What are vintage glass insulators

Vintage Glass insulators were first produced in the 1850s for telegraph lines, then for telephone and power transmission lines. They insulated and protected the wooden poles from the electricity coursing through the wires. They are made from glass, porcelain, or composite polymer materials (non-conductive materials).

What were vintage glass insulators used for?

Vintage Glass insulators were first produced in the 1850s for telegraph lines, then for telephone and power transmission lines. They insulated and protected the wooden poles from the electricity coursing through the wires. They are made from glass, porcelain, or composite polymer materials (non-conductive materials).

What are old glass insulators made of?

Commonly made from glass or porcelain in a dazzling array of shapes and colors, including amber, cobalt blue, olive green (one shade is known among insulator collectors as “Seven-Up”), and royal purple, antique insulators are prized for their rarity and physical beauty.

What is the rarest glass insulator?

The rarest insulator I own is a Fry Glass insulator. It’s the same kind of opal glass they used on their tableware, called oven glass, because it did very well with heat changes.

How do you determine the age of glass insulators?

The first number (MM) is the mold number, and the second number (YY) is the year (plus 1900) when the mold was made. Thus, “23-42” is mold 23, which was made in 1942.

When did glass insulators stop being used?

During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s many of these lines were dismantled as technology advanced. Today, a few lines using glass insulators are still in service, but are only a tiny percentage compared to the heyday of open wire communication.

How much are clear glass insulators worth?

On average, these glass insulators tend to sell for around $20, though there are special instances where insulators can sell for significantly more than that. Generally, the insulators that sell for more are rare, either because of their manufacturer or their color.

What are blue insulators worth?

Color – The color of the insulator typically makes the most difference in value. For example, an aqua colored insulator might be worth $5, but a cobalt blue insulator might be worth $300! If you aren’t sure what color your insulator is, visit the Hemingray Color Guide for a basic guide.

How do you clean vintage glass insulators?

Use white vinegar to remove water residue and accumulation from years of the insulator weathering on the pole or lying in a field. Pour white vinegar in a deep bowl, and let the insulator soak overnight. Brush its teeth and threads the next morning. Rinse with clear water to remove the vinegar.

What is a Hemingray 42?

The Hemingray 42, a telegraph pin insulator produced by the Hemingray Glass Company, is widely found in North America. Formerly. Gray & Hemingray. Gray, Hemingray & Bros.

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How do you date an old insulator?

1. Has drip points, it was made during or after 1909.
2. Is light aqua or green, it was made in Brooklyn, no later than 1908.
3. Is dark aqua or green, it was made in Old Bridge from 1906 to 1921.
4. Is light blue, it was made from 1915 to 1921.

How old is a Hemingray insulator?

The earliest Hemingray insulators are likely lightning rod insulators from the late 1850’s. The last Hemingray insulator was made in 1967. Over the 100+ years of production, they made billions of insulators, in-fact in 1937 they had made there billionth Hemingray insulator!

How old are ceramic insulators?

Porcelain insulators had their start when local potteries began making telegraph insulators in the 1850’s and 1860’s. These crude early pieces were usually threadless and were produced in much lower quantities than their glass counterparts, and few have survived the years.

Where are glass insulators in the wild?

The insulators are from power line distribution and the poles lines used along railroads. Very few will be from open wire telephone distribution since these were taken down many decades ago and converted to cables and put underground. Glass insulators are fast disappearing from the American scenery.

What is porcelain insulators?

Porcelain insulators are made from clay, quartz or alumina and feldspar, and are covered with a smooth glaze to shed water. Insulators made from porcelain rich in alumina are used where high mechanical strength is a criterion. Porcelain has a dielectric strength of about 4–10 kV/mm.

How do I clean old glass?

1. Add about a tablespoon of vinegar to the glass bottle.
2. Add a teaspoon of uncooked rice.
3. Add a half-teaspoon of liquid dish soap.
4. Fill the bottle halfway with warm water.
5. Shake the bottle well then let sit for 15 minutes. Repeat.
6. For stubborn stains or residue, let the mixture sit overnight.
7. Rinse.

How do you clean porcelain insulators?

There are two basic cleaning choices for train smoke, soot, tar, paint and the like: acid or base. Either can be used to effectively clean glass and porcelain insulators. The most popular cleaner is oxalic acid due to its availability, cheapness, safeness and excellent cleaning ability.

What are the rarest insulators?

RankCDDescription1CD 130.1Cal Elec Works, Cobalt Blue2CD 181NN (Pluto), Aqua3CD 123EC&M, Cobalt Blue4CD 151H.G.Co. NATCO, Peacock Blue

What Hemingray 16?

Telephone (long distance) “In the early days of the telephone, single petticoat insulators were standard for toll line construction. The Hemingray No. 16, with a single petticoat is still widely used for lines of medium length.”

When did they stop using porcelain insulators?

They were introduced in the 1840s when the first telegraph lines went up, and they continued in use until the late 1960s, when electric companies started using porcelain insulators and telephone companies switched to plastic insulators.

Are ceramic or glass insulators older?

The earliest insulators were mostly made of glass, because it was cheaper than those made from clay (porcelain or ceramic). … The different colors, shapes and sizes of pin-type insulators gave rise to an amazing diversity of them — collectors have identified more than 9,000 variations.

What can I do with old porcelain insulators?

Scrap porcelain insulators can be ground up for use in road aggregate, ice melt and outdoor tiling. Sometimes, used porcelain insulators can be re-utilized by the manufacturer as raw material for manufacturing new insulators.