The Williamsburg National this year was a great show with lots of walk-through traffic and plenty of porcelain on dealer's tables. This month we will report a few of the more exciting porcelain insulators that appeared at the show as well as try to report for the first time a couple of items that appeared some months ago but haven't made it to PIN. 

One of the more prominent finds was U-394 reported by Doug MacGillvary (NIA #259). This style was shown in the 1912 Thomas catalog along with the similar but much smaller U-392. U-394 was listed for 6,600-volt service and U-392 for 5,000-volt service. Jack Tod assigned U-394 from this catalog drawing but no specimens existed until 1997 when six were recovered from an old subway in Boston. U-392 and U-394 are only known in brown. 

The U-392 style was quite rare with on 3-4 known. Last year Kevin ("Mud is Goot") Lawless (NIA # 1679) reported getting four that were used somewhere in Long Island. They were found with about five brown U-393's that were made by Pittsburg. Whole brown specimens of U-393 were not known before the find. Only broken specimens had been found in the Pittsburg dump along with broken specimens of brown U-393A. No whole brown specimens ofU-393A were reported until Ken Roberts (NIA #5962) got about 12 that were used on an old trolley line in Chattanooga, TN. All of these various styles in brown are still quite rare. White glazed specimens of U-393 and U-393A have been around for some time and are uncommon. 

The key to determining the difference between the three smaller styles in this group is the shape and angle of the ears. Note how the ears on U,392 stick out straight and those on U-393 and U-393A are upwardly trimmed to provide two very different size cable grooves. It is interesting to note how similar these styles are (produced in the 1910's) to the Locke Hi-Top styles that were patented in 1937.

U-392 (Thomas), U-394 (Thomas), and U-393A (Pittsburg)
 with cemented metal pin.

U-392 (Thomas) and U-393 (Pittsburg)

White U-393, U-393A, and white U-393A all made by Pittsburg

At the Williamsburg National, William Plunkett (NIA # 1653) had two interesting multiparts. One was new style, M-2154. On the top firing rest was the incuse mark, DEC 21 P.M., which is one of the Pittsburg date codes. Bill Rohde (NIA # 1219) first reported M-2154. Note the nice flared bottom skirt we refer to as a "lily-shell". This is typical of multi parts made prior to 1920.

M-2154 with Pittsburg date code marking. 
6.5 - 4 x 5.5

Bill had another interesting multipart that is a transition piece made during the time Westinghouse took over the Pittsburg factory in the 1921-22 time period. The style is M-2750A. It has the incuse #5 Westinghouse marking (see Jack Tod's book, Porcelain Insulators Guide Book) on the crown and the incuse Pittsburg date code marking, APR 20 A.M., on the top skirt. The glaze color is a pretty mottled orange/mahogany color. I believe that this is the first insulator I have seen with both the Westinghouse and Pittsburg markings. Apparently Westinghouse decided to discontinue the use of date code markings soon after they took over the factory.

Another one of Bill's interesting finds that we previously failed to report occurred at the 1997 Rosemont National. He walked in with a damaged light blue U-395 Mickey Mouse and offered it to me! As you can see in the photo, there is a rather large chip on the skirt edge. Unfortunately, a similar chip is on the backside, too, but the insulator is still very much a keeper. I was extremely happy to get it. Bill said the guy he got it from had two damaged ones that he was going to throwaway. He later decided to go back for the second one but it was gone. Note the very light colored brown U-395 (even lighter than the photo shows) in the photograph next to the blue U-395. I got that one from Jim Xiggores at the 1984 Tacoma National. Jim said it was the lightest one he saw out of all that were taken down in the Seattle area many years previous. I've never heard of brown U-395's being found outside the Seattle area. 

The light blue U-395 is very rare and desirable. Only about eight whole specimens exist and I have only been able to account for three. Somewhere around 1971-72 Ron LaSalle found the first five (if not all eight) reportedly in a paper mill in Watertown, PA. Most were sold at the 1972 Kansas City National for about $25 each. Chris Hedges (NIA # 15) tells the story of when he attended that show at a very young age and was immediately taken with the sight of the blue U-395's. Unfortunately, his father would not give him $25 for one of the insulators. However this story does have a happy ending. A few years ago Bob and Phoebe Adams (NIA #381 & #380) presented Chris with one of their two light blue U395's at a national show which brought tremendous excitement to the banquet guests not to mention an astonished and very appreciative Chris. Dreams do come true for those who are patient.

As an added bit of information, Jerry Turner (NIA #72) found a broken white U-395 at the Pittsburg dump. A couple of people have also reported seeing a white one many years ago in a collection but it has never resurfaced. Then Jack Tod used to tell the story of a friend calling him long distance to ask if a white Mickey Mouse was worth buying as he saw two at a flea market. Jack's quick affirmative sent the guy back to the flea market but, unfortunately, both were gone.

Light blue U-395 beside a very light brown U-395.

As a final note, Bob Jones (NIA #6424) brought to the Williamsburg National an interesting go-with. It is a brass letter opener with an image of a light blue Jeffery Dewitt suspension insulator on the handle. The letters, JD, are in black. Needless to say consummate J-D collector, Jimmy Burns (NIA #4032), was hoping such an attractive letter opener would find a new home.

Brass letter opener with light blue J-D suspension insulator on the handle.