Why would anyone spend his time collecting, let alone writing about, an insulator as common as the Hemingray 42? There are scarce-to-rare 42's, and among the common ones, there are interesting differences in shape/proportions, color, embossing, and bases.

First, some background information. About 1922, Hemingray replaced its number 40 with the then-new style, the 42, which was produced for something over thirty years. I have one code-dated 1957; how much longer were they produced? The 42 was intended as a communications insulator, but I've seen them used on signal lines, and in a few instances on low-voltage distribution lines. About 1931, Hemingray, with a few exceptions, switched to clear glass for its communications insulators. In 1933, Owen-Illinois bought Hemingray, although the Hemingray name continued until the end of production.

For this article, I'm going to divide the 42's into five groups: the tall skirt sharp drip, the tall skirt round drip, the short skirt 1941 type, the short skirt 1948 type, and a final group which I'll call miscellaneous. 

The tall skirt sharp drip is the oldest; it was probably made from about 1922-1924. These differ somewhat in size and shape. I have one which has a shorter dome than other 42's; also, the skirt is shaped a bit different. All I've seen of this type have been the dark blue. HEMINGRAY- 42//MADE IN U.S.A. is the skirt embossing; some have a number 1 on top of the dome.

The tall skirt round drip 42 was made from around 1924 until 1941. I have this type in the following colors: clear, ice blue, very light green, light aqua, medium aqua, medium blue, dark blue, dark blue-green, and 7-Up green. I've heard of, but have never seen, the 42 in pink, light opal, opal, and white milk glass. There's also a carnival 42; I've seen this in reddish-brown, yellow-brown, and I seem to remember silver. There are differences in the embossing with this style of 42. The earlier colored ones carried this: HEMINGRAY-42//MADE IN U.S.A. Another variation had a mold number, the same size of the lettering, under the MADE IN USA; my example has a 2 on the back. After the 0-I purchase, the clear ones carried a date code on the front of the skirt, and a mold number on the back. This would be an example: HEMINGRAY-42/0-4:.//MADE IN U.S.A./33. The three dots after the 4 indicate 1937. I have the following date codes for this type of clear 42: 0, 0-4;, 0-4:., 8, 0-8, 0-4::, and 38. The last four were different ways Hemingray used to indicate 1938.

The short skirt 1941 type continued the round drips, but the skirt was shortened, apparently to save weight. It seems in some instances a reworked mold was used. Also, the dating code was carried over from the earlier tall skirt type, it seems. The title of my article is the embossing found on one of these. I have these in clear and straw. 

The last design change for the 42 was in 1948. There are several features which set this one apart from the one just before it. The height is the same, although the proportions of the skirt are different; the skirt somewhat resembles a shortened tall skirted one. The bottom wire groove ridge is thicker at the base. This one has the small embossing. Both the date and mold number are on the back of the skirt. This is an example: HEMINGRAY - 42//MADE IN U.S.A./4-48:: I've never seen these in anything but clear.

The last group of 42's are those which I'd call scarce-to-rare, compared to the others I've described. I don't have any of these; some, I've never seen. I'd include the following: the smooth-base 42, the M.R. embossed 42, the opal, the white milk glass, and the carnival 42's. Has anyone found a smooth base or an M.R. 42 on an old line? What does the M.R. mean? Was it a customer marking; if so, whose? Does anyone know how many M.R.'s were produced? Were the carnival 42's ever used? What about the opal and the milk glass -- were they experimental items only?

I'd be very glad to hear from readers who can give me additional information. (My address is: 1205 Cedar Lane Unit 1205, Virginia, MN 55792.) Also, I would like to thank Mr. Woodward who has been very helpful in answering my many insulator questions.