REPORT ON THE HERKIMER THREADLESS DISPLAY 

To start this report, I find myself asking: "How can you begin to tell a story as great as this?" So I guess the most logical point would be from the very beginning of the idea to attempt the display. Three or four years ago some west coast collectors got together and put on a group "EC&M" display that really went over big. From that time on there was always the idea of doing it with threadless someday. Last fall, after attending McDougalds' outdoor show, Skip Plunkett and I went threadless digging for a few days in New York. After crawling through blackberry bushes and grape vines for a couple of days, both of us had pretty much told all our past insulator experiences and tales, so we looked at the future of the hobby and began talking about how great it would be to get one of every known threadless in one big display. The Herkimer National was less than a year away, and we both agreed it would be a great place to attempt such a project. Well, we sort of left it at that; but a couple months later we got serious about the whole thing and decided to go ahead with it. A few of the owners of large threadless collections were notified, and most seemed somewhat willing to participate. A few rules and guidelines had to be set up, and then most realized it was an organized effort, and more contributors decided to take part. 

The show crept up very quickly, and, as usual, my part of the work turned into a last minute effort -- building lighted display cases, calling contributors, buying needed material, making trophies. It all got pretty hectic, but it all got done. (Thanks, Hans Kettenburg, for saving everything!) Well, we all arrived at Herkimer and found a huge building. Grant Barnes informed me the Threadless display was right in the center of the display area where everyone could see it. It was perfect. He also informed me about the 24 hour security and how the guard was going to be glued to that display area. (Maybe I wouldn't have a stress attack after all.) We set up the tables, and after half a dozen people made sure they were locked tight and wouldn't fall over, we put the display cases on and got them ready.

Finally, at 11:00 A.M. Friday, the Paul Plunketts and I started carefully putting the items in. Wouldn't you know it -- about ten collectors brought their items at one time. I tried to remain calm. Then people started coming inside the roped area (Oh, Hans, save me from a stress attack!). So we calmly explained all the rules to everyone about not being inside the roped area, plus a few other points, and most cooperated. We wondered if we would reach our goal of 300 different insulators. Collectors kept bringing them, and we kept putting more in the cases. We started to wonder if everything would fit in the five lighted cases! After about four hours of a hectic pace, Bill Plunkett brought everyone a glass of Coke, and we took a badly needed break. I went over to my sales table and sat down in a daze. Hans wondered why I was so white, and I explained about the stress attack I was finally having. We got back to the display, where Skip was ready and eager to carry on. Just when I thought we were almost done, I looked up at the table where Mrs. Plunkett had been unwrapping insulators, and saw over 100 more from their collection we had to sort through yet! Well, we pushed on and, finally after five hours and 20 minutes, we had it all set up. Finally we could step back and take a look at it. It was incredible -- no it was more than that -- there were no words for it. You couldn't begin to realize what was there. It was before your very eyes, but it still didn't seem real. Collectors started rushing forward, and for 40 minutes all you could see was camera flash bulbs flashing and the sound of film rolling forward. Everyone abandoned their sales tables to take a look. Kevin Lawless took a count of items in the cases and informed us there were exactly 300. We reached our goal -- right to the exact number of insulators. And we had a couple to spare on the table.

 
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CASE A 
Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

Photo by Mike Bruner 

Right after completion of setting up the display -- showing the five display cases filled with 300 different jewels and the several items on the tables. 

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CASE B 
Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

 
Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

The display finally set up. The crowd of viewers and photographers beginning to assemble. From left to right -- Bob Pierce answering lady's question, security guard lights up a Salem to calm her nerves, unidentified lady asking Bob Pierce if they're all his (Bob says yes!), Len Linscott poking lady in head with elbow, Ray Klingensmith -- "I don't believe it", Steve Bobb up close, lady in center with arms crossed asking if "any of you are sane?", New York State? collector hoping to find one someday, Phoebe Adams taking a picture of Steve!, Bill Dreggors trying to decide if the camera was facing the display or himself on the last shot, Skip Plunkett trying to decide which "dooger" he'll find with his "roto-rooter" on the next digging trip, and finally Mrs. Wm. Plunkett patiently waiting for the crowd to thin out. 

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CASE C 
Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

Photo by Hans Kettenburg. 

The crowd getting larger. Is that Doug MacGillvary in the front row wishing this was his sales table? Notice our ever alert security guard seated at extreme right. Ever seen such a group as this with such bad manners -- to turn their backs on the photographer?

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CASE D
Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

Flash cubes fast at work. If one had a dollar for every picture taken, he could buy his choice of any item in the display! Who is that poor guy in the center on crutches who can't get through the crowd to get a closer look? Standing in front of Miss H.G. Beehive is our security guard, who got off her chair long enough to take a look at the treasure she was guarding. 

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CASE E 
Photo by Hans Kettenburg 

"ON THE TABLES" 

Not pictured in the lighted cases already described, but displayed either throughout the show on the display tables, or items which were removed (prior to, or put in after the photos were taken, included the following: 

Four style A deep green eggs on original iron side brackets, 736 large "Erie" type -- green, two 1868 "Southern Express Company" bills of lading, three small wooden threadless pins, one long threadless wooden side bracket, flat-top wood covered Wade, regular wood covered Wade, Wade with partial wood covering, "Chester type" iron ring for wood covered insulator, paneled Elliot porcelain hat, original transcontinental telegraph line ramshorn in wood block, two original transcontinental railroad crossarms with ramshorns, 735 Chester NY in light green, a 735 Chester NY which was a very light aqua with loads of medium amber streaking!, two aqua Tillotson 26 Dey Street hats that could pass for either 737 or 738, embossed Oakman similar to 728, and a 740 bubbly aqua Dupont.

The next morning all of us arrived back at the show and made some minor adjustments and finished up on what needed to be done. Those in attendance were told they could make one vote on what they felt was the "most desirable" insulator in the display. If you stood near the display, all you could hear was the question, "How can you choose just one?" It was a hard decision for most people, and some took advantage of the full three hours to make up their minds. At noon, the following people received recognition for having contributed insulators to the display: Marilyn Albers, Graham Barnes, Grant Barnes, Dick Bowman, Jim Cunningham, John de Sousa, Jim Gruhl, Dave Haley, Jack Hayes, Frank Jones, Mike Johnson, Fritz Kettenburg, Hans Kettenburg, Ray Klingensmith, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Klingensmith, Ray Lanpher, Kerry Lavendoski, Doug MacGillvary, John and Carol McDougald, Tom Moulton, Don Otis, Pat Patocka, Bob Pierce, Joe Pierson, the Bill Plunkett family, the Paul Plunkett family, Bob Roosevelt and Claude Wambold. All these people deserve a real big THANKS for letting everyone see items from their collections. 

Special recognition should also be given to the following people for their help: my sister Debbie for watching my sales table and helping to organize the display; my mom and dad, who helped build the display cases and let me use their vehicle to haul all the display cases and equipment to far away Herkimer; Hans Kettenburg, who helped build the display cases, kept things organized, and also saved me from so many "stress attacks"; John and Carol McDougald, who donated a 1980 National Commemorative to be used on the "Most Desirable Threadless" trophy; both Plunkett families for so much help in so many ways; and especially (I'm sorry you are last in this alphabetical listing) a big thanks to Skip Plunkett. Skip put in a lot of time on this project and really didn't get the credit he deserved. He spent time in the early stages contacting people, and was right there at my side during the whole set-up, also handling the job of getting the majority of the items back to their owners. Most of the people at the show seemed to think I did all the work, but that was far from the truth. Skip put a great deal of time into this, and I hope he will get a good part of the credit he deserves. 

Those who displayed items were all presented a trophy made from two crosscut sections of telegraph poles. One was from a 1927 pole used on the Erie R.R. The other was a 1951 pole placed in use on the Erie in celebration of the centennial of the opening of the New York & Erie R.R. back in May, 1851. The "most desirable" trophy also made use of the cross-sections and also the 1980 Commemorative insulator. Kevin Lawless tallied the votes for the "most desirable award (Thanks, Kevin) and informed me only one vote separated the number one item from the second place item. The award went to Jack Hayes for his CD 726 plum colored beauty. One vote behind was Paul Plunkett's CD 718 cobalt, and a few votes behind, in third place, was the CD 738 amber Chester. After these three the voting was widely scattered among several really nice items. Like so many said, "How can you vote for just one?!" 

Throughout the rest of the show, everyone took advantage of the spare moments they had to view the display. We all knew it would have to come to an end. I personally could have spent another week at the show, but the display had to be taken down and everyone head home. Now that it's all over, I'm sad I didn't take more time to really look at the items. Looking at the photos now, it's hard to believe there was so much there. Many asked when it would be done again. My reply was an honest one -- I don't think you could ever do it again and get the response we did this time. Two or three years from now would be too soon for the people who helped now; and in four or five years, who knows where we'll all be. But maybe, just maybe, it is possible -- perhaps we should start seriously planning -- yes, maybe -- maybe we'll try it again in '89! 

Thanks to Mike Bruner for the photo of the whole display, and to Hans Kettenburg for all the other photos.