NATIONAL - Why I Collect Insulators

Reprinted from "Crown Jewels of the Wire", September 2000, (Insert) page 15

Curtis Erickson, Royal Oak, Michigan 
NIA Junior Display Award 
Best First Time Displayer by the CFIC 
Best Exhibit Using CDs by DJIC

There are four reasons I collect insulators. I like the different manufacturers and it is a challenge to try and get one example of each company that made insulators. I also like the variety of insulator shapes and then there are the colors -- just about every color of the rainbow is available. The last area of interest are the miscellaneous insulators -- metal bands around the skirt to protect them from BB guns shots, foreign insulators that are painted and insulators that have pieces of metal, unmixed colors, milk swirls and steam. 

Curtis says: I started collecting when I was 7 years old. I like trains and at a train show there were some insulators. My dad bought me one and I just kept on going. My mom and dad both helped me in the beginning. Now, it is fellow collectors like those I have met through ICON. 

Curtis Erickson

There are many insulators in the display that have interesting stories, but I think the insulator with the root growing through the insulator is my favorite. My dad found it in the Flint River in the 70's. The display case I purchased recently from Stuart Miller. 

My favorite insulator is the cobalt blue signal. Stuart and Isabel Miller, who found the cache of twin pin insulators in Michigan, sold me their display stand. I believe that Mrs. Miller was the artist whose drawings are on the ends of the stand. I think it would be nice to have a twin pin to put in their display case.

On a family trip to northern Michigan, we happened upon an antique store. Stuart and Isabella Miller owned this store. They have a very large assortment of insulators at their store. Mr. Miller is one of the pioneers of the insulator-collecting hobby. Most insulator collectors recognize Mr. Miller as the discoverer of the CD 138.9, commonly known as the Miller Twin-Pin. While in the deep, dark depths of the Miller's basement, I discussed that I was going to build a display case for the 2000 National Insulator Association show. Mr. Miller then offered me his display case that he made in 1969. Mrs. Miller had painted the pictures on the sides of the case. The display case was in major disrepair, but I restored it and preserved Mrs. Miller's unique paintings. The Miller's said they would be honored to have their newly restored case on display at the National Insulator Association show.

A family favorite because of the embossing 
on the insulator has a "familiar name" 
-- a CD 250.2 Ericsson.