on the groove edges, it's hard to break one of these porcelain eggs if you take a sledgehammer to it out on your concrete driveway.

Dear Jack: 

I got this Fred M. Locke porcelain insulator here in Portland from a fellow collector. I understand it was found here on an old line too. I made the enclosed shadow profile drawing with a single light source as you described (see Nov 1978 CJ, page 11). The specimen is a medium brown, skirt rest, no inner petticoat. What can you tell me about it?! It must be a fair piece. 
Steve Watkins, NIA #273 
Portland, Oregon 

Dear Steve: 

Yep, you have a real goody here. As you know, regular Roman Helmets are rather common now., and largely due to those from your area, but as far as I know nobody has ever found any source for these early Fred Locke ones, and they continue to carry a rare rating. These items not only have a shape unlike modern ones, but they characteristically have very thick ears. 

These come in both white and light brown glazes, with or without the Fred M. Locke "wordy" markings. Value on these would range from about $50 to $100., depending on exact style, glaze color, nature and clarity of the Fred M. Locke marking. I'd guess your item would be valued near the lower end of that range, but I'm not current on how rare these currently are. Unmarked ones are valued considerably less. It would be worthwhile to find out if more of these are sitting atop poles on some old line in your area.