Dear Jack:

Wanted to drop you a quick sketch and get any info I could on a U-432A I found recently. There is a circular (almost oval) marking on the underside of the skirt with no apparent mark inside the circle.

The most interesting thing is that the 4 threads are segmented. There are 4 sections of threads. Would appreciate any comments.
Dr. Jon McIntire, 
Harrisonburg, Va.

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Dear Jon:

Many of these particular insulator styles have various factory markings under the skirt, about like yours. In fact, the majority do. It's usually just a single letter (A, R, W, etc.) in fairly large type. I can't see why collectors should attribute any significance to these production markings, but it can't be denied that everyone's curiosity is aroused by them; I've had numerous questions about them in past years.

As explained in my book, I thought these segmented threads resulted from the use of fluted trimming machine spindles for these styles. The theory was that the fluted spindles gave better traction on these heavier units and eliminated slippage. Needless to say, I was just groping for an explanation of this, and more evidence since I originally stated my thoughts has poured cold water onto the theory.

Although I've seen the segmented threads on at least one other style (a feeder cable type), this has usually concerned only these U-432 and Similar styles. If my theory on fluted trimmer spindles were correct, segmented threads would appear on a host of other styles also.

What's more, the comparable glazewelded style U-958 (and Similar ones) also come with segmented threads, and the small internal piece of these insulators required no trimming before final assembly and firing.

None of these insulators, either the one-piece or two-piece glazewelds, have company markings, but I did find them in Thomas plant dumpage, and some specimens are obviously of Pittsburg manufacture. There must have been a reason for two different companies to make these singularly distinctive styles with the segmented threads.

So, back to third base. This only proves how hazardous it is to guess answers about anything to do with insulators. Regardless of how logical our conjectures may sound, the odds are about 50 to 1 that we'll be wrong. If we can't get factual information from those who designed, manufactured and used the insulators., it's probably best to say, "We don't know".

Jack

Dear Jack:

I am a new (senior citizen) insulator collector and would like to know about an insulator I have.

It is about 2" across, 3-5/8" overall length and made of composition. One end is marked "ELECTROSE", and the other end has two partially legible patent dates as I've indicated on my very rough sketch (redrawn above). Any information would be appreciated.
Winifred Reutter, 
White River, S.D.

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Dear Winifred:

Your insulator is a strain made of composition material and was manufactured by Electrose Manufacturing Co., Brooklyn, N.Y., president Louis Steinberger. They cataloged hundreds of different insulators made of this composition material, and many were based on patents by Steinberger. He had 88 patents (that I know of) from 1903 to 1929 on insulators alone.

All patent dates are Tuesdays, so that lets us interpret the partially legible markings on your specimen as follows: Nov 17, 1908, patent 904,370; July 6, 1909, patent 927,186.

Both of these are patent dates for strain insulators by Steinberger. He was heavy on patents for strain types (the in-line varieties plus suspension types). Many of the patents were for extremely impractical designs, but at least several did have merit as evidenced by the items Electrose cataloged.

Electrose Mfg. Go. catalogings which include strain insulators similar to yours are shown in the following: Crown Jewels, July 1974, page 24; Brown's "Unique Collectible Insulators", page 68; Cranfill's "Dictionary of...", pages 87-88.

I've always maintained it would be fun to make a specialized collection of composition line insulators, but I don't know if anyone has taken me up on it yet. It would be quite a challenge, since most varieties are quite scarce. It's easy to see how most of these made were discarded long ago in favor of porcelain insulators.

Jack

Dear Jack:

Enclosed are two pictures of a threadless porcelain I purchased in a small flea market in Coudersport, Pa,, just a few miles from the New York state line. It looks authentic to me. I am hoping that you can give me some info on this.

It is mint except for two small base chips as you can see in the photo (left above). On the bottom of the insulator is the name FRED M. LOCKE and the date 1869. It looks like the maker used a pointed instrument to make (the markings) before glazing and firing.

Could this have been an insulator personally made and signed by Fred H. Locke? What is the value of this if it's authentic? It is really old and crude looking, Hope you can help me out on this one.
Tom Stauffer, 
Conestoga, PA

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Dear Tom:

This item obviously isn't a "regular insulator". It appears to be a novelty creation on someone's part, and I know of no way to track down its origin. It could be a very recent creation or a genuine artifact from old days, and I'll comment on each possibility in turn.

Recent? Shades of HEM-42, I know of no old styles with a crown and square wire groove like that. It would have been interesting for you to have strolled back through the flea market an hour later to see if another one appeared on the same table.

Old? I don't know when Fred M. Locke was born, but he couldn't have been more than about 6 years old in 1869. It would make more logic if he was born in 1869. Judging from many "Swiss Navy" creations I've seen as paper weights on desks in porcelain insulator plants, it would not be implausible that this item had a similar origin and purpose.

Sorry, but even if this was "authentic", I wouldn't have the foggiest notion as to its value. I do believe no Locke specialist would chase after this unless a connection with Fred M. Locke or some insulator factory could be documented, and the chances of success in that are very remote. Any pertinent info from readers is welcome.

Jack

Dear Jack:

I am a collector of glass insulators for about 4 years and found this streetlight in a utility dump. If possible, please send me information on it. Would it be of value to collectors of ceramic insulators?
Barrett R. Milton 
6105 Kilkenny Dr. 
Crystal Lake, In. 60014

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Dear Barrett:

The marking on it indicates it was a product of Line Material Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Other than the fact that some porcelain insulator collector may take a fancy to the green porcelain portion of this (partial) street lamp assembly, I don't think you'll get much interest in it as an insulator per se. If you can trade it to another collector for some glass item you want, then it should make two people happy.

Jack

Dear Jack:

... Also, what do you think of a U-298 white THOMAS with a brown wire groove? It doesn't look like a metallic glaze for Radio-Quiet -- just a bright, light brown glaze sprayed on. Bill Galloway got it for me at the Las Vegas show last spring (1976). Can't figure why they would use just a plain brown instead of the metallic like every one else.
Larry Thomas, 
Oroville, Cal.

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Dear Larry:

I've seen these before, and they sure are pretty (and also the white J-D with black groove, July 1975 CJ, page 21).

Regardless of its appearance, this is a conductive glaze for radio quieting. I suspect Thomas first applied the conductive glaze to the groove and then overcoated this with the regular white glaze; the RT glaze shows through and permeates the white glaze when it's fired. If the regular glaze is applied first and then the RT glaze added in the groove, it results in a mat glaze like the Westinghouse RT insulators you see in the Oroville area.

Jack

Dear Jack:

... Also have a porcelain insulator which has me wondering a bit. It's a U-152 dry process, with that grainy look just like the "G" embossed porcelains. No markings are visible.

The insulator has an unglazed base, but it appears that it was fired upside down. Also the top has seven small pieces of glaze broken out as if it had to be ripped from whatever surface it was fired upon. The glaze itself is black, with what appears to be copper flecks in it. These copper flecks are most common at the trough between the skirt and the petticoat. The pin hole is also glazed black.

Is this insulator an early, twice-fired type, or just a "victim" of some funny insulator manufacturing process? If it's not an early type, why would the insulator have a skirt rest, while from all I can tell it was fired upside down? Also, what about the copper flecks in the glaze? Is this an attempt at radio treating, or just incomplete or incorrect firing?
David Bethman 
2410 H St., 
Bellingham, Wash. 98225

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Dear David:

Your description of the offbeat U-152 is quite clear, and I'll go along with you on a few guesses about it.

It is probably a relatively early type because of being dry process, but not necessarily because it does not have an extended petticoat for firing. Even some very recent to current styles are fired skirt rest.

As you said, it was probably fired upside down, inadvertently I presume. The porcelain factory dumps are full of all sorts of goofs such as that, but they sometimes just shipped ones where the goof didn't affect its mechanical or electrical functionability. This was true of the smaller companies in the past, but the large surviving companies of this day will discard many perfectly useable insulators because of the most minute flaws to protect their quality reputation.

The flecks in the glaze may be "copper-appearing", but certainly they are not copper. It is just some ingredient of the glaze which gives this interesting irridescence. Also, insulators like this one used for signal circuits needed no radio treatment, and the specimen was probably made long before radio treatment entered the picture in the 1930's.

Jack

Hi Jack:

Recently I found this while crossing a track, pheasant hunting. It's 6-3/4 diameter, about 3/4" thick, white porcelain. I would like to know the value and if it is a battery top. Also, do you know of anyone interested in it?
David Fisher, 
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

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Dear David:

Yes, this is a battery cap from a wet-type, closed-circuit primary battery. The indicated manufacturer is Thomas A. Edison, Inc., Belmont Ave., Bloomfield N.J. (factory location) and Orange, N.J. (main office location), established 1889. They used the following trademarks: "EDISON", "BSCO". The president and general manager (about 1920) was Charles Edison.

Although I don't know the relationship, if any, there was also the Edison Storage Battery Co., Orange, N.J., president Thomas A. Edison. After moving his laboratories from Menlo Park to East Orange, N.J., Edison developed an extensive group of manufacturing plants there.

There is no established value on such miscellaneous porcelain pieces connected with electrical things, and it is a matter of "what you can get for it in trade" if you find someone interested in obtaining it. The complete battery would be a very collectible antique (not necessarily to insulator collectors), but just the porcelain top cover by itself is a different matter.

Jack