Research Division

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", October 1970, page 13

From Richard Case:

I just recently obtained a few insulators I think could be fairly uncommon; that is, a CD 153 hoopskirt like the Hemingray 42, but without the drip points.  Dimensions are the same as the CD 153, it is embossed BROOKFIELD and is green.  I would appreciate any information from your readers who have seen or heard of the CD 153 Brookfield.

From Harold Pont:

Would like to tell you about a little "goodie" that I found while traveling with my wife, Helen.  It's an old insulator which looks like a cable Hemingray No. 2, aqua in color, no drip points, CD 252.  Embossed on the front is E.S.S. Co. On the back is No. 401.  I surely would appreciate hearing from a collector who could give me some information on this insulator.  I'm enclosing a sketch.  Thank you.

From Dave Butler:

I have some insulators I would like to know something about.  Maybe you or some of your readers can give me some information.  I have two insulators, CD 151, emerald green with many white particles in them.  All the embossing on them is just a "7" on each half mold, and the other a "1" on each half mold.  I believe these were manufactured in Colorado Springs.  There are still a few to be found on the walls there.  Do you know anything about these?

Last summer while on vacation I went to Ouray, Colorado.  There, at the power company, I saw some insulators in the window.  I went in, and one insulator caught my eye.  I've never seen anything like it.  The man that owned it, G. L. Hopkins, told me I could have it for $8.00, which is the most I've ever paid for an insulator.  I asked him where it had come from.  He said that it came from the Tacoma Power Plant in Durango, Colorado.  It had come out of a transformer there.  This plant was built in the early 1900's and when it was redesigned, he had taken this glass bushing out of it.  That's all I new about it until about  6 months ago.  Then Albert Campbell, an insulator collector N.R. Woodward mentions in the introduction of his book as being one of the original collectors, told me some more about it.  He said he worked there in the 1920's.  He said I was real lucky to have one and probably the only one to have one.  He said the insulators were made for special transformers at the plant.  He said he remembered only 5 or 6 of them and that the rest were probably broken to thrown in the river next to the plant.  I've been offered just about every insulator I can think of for it.  I don't know if anyone else would know anything about it or not, but I'll enclose a drawing of it.  Also, at a show I was offered $200, which I turned down.  Anyway, I believe it's quite rare.

From Marvin Collins:

The pilgrim hat (CD 735) that I have sketched is no doubt among the rarest of insulators.  The reverse is embossed CHESTER with N.Y. below.  The letter is a bold, sharp-edged style.

Three of these were dug from a central Wyoming dump along with several cobalt U.P.R.R. pilgrim hats.  Another one was found in western Wyoming.  Unfortunately none of them were in very good condition.  Does anyone else have one of these or know anything about SO. EX. CO.?

From Portland Patti:

The most remarkable insulator I've seen lately was a No Leak D (CD 211). It had a glass piece that was on the pin, and there was a rubber washer in the No Leak, and this piece screwed into the big insulator so it would fit on the rubber gasket. Really was something.

Yes, Don has the No-Leak D, but this is the first I've heard about the glass piece and rubber washer. Thanks for info. It makes the name No-Leak D make more sense. - Editor

From Tony and Gerry Stanovik:

Included is a drawing of a cable top.   It is similar to CD 299.  The embossing is the Knowles prism on the front and the number 4 1/2 on the back (CD 299.1)  We have never seen one like it before and were wondering if any collectors could give us information.

From Betsy Collins:

We just returned from a camping trip to Maine.  It is always part of our fund to stop in antique shops to hunt for new insulators.  This time I found what I think is a very unusual Brookfield.  It is just like Tibbits #3-19, except that the W. BROOKFIELD is misspelled:  BOOKFIELD.  Has anyone else ever seen one of these?  I paid all of 50 cents for it.

From Ron Finstad:

I have a question I would like answered possibly by you or other readers.  In Tibbits Vol. 1, page 73, #84 is listed as Hemingray-14.  I have this in my collection. I also have a Hemingray 14 that's a far cry from the shape and design.  I would appreciate any information.  I think the Hemingray 14 in Tibbits is a signal and the other one is a pony.

CD 102, CD 160 and CD 202 all have Hemingray 14 embossed on those three styles. - Editor