The McLaughlin Insulator
by Bob Hendricks
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", April 1971, page 3
Much has been written about the insulator since this new and exciting hobby
first began, but one important chapter in the overall insulator story has, up
until now, been very much neglected. Almost all of the different insulator
manufacturers have been covered in our hobby magazines at one time or another,
except McLaughlin.
I think that most insulator collections especially here on the west coast,
include at least one or two McLaughlins, but as yet, few people have been
specializing in this insulator. This fact, together with the fact that this
series of insulators spans such a wide range of colors and shades, are the two
main reasons that got me started specializing in the McLaughlin line.
As with the California series, McLaughlin insulators are not concentrated in
one area, as far as style and color are concerned. Although mainly distributed
throughout California, McLaughlin insulators can be found on most of the west
coast. Although quite a few of the McLaughlins seem to be quite scarce, a nice
collection of these insulators can be put together without a large investment,
other than time. Even though there are many McLaughlin insulators in service
today, most are of a few common types and putting together a large collection of
these insulators requires a lot of shoe leather and six cent stamps, but then that
is where most of the satisfaction comes from with this hobby.
As there are so many shades included in this series, it would be almost
impossible at this time to include a complete color report without the use of a
color chart, so I will include the known styles and the colors found within each
of these styles. This information is based upon insulators that I have seen, and
those included in my own collection which now includes just over one hundred
McLaughlin insulators.
McLaughlin insulators can be found with pointed drip points, of which I have
five different styles. These run from very large, such as found on Hemingray, to
very small. I also have five different styles of round drip points, ranging from
very large to some that are almost flat. Many McLaughlin insulators can also be
found without drip points at all.
Insulators in this series are very inconsistent as far as skirt and thread
length. Lettering can also be found in five different sizes, ranging from 1/4
inch to 5/8 inch in height. Although I don't include these variations in my
collection, they can be used to justify a duplication of style, or color that
may be outstanding.
Errors also can be found within the McLaughlin series. I have in my
collection, four different #20 insulators with backward Ns. A #42 insulator can
also be found with a backward 2. There may be more.
McLaughlin insulators were manufactured by the McLaughlin glass company of
Vernon, California, a suburb of Los Angeles and were produced off and on from
1920 through 1935. A great deal of old glass, cullet, was used in the manufacture
of McLaughlin insulators. Even a great number of old and outdated California
insulators were said to have been used. I sometimes wonder how many California
one and two piece transposition insulators make up part of my McLaughlin
insulator collection.
Due to the late appearance of McLaughlin on the scene, as far as the history
of glass is concerned, no McLaughlin insulator has been reported in S.C.A.
Although not impossible, this is very unlikely. These insulators can be found
clear, with a very light straw tint. This condition came about with the use of
selenium in later years as a decolorizer, when the supply of manganese was cut
off by Germany about 1914.
McLaughlin insulators, as I have stated earlier, can be found in a great
variety of colors and shades, which include very near clear (light straw), aqua,
gray, green, blue, yellow and about every combination imaginable in between.
Included also is a variety of very dark Kelly green, as well as a variety of
black glass. Aqua runs from a light tint, to a turquoise and up to a very dark
blue that almost borders on the cobalt side.
What I will try to do here, is give the collector interested in McLaughlin,
something from which to begin, as far as styles and colors in general.
#1 a, F. McLaughlin 20
b,
F.
McLaughlin
B. NO 20
|
No drip points and all styles of round and sharp points.
Light to dark yellow, light to dark Kelly greens, shades of aqua and
gray. |
|
#2 |
Same as above, but with very large radius at base.
Light green and lemon
yellow shades with many tiny bubbles. Most dark Kelly greens in this style. Most
varieties of drips. |
#3 a, F. McLaughlin
B. NO 20 |
NO drip points and two styles of sharp drips.
Turquoise grays, greens, very dark blue. Two with backward Ns. Two of these Ns
also included in style #1. |
#4 a, F. McLaughlin
B. NO 19 |
No drip points and all styles of
round and sharp drips.
Clear, light to dark Kelly greens. All shades of
aqua, gray. Very dark blue. |
#5 a, F. McLaughlin
B. NO 16 (CD-121) |
No drip points. Small round and
sharp points.
Clear, light to dark grays, light to dark Kelly
greens, light to medium aqua. Black glass tints of OD, brown, OD & brown,
yellow, green, black and orange. |
#6 a, F. McLaughlin
B. NO 16 (CD-122) |
Large round drip points.
Light green
and yellow tints.
Yellow and yellow - green. All with many tiny bubbles. |
|
#7 a, F. McLaughlin NO 9 |
Three styles of round drip points.
Clear, light to
dark Kelly greens. |
#8 a, F. McLaughlin NO 9
b, F. McLaughlin NO 9
B. USA |
Small round and medium pointed drip points. Also come without
drip points.
Light to dark Kelly greens, light to medium blues and
grays. Light yellow and yellow - greens, |
#9 a, F. McLaughlin
B. NO 10 |
No drip points and
small to medium points.
Light to dark green, light to medium blue aqua,
yellow. |
|
#10 Castle |
This insulator has no embossing. Located only in one area of central
California. Because of location, style of small round drip points and light
green glass, these have been established as being of McLaughlin manufacture,
almost without a doubt. |
#11 a, F McLaughlin
B: NO 14 |
Black glass (olive and brown), both with small
round drip points.
Light and dark gray. Small sharp points. Turquoise, light
green and aqua, all with medium round drip points. |
|
#12 a, F. McLaughlin 42 |
Medium and large drip points.
Light to dark Kelly
greens, medium blues. This is only style of McLaughlin that I have seen that
includes mold numbers. |
#13 a, F. McLaughlin 42
b, F.
McLaughlin
B. NO 42
c, F. McLaughlin 42
B. Made in USA
d, F. McLaughlin
B. No 40 |
No drip points. Three styles of round drip points.
Light to medium grays and greens. Aquas and medium to dark blues. Yellow green.
Turquoise #42 with backward 2.
Green and
turquoise in #40, without drip points. |
#14 a, F McLaughlin
B. No 40 (CD-152) |
Hemingray green. Large sharp drip points. |
|
#15 a, F. McLaughlin 62 |
All with small round drip points.
Light green,
turquoise, two shades of blue - gray and dark Kelly green. Possibly yellow also. |
#16 a, F. McLaughlin
B. U S L D |
No drip points.
Green aqua. |
|
#17 |
Same as above, but taller, with dome more to a point.
These insulators
have no inner skirt and seem to have been used in one area of Southern
California. |
One #20 McLaughlin has been found in white milk glass and is the property of
a young lady in Southern California.
No transposition, or beehive McLaughlins have been reported. McLaughlin
insulators were produced rather late to include transposition styles, but it is
possible that some beehive insulators may have been produced.
I hope that this has given the collector interested in McLaughlin insulators
some help and possibly created some new interest. The color descriptions don't
do many of the insulators justice. McLaughlin glass has to take a back seat to
none, as far as beauty in colors is concerned.
Bob Hendricks
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