A collector recently wrote to me concerning a 'prized' insulator that she had just acquired. She remarked that it had tremendous color and was really beautiful. In all, she was very proud of this new acquisition. Several years ago another collector wrote expressing the same satisfaction about his new find. The same question that these two collectors asked has been raised many times before, "Is my insulator real?" 

The insulator in question just happens to be a Hemingray 60 'mickey mouse' in carnival glass. In my eleven years of collecting insulators I have heard this question several times. It is not my intention to say yes or no concerning their authenticity. Some insulator 'experts' say no, while others say yes. At least one expert claims none were ever made, and none have ever been found on any line. To my knowledge, none were ever found on any line, and there are no records to indicate that any were made or experimented with.

However, one must realize that many unusual items were taken from the Hemingray - Muncie, Indiana, plant dump. Some of these unusual items include: carnival Hemingray 16, 71, 42, 513, 660, etc., along with many other oddities, with no record of manufacture. The carnival mickey mouse could have easily been made. Beside the point, the dump is large and still has not been completely picked over. It may also be possible that some were produced for export. However, this theory is not too likely. 

Several years ago a person on the west coast offered to give me the formula for 'carnivalizing' glass. In exchange for the formula, this person required either cash or a good trade. I would be able to produce anything in carnival by following the directions. Also, several glass producers will duplicate this formula on your glassware. 

It must be remembered that not all phony carnival is easily recognizable. And some real carnival can be misunderstood for a fake, too. I have witnessed several carnival mickey mouses (or mice), three of which are in this area. The color of one is comparable to a brilliant Pyrex 662, while the other is much poorer. One looks as much like any other real carnival as the other one does a fake. At least Hemingray used the process of applying the carnival coating by spraying from below the base up, with the dome receiving very little. One mickey mouse in question shows these definite manufacturing signs, while the other does not. 

Several questions still remain unanswered. Why was the Hemingray 60 picked to be the insulator in question? What about Hemingray 19 or, in fact, any other Hemingray or Pyrex carnival? The carnival mickey mouse -- is it real?