A Good Example of Continuing Research and Discovery are KERR Insulators
Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", August 1997, page 7
As a follow up to an article in the February 1997 "Crown Jewels of the
Wire" by Mike Harris regarding the Kerr DP1 Saudi insulators with the flat
top, and referencing the Kerr information in "Insulators: A History and
Guide to North American Pintype Insulators" states that near the end (1975) of Kerr making glass insulators, flat top variations came out due to
horseplay on the production line... while, Michael Harris shows a flat top
insulator made for Saudi Arabia in Dunkirk, Indiana from 1975 to 1978 and four
Kerr DP1's in a purple and red coating.
The dates are important, since I
purchased an insulator outside of Cape May Courthouse, NJ, from a man who got it
from a long time employee of Kerr Glassworks in Millville, NJ. This insulator is
a flat top CD 122 (F-Skirt) Kerr No.2 (R-Skirt) Made in U.S.A. 3 72. with the
same red and purple coating. However, this is a 1973 production piece according
to the embossing. This does not coincide with the production dates of the CD
155. By the way, I bought a second CD 122 Kerr from an old timer at a cruddy old
barn an hour or so later.
Should anyone have further information, please let me know.
Kevin Mann,
Lighthouse Court, FL
More Kerr discussion from Richard Wentzel, Millville, NJ...
I don't buy the
frosted insulators for Saudi Arabia story, It's been my experience [as an
extensive researcher of Whitall Tatum, Armstrong and Kerr manufacturing} that
plant employees will tell you anything they can think up, especially when
they're trying to sell you something. It's too easy to frost these things in
acid. I must have seven or eight different styles. I can't imagine any breaking
during the process.
AND MORE ON KERR...
In 1975 a man named Max wanted a box of insulators so he went by the
warehouse and picked out a box and brought it home. 1 now have the box and 26
Kerr TS's. The molds are 1 through 18 72: . The photograph shows the original
box and insulators. The side of the box is marked:
MADE IN DUNKIRK, IND., U.S.A.
KERR
GLASS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Los
Angeles, California 90005
Mike Harris, Poneto, IN
KERR T.S.'s and original packing box.
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