ANOTHER CD IS ADDED 
TO THE FAMILY OF AGEE GLASS

In late 1995, Australian collector Noel Dawson of Victoria reported that his friend Ron Bernard had found three unusual glass unipart insulators at an old electricity depot. They were all the same style and very close in size and profile to our CD 320 PYREX 171, made by Corning Glass Works in New York. Reverse embossed in tiny letters on the under side of each lower skirt were two words - AGEE PYREX. Ron was pretty excited about his discovery because it was an embossing he had not seen before. He kept one for his own collection and the other two were traded to Noel and another friend, Brian Woodman, also of Victoria. 

AGEE PYREX, a CD 320 variation

With Brian's help, Noel agreed to send me a complete description of this piece, including photographs, the embossing exactly as it appeared on the insulator, and a shadow profile with measurements. From this we were able to get an accurate scale drawing, just in time for the publication of the 1996 PRICE GUIDE FOR GLASS INSULATORS FROM OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA. N.R. "Woody" Woodward has classified the AGEE PYREX as a variation of CD 320. The glass color is a light straw, the diameter of the upper skirt is 5-1/8", and the insulator is 4-1/8" in height.

It is a known fact that Corning gave Australian Glass Manufacturers license to produce Pyrex glass (their baby nursing bottles known as Agee PYREX Feeders are ample proof of that) but it was a surprise to learn that they also made insulators of Pyrex glass. Since there are only three examples of the AGEE PYREX insulators known at this time, they are considered to be rare, but Noel says it would be difficult to say that they are the only ones in existence. If you are in Australia reading this, maybe you should be on the lookout! I'm sure PYREX collectors would be interested, too.

CLOSE COUSINS

CD 643 variations

The two gingerbread boys you see above are variations of CD 643. The insulator on the left is embossed FOLEMBRAY, but the one to the right has no embossing at all and is probably an ISOREX product. Notice that neither has an inner skirt. The profiles differ slightly and many of you would call the insulator on the right a CD 645, but both of these pieces have approximately the same dimensions. Woody bases his CD assignments not only on profile but on measurements as well. He says the chubby insulator is not nearly large enough for a CD 645. The base diameter of the FOLEMBRAY is 2-3/4" and the height is 3-7/8", as opposed to (W) 2-7/8" and (H) 4 W' for the unembossed piece. If two insulators are similar in style and there is less than 1/2" difference between the diameter and/or height of each, they will probably be assigned the same CD number. This situation exists among the many variations of beehives classified as CD 145's. We collect them all because we like to see the many variations, but if each were to have a different CD number for only a whisker's difference, it would probably cause a lot of confusion.

CLOSE COUSINS (continued)

CD 532 variations

The example on the left is what Woody calls the "round crown variation" of CD 532. Both of these insulators are embossed EIV // DC 3. They are identical in every way except for the difference in shape of the ears. I suspect that the smaller eared version is from a more recent production than the square eared one, which has been in my collection for several years. This may not be of any consequence, but it's interesting. I don't know which one I wouldn't want!

CD 553.2 variations

The insulator on the left was classified as CD 553.2 quite some time ago. It is embossed FOLEMBRAY // No 264. Upon seeing the one to the right in the photo, which is embossed ISOREX // 235, Woody declared it to be a CD 553.2 variation. This hurt my head a little, but I try to understand his reasoning. He said the measurements are the same and there isn't enough difference in profile for a new CD.

CD 641.2 WITH A RARE EMBOSSING

The profile of this Gingerbread Boy is unique in itself and a few have been found with either a FOLEMBRAY or an ISOREX embossing. However, the CD 641.2 shown at the left is embossed VERRERIES DE REIMS (Glassworks of Reims), a trademark which is rarely seen. When one is discovered, chances are it will be on a CD 640, a CD 642, or if you're lucky, one like this - a CD 641.2. 

A treasured CD 641.2

In 1906 an insulator factory known as Nord-Verre was established in the city of Reims, France. The company used the VERRERIES DE REIMS embossing on insulators until 1925, at which time they began to market their products under the ISOREX trademark. I have many favorites in my collection of foreign insulators but I consider this particular CD 641.2 to be a top contender!

TWO DIFFERENT CD'S 
WITH THE SAME EMBOSSING

Two different CD's cut out for the same job

On the left in the photo is a CD 655.6 and to the right is a CD 657. They are both embossed FOLEMBRAY // No 297! Obviously they were made during two different time periods but were used in the same capacity, which is not uncommon. The base diameters and heights differ by at least 1/2", and that is enough to warrant separate CD numbers.