In 1956, I acquired my first pin type line insulator (a broken 45KV Locke "VICTOR" two-piece unit as I recall). By 1976, I was somewhere between 750 and 800 glass and porcelain insulators, from common to very rare. 

By 1991, I was down to TWO specimens, total! In May of 1992, I received my first issue of Crown Jewels of the Wire in several years and attended the Columbia City, Indiana Show -- thus re-entering a hobby in which I had pretty much become dormant for over 5 years. The good news for beginning collectors today (as that is what I had become for the second time around) is that you DO NOT have to be "rich" to build a decent, interesting, historical and enjoyable collection, particularly of vintage glass treaded pin type insulators. 

Most of the earliest threaded pintype glass units can be found at shows or on lists in C-J (and don't forget antique, junk shops and flea markets still turn up surprises) for from 3.00-$20.00 dollars! And these are not beat up discard specimens either! 

Of course, odd color, very rare and most threadless units command much higher prices, but by shopping around good deals can be had on many of these as well. 

To date I have obtained 42 glass units from 1868-1940, in little over one year's collecting (again) and the most paid for anyone unit has been $25.00, with some as low as $1.00. This includes some very nice examples of early telegraph and telephone units. Most glass power is more expensive, but here too, good units at "minimum wage" prices abound!

One discouraging note: A lot of emphasis by collectors and dealers has been placed on "color" porcelain. While this is okay in general, the neglect of TRULY "classic" porcelains, simply because they are "just plain brownish colors", is a loss to the hobby and history and a bad decision by collectors and dealers alike. I have heard of truly terrific porcelain being ignored to be allowed to go to the dump, simply because someone thought it was not worth the bother unless it was green, blue, white or yellow! 

The present hobby will feel the loss, but the loss to the future will be in good collector specimens and good dealing/trade stocks. With more and more of the better (and not so) glass being picked over, as more new collectors come along interested in the early porcelain uniparts and multis, their lack of availability will be a "damper" on the hobby in general. 

So, even if YOU do not collect older "brown" porcelain, if you can get it "free" or cheap enough, do so for "the next guy"! SOMEONE will make it worth your while in the future! 

To ALL collectors, beginning or veteran, "Happy and good collecting in the future!!