1976 >> January >> Porcelain Insulator News  

Porcelain Insulator News
by Jack H. Tod

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", January 1976, page 23

On the following page is a somewhat more accurate drawing of Emma Almeida's colossal Imperial insulator first reported in last mouth's Porcelain Column. Note the larger overall height, rain eaves lower on the skirt and the dainty crown for an insulator to fit on such a husky pin size. Viewed from the bottom, this insulator is essentially identical with the comparable Knowles glass insulator except for the pin hole size.

Emma also sent a drawing of a Thomas she just got (see below). This is a cemented two-piece, and it has a threaded stud permanently cemented in the pin hole. Note the tremendous contrast in the size of crown on this insulator compared with the Imperial specimen.


The U-215 in not only a scarce style (only 2 reported in the July collector survey), but the one Jerry Turner has is a white one. It also has & nice clear Lapp marking on the crown (1929 date of manufacturer). Nice, eh?


Lew Hohn (Rochester, NY) has quite a collection of tree insulators started, and he sent the following list of the "split" types he has gathered in thus far. I'm sure he would like to hear from any readers who can help him out with additional varieties.

All these below are white glazed unless noted, and the dimensions are approximate, since they vary by company. To save space, only half of each insulator style in shown.



| Magazine Home | Search the Archives |