About the Author, David Benedict, of Edinburg, Texas...

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", November 1992, page 9

Local insulator collector displays his. 'Crown Jewels of Wire'

The Edinburg Public Library has on display approximately sixty "Crown Jewels of the Wire" from the private collection of Edinburg resident, David Benedict. The collection of "Crown Jewels" represent a span of over 120 years of insulator manufacturing for telegraph, telephone, railroad, cable car, lightning rod, home and fence use.

The display includes sample insulators from Australia, Canada, France, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. There are also samples of wood, formica, porcelain, rubber, plastic, and glass insulators. 

Samples of major manufacturers of insulators include Brookfield, Hemingray, Locke, McLaughlin, Pyrex, Maydwell, Surge, California, and Electrical Construction and Maintenance Company, San Francisco.

David Benedict with some of the insulators on display.

Some of the unique insulator styles include the "pony," "pony keg," "pineapple" or "castle," "helmet, " "fire plug," "coolie hat, " "hot cross buns," "Mickey Mouse," "big mouth," and "egg." Color variation of the insulators include cobalt blue, sky blue, aqua, clear, black glass, white glass, carnival, 7-Up green, apple green and sun-colored amethyst. 

The display also includes some of the major resources that have been published to enhance the collection of "Crown Jewels." 

Benedict has been collecting "Crown Jewels" for over five years and has over 1,400 insulators in his collection. He is a member of the National Insulator Association (NIA) and the Lone Star Insulator Club (LSIC). He is presently doing research on insulators made in or for Mexico.