Letters to the Editor
Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", September 1985, page 6
Dear Crown Jewels,
I was just wondering if you could possibly help me with
two dilemmas. You have probably been asked these questions before, but I know of
no one else to turn to. (And everyone tells me to ask you guys because if you
don't know -- then it's not worth knowing; at least maybe you can put me in touch
with someone who could tell me.)
First of all, I attended the bottle show in Rochester, New York (and had a
splendid time, of course) and picked up a Chicago insulator.
The embossing was this: CD (135) Upper shoulder -- CHI. INS. CO. PAT. Oct 16, 1883. The piece is aqua. Would you
happen to know when the Chicago Insulator Company went out of business? I've
looked in every insulator book and have looked back into the history of Chicago
for clues, but no luck. I'm having serious trouble even placing the date since
it doesn't seem to follow normal guidelines; for instance, it has a three piece
mold, so doesn't that mean it can't be too old? My guess is it was produced between
1900 - 1920, if you could shed any light on this please write back. (I m
enclosing a few stamps in case you find anything, if not, I'll just keep
plugging away at the library.)
Only one more thing, (aren't you guys glad) back in my first days of
collecting, I picked up this little insulator for a couple bucks: green, pony
style, looks like a three piece mold but there is a line over the threads (not
over the outside of glass). 2-1/2 inches wide and 3 inches tall.
The only markings are 2 button like bumps on either side of the insulator.
Could this be worth anything or, more importantly, who could have made such an
insulator? I have never seen an insulator like it before (granted I'm not that
experienced yet, but I'm working on it). My guess is it's some kind of
Brookfield, who knows? If you could enlighten me on this gem, I'd appreciate it
also. Either way, you will be hearing from me more since I'm a growing insulator
enthusiast. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Scott L. Ash, NIA #3222
Akron, Ohio
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Dear Scott,
Not having a picture of the small pony you describe, I think it sounds like a
CD 102.3 which has been attributed to the same manufacturers that made glass
embossed K.C.G.W. I appreciated your letter and have asked Mike Sovereign to
shed some light on your questions about the Chicago Insulating Company. Bail me
out, Mike....
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Dear Carol,
I am not too well organized but did get together some data on the Chicago
Insulating Company that Scott Ash had written to you about.
City of Chicago business directories listed Chicago Insulating Company at 122
LaSalle Street for the years 1883 and 1884. Based on this address this could
have only been an office and not by any means a manufacturing plant. However the
certainty of the actual manufacturing site is still a mystery.
Some thoughts as to the manufacture include Standard Glass of Boston, Oakman
of Boston and Brookfield of New York. I personally only believe Standard and
Oakman may be related to the insulators bearing the Fiske and Mott patent date
due to the similarity of the base embossing on their units as well as on some of
the Chicago's. Brookfield is more likely the glass manufacturer of these
insulators as the appearance of the darker aqua and blue glass would indeed
suggest Brookfield. Some of the CD 109's are a lighter aqua and these could lend
themselves to Oakman or Standard manufacture but I really feel the design and
production of the mold itself is all that one of these companies could have had to do with the Chicago's.
With Chicago Insulating Company, Standard Glass, and Oakman all out of
business by 1899 at the latest (Oakman), and the mention of Fiske and Mott
patent insulators in the book "American Telegraphy" copywrited 1892,
the Chicago's were indeed produced before the turn of the century. How long
production was is not known but generally accepted as being short considering
the scarcity of the insulators.
One does find them shown in the "Brookfield Line" of insulators
named the Foretell (CD 135) and the Foreteller (CD 109). In these old Brookfield
catalogs both units are shown with the Brookfield over New York crown embossing.
This embossing places the date of the catalogs at 1897 and in the famous reprint
of the 1912 Brookfield catalog the insulators are no longer shown.
Hope this does answer a few of the Chicago
questions.
Mike Sovereign
Wheaton, Illinois
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