Letters to the Editor
Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", May 1983, page 31
Dear Dora:
I would be pleased if you could find the space to
print this letter in a future issue of Crown Jewels because I would like to let
people I've met in this wonderful hobby know that I'm very interested still in
insulators!
I've just received the January and February issues of the magazine,
and when I read Pat Patocka's letter to you, boy, did that advice about taking a
first class subscription ever hit home! So when renewal time comes around again,
soon now, I think I'll go first class this time.
In 1980 I attended the National
Show at Herkimer, New York. It was exciting then, and I still have lots of slide
pictures that I took there, which add to my memories of the vent. Since then,
however, I've been unable to go almost every year, due to an assembly of
Jehovah's Witnesses held annually in Montreal. I guess I'll have to satisfy my
desires by attending a club show and sale nearer home.
It's sad to see open wire
disappearing slowly but surely around here. Bell Canada has almost completely
rid Quebec of open wire, even two wire rural systems! Hydro Quebec and its
associate companies continue to rebuild their lines, replacing all the pretty
brown porcelain with that (UGH!) grey stuff. I'm sure the new porcelain
insulators with their radio-proofing are more efficient, but they do nothing to
improve the line's appearance for me. Also, the electrical open wire on these
poles, which formerly were made up of three or four wires often mounted on Hemi
19's or 20's (CD 163, 164), are being replaced by a single three wire twisted
cable.
It's comforting to know millions of insulators have found new and better
places to live, such as with collectors. I wouldn't think of parting with even
my small collection, some 250-300 insulators. I'm simply too proud of them, and
lots of our visitors to the house agree with me.
I wish you and all insulator
"nuts" much good health, wealth (insulators?) and happy hunting!!
Kind
regards,
George Kammerer
Dunham, Quebec
Dear Dora:
I recently received an
insulator in trade that is not listed as yet, as far as I know. It is very
similar to the CD 1067 in "Glass Insulators from Outside North
America", except that it is only 3-1/2" wide, and the bottom center
projection is longer. The color is between pink and straw, and it is embossed as
shown on the top.
Sincerely,
Claude A. Wambold, NIA #1717
- - - - - - - - -
Dear Claude,
I sent
your letter along to Marilyn Albers, and here's her reply.
Dear Dora,
Yes,
the insulator you wrote me about is foreign. You would not believe how may new
finds we have come up with since our book "Glass Insulators from Outside
North America" was published. We need a supplement badly, and our files are
bulging, but we're working on it!
Claude's shackle insulator is from Australia.
It is our newly assigned C.D. #1055, and also comes unembossed. A.G.M. stands
for Australian Glass Manufacturers. Beginning in 1930 this plant operated out of
Sidney, but in the early 1950's it was moved to Hobart, Tasmania, where this
particular insulator had to have come from, since only at that time was the
A.G.M. marking used. Before that it would have been marked AGEE.
The embossed
insulator sells for around $35.00, whereas the unembossed one would bring about
$25.00.
Hope this will answer Claude's questions. Thanks for asking!
Sincerely,
Marilyn
Dora,
Picked up two aqua lightning rod type insulators. Most I'd seen
are spool shaped. I plan to bring them to the National Show in Rochester.
Looking forward to seeing you all there.
Graham Barnes
Painted Post, N.Y.
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