Editor's note: Insulators auctions have become a mainstay of the hobby. Crown Jewels has decided to report on auction sales so our readership can stay informed of trends. Ray Klingensmith, owner of Pole Top Discoveries, has been conducting insulator auctions since 1987. Ray writes that his 50th sale was golden in many respects.

"Several amber and other golden related colors of insulators were offered for sale along with a vast assortment of other colored jewels. Among the many items fitting into the gold theme were a grouping of rare and colorful Boston Bottle Works insulators. Included was a CD 158.2 Boston barrel (Estimate $15,000-$17,000) which closed at $17,600. An identically colored CD 158 Boston signal (Estimate $12,000-$13,000) reached $12,650. The CD 145.6 amber Boston knob top (Estimate $16,000-$20,000) reached $17,600). The most talked about item in the sale was one which did not fit the amber theme, but was the centerpiece of the Boston grouping. The dark green CD 158.9 Boston screw top (Estimate: $28,000-$35,000) sold for $35,000. This beautiful gem was dug in Florida more than three decades ago and is the only example known at this time in the dark green coloration. The price realized set an all time auction record for the amount paid for an insulator.

"Pole Top Discoveries recognizes the great importance of preserving as much historical information as possible with items offered in Catalogues. One such item which had a wonderful provenance was the CD 725 Concave Wade shown below with original wood covering still intact (Estimate: $2400-$3000) which sold for $4400. The item had been found along the route of the 1861 Transcontinental Telegraph line in western Nebraska. The piece was discovered by an individual in the early 1930's and remained with him throughout his life until his death in the 1990's. His son consigned the relic, along with some fascinating historical material and correspondence dating from the 1930's. If only all insulators could have such a historical background preserved for that many decades!

"Threadless insulators were well represented with a total of 19 examples being offered. Color is key in Pole Top sales, and most of the grouping were colored items. Included were a CD 726 in puce, green CD 701, gunky swirled CD 729, teal 742, milk swirled CD 740.4, opaque jade CD 742, lime green CD 735 Tillotson, deep cobalt CD 731 Tillotson, beautiful medium green CD 740.1 and many others.

Colorful, early threaded items were well represented with a CD 133.4 Patent Dec 19,1871 in rich olive green (Estimate $9,000-$12,000) which fetched $13,200. A cobalt blue unembossed CD 133.4 (Estimate $12,000-$15,000) climbed to $22,000. Another early telegraph item which created quite a stir was the CD 145 American full of slag and foam. The jewel was recovered from a line in Mexico last fall. The incredible item (Estimate $3500-$5000) witnessed spirited bidding and climbed to $7700.

West Coast items were well represented with several nice examples. One of the most striking was a flawless mint CD 123 EC&M that was loaded with olive amber swirls. The beauty (Estimate $4500-$5500) closed out at $5775. A CD 735.5 U.S. TEL CO., which are typically found in Nevada and California Estimate $750-$850) witness great interest and sold for $1265. Other western items included a very tall CD 120 C.E.W., a milky CD 130 Cal Elec. Works, a green CD 130 Cal. Elec. Works and several other colorful gems.

Several colorful H.G. Co. and Hemingray products were also offered. The star of the grouping was a transition embossed CD 162 H.G. Co in a fabulous green coloration with nice olive amber impurities. The rarity (Estimate $5250-$6500) was in wonderful condition and realized $5775. Great diversity was evident throughout the Catalogue with a broad selection from most categories including threadless, early threaded, Canadian, foreign, porcelain, lightning rod insulators, East Coast, West Coast and many places in between.

Of the specialty groups, among the highlights was a wonderful grouping of colorful lightning rod insulators including a yellow side tab, burgundy Otis, flesh colored "pig-pen", slash-top in a purple-green swirled mix and several others. Non American items included a colorful grouping. The hot item of the group was a CD 155 CTC De Mexico (Estimate $500 & up) which spiraled to $1650. Several early porcelain items were offered including some early Imperial and Locke items. One of the biggest surprises of the sale was an unmarked ice aqua spool with a spout similar to a teapot. The rarity (Estimate $400-$500) escalated to $4125.

Although the high dollar items are the ones which make a sale financially successful, Pole Top is well aware of the importance of having a nice selection of items in all price ranges, and typically offers a large assortment of items in the lower and middle price ranges too. Most items in this sale experienced active bidding. However, as with any sale there are always a few bargains. Overall, activity was moderate to high on many items, and a large number of collectors were pleased to add new jewels to their collections. If anyone has any questions about this sale or would like to inquire about the upcoming Autumn catalogue sale to be conducted by Pole Top Discoveries, you may reach Ray Klingensmith at 1228 Highland Ave, Cambridge OH 43725 or phone 740-432-4302.

Editor's note: Not every lot sold. No bids were received for a CD 726 in puce, for a cobalt blue EC&M, a CD 145 H.G. Co in purple, a CD 161 California two tone, a Ukrainian insulator in cobalt blue, and a few others.

Pole Top Auction Review

The CD 133.4 Hemingray product (above, left) in dark olive green sold for $13,200. It is said to have been in the same collection since 1981. The CD 133.4 "Wormser type" in cobalt blue (above, right) brought $22,000. It's provenance began with a collector named Perry Henry who reportedly found the insulator on a pole in southwestern Pennsylvania around 1970.

Green is a rarely seen color in CD 130 Cal. Elec. Works insulators (above, left). This gem closed at $5,225. The CD 145 American Insulator Company beehive on the right is a newcomer to the hobby, having been rescued from service on a line in Mexico within the last year. It sold for $7,700.

Pole Top Auction Review

The spool type insulator on the left, above, likely set a record for spools. Bidding opened at a modest $300; but closed at $4,125. The opalescent insulator on the right is a CD 154 Hemingray 42. But there's nothing ordinary about fire opal glass. This Hemingray 42 brought $6,600!

The CD 162 H.G. Company, above left, is yet another early Hemingray product in rare, green glass. From the Paul Ickes and Duane Davenport collections, the beauty closed at $5,775. Prices for colored lightning rod insulators continues to rise also. Although damaged, the purple "pigpen" LRI was bid up from an opening of $80 to close at $935.