May 2000 Fake And Altered Insulators Artificially Induced Colors

Forgeries, fakes and physical alterations appear to be an escalating concern for nearly all categories of collectibles and antiquities. The prestigious and "electrifying" hobby of insulator collecting is, unfortunately, no exception. Of particular concern is the recent escalation of color altered insulators appearing primarily at flea markets and occasionally in antique shops and antique/collectible shows. The alterations discussed here are not by external application of paint, stains or dyes. They are a more technical modification to the internal ingredients of the glass itself.

There are two sources generally known for intentionally altering the integral color of glass insulators: thermal and radiation. Both can create color changes horn very subtle to extremely radical. Thermal alterations, as the term implies, are achieved by use of extreme heat. Alterations performed by use of radiation sources are much more complex and include high levels of gamma rays and electron beams.

You may be wondering, "What benefits could possibly be gleaned from altering an insulator's color?" In many cases it is simply underhanded greed. Example: A simple CD 145 "beehive" insulator, embossed Postal, aqua in color, can commonly be found for sale in the $1-3 range. The exact same insulator subjected to radiation and altered to a stunning sapphire blue color has been known to sell for $500+ to unsuspecting collectors! Example: A CD 121 toll insulator, embossed W.G.M. Co., royal purple in color, can be purchased in the $25-35 range. The same insulator thermally "cooked" to a bright burgundy color could possibly sell for $300-500!

Some collectors have been known to alter insulators for "fun" as novelties to add to their personal collections. This is highly discouraged as an unethical practice by the National Insulator Association. Many insulators that were color altered as "fun novelties" in the late 1960's and early 1970's have since lost their traceable pedigree. As a result, a fair number of these transformed insulators have been sold by, and to, unsuspecting collectors as authentic specimens for hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars!

It was common practice in the manufacture of glass insulators to use a high percentage of cullet. Cullet, a term for recycled glass, allowed for a lower melting point, but also introduced an unknown combination of foreign ingredients and coloring agents to a given glass batch. In the final product these materials are often undetectable to the human eye, but when subjected to radiation they may suddenly become an influential factor in color transformations. With this in mind and given the countless array of ingredient variables associated with each glass batch, it is absolutely impossible to produce a list of ALL potential colors and shade variations.

Some exposed specimens defy all prognostication with amazing, unpattermed color changes. During one of the dozens of experimental procedures, one CD 120 pony insulator, embossed C.E.W., was first altered from its original color of light blue aqua to an odd olive brown. The second and third processes produced two attractive shades of medium cornflower blue!

One very important point to keep in mind is that color changes are not always excessive. Under controlled situations, the slightest of color tone changes are possible. A CD 121 toll, embossed W.F.G. Co. Denver, Colo. was altered from its original color of light lavender to dark strawberry puce, then to vivid dark purple and finally to a medium shade of purple. Any shade between the original light lavender to the dark puce could be attained with correct synchronization of the altering process.

No. This is where the confusion really sets in. Let's examine each category separately.

Some irradiated insulators can exhibit similar, if not exact, color similarities to authentic specimens. This occurs more often, but not limited to, the purple shades. Manganese is highly excitable when exposed to radiation sources. A very small quantity of manganese contained in an aqua insulator can produce dense purple tones. As indicated in the previous paragraph, a light purple insulator altered under strict controls can be "pushed" to a very realistic medium purple, duplicating authentic specimens with extreme accuracy. Even though such color duplications look authentic, they are, of course, still labeled as fakes. Unfortunately, without any prior indication of an alteration, these "chameleons" can be very difficult to identify.

For the most part, the answer is "no". The most common sources used today to irradiate glass insulators will leave no trace of radioactivity. Contrary to rumors, Geiger counters can not be used as verification of irradiated glass. There are radiation sources that can leave glass radioactive, but it is unlikely (but not impossible!) that these sources have or are being used to irradiate insulators. This latter form of irradiation would register on a Geiger counter.

Colors are listed left to right - left is control sample, right is altered sample.

Thermally altered, or "cooked" insulators present a completely different altering process when compared to irradiation. It is important that you fully understand the evolution of specific insulators that harbor the potential for thermal color alterations. To immediately narrow the field of examples, the majority of cooked insulators present in the hobby today are embossed CALIFORNIA, or W.G.M. Co. Other varieties known, but not as prevalent, are: AM. TEL. & TEL. Co., GOOD & POSTAL. Experimentation has proven that several additional embossed and unembossed types are potential candidates, but have not yet been encountered, reported or proven as such in the hobby circuit.

It is a proven fact that most, if not all, light to medium purple CALIFORNIA insulators emerged from their factory molds in shades of off clear, smoke, yellow or light yellow green; the darker purple/deep burgundy examples commonly encountered were originally golden yellow. Light to medium purple W.G.M. Co. insulators were originally clear, off clear, straw or light yellow green. These revelations are undoubtedly raising more questions in the reader's mind, so let's delve in a little deeper for a better understanding.

So, how did these insulators naturally transform into the familiar shades of purple we see today? These insulators contain manganese. It is most probable that their manganese content was derived from the large amount of cullet these companies commonly used for manufacturing their insulators. Manganese, when measured properly, was used as a clarifying agent in glass. It reacts against the coloring effects of the naturally occurring iron in glass making formulas, thus producing clear glass as a result. If the manganese occurred from cullet, the proportions would likely be incorrect for clarifying, allowing the iron and/or other ingredients in the cullet to bleed through. As a result, this "bleeding" created some of the original insulator colors listed in the previous paragraph. When an extreme level of manganese is present in glass, original shades of dark purple and burgundy can result. In some cases the manganese level was accurate enough to produce almost clear insulators.

Selenium replaced manganese as a glass clarifying ingredient during the World War I period. However, manganese continued to occur in some insulators for several years longer as manufacturers repeatedly added manganese rich cullet to their glass batches.

Now that you understand the initial effects of manganese in the production of insulators, let's examine its secondary effects. Manganese, as mentioned previously, is a sensitive reactor to electromagnetic radiation. Within the scope of electromagnetic radiation there is a low level supply emitted by our sun in the form of ultra violet light. Over a prolonged period of time, moderate to higher levels of manganese in glass will react to the ultra violet light from the sun, causing a "purpling" effect. Dependant upon the levels of manganese in the glass, this purpling or solarization can produce multiple graduations in color from a pink tint to dark purple. For example, a yellow CALIFORNIA insulator will transform to a beautiful medium shade of rosy purple; an ice yellow green W.G.M. Co. to a light to medium shade of purple.

Colors are listed left to right - left is control sample, right is altered sample.

It is of interest to note here that multitudes of color shade variations can occur during this ultra violet induced transformation period. The popular "peach" color occasionally found in CALIFORNIA insulators is actually a mid-transformation color from yellow to purple. These insulators were evidently used in sheltered areas where very little direct sunlight was cast upon them. Some examples display a two-tone effect that resulted from one portion of the insulator having a stronger exposure, such as placements near a building, partially under a roof eave or in heavily forested areas. Insulators that were used indoors or in completely sheltered areas remained their original color.

Finally, we learn what involvement manganese has during the "cooking" process. When a sun "purpled" insulator is heated to high temperatures, generally a step below melting, it will, in some cases, revert back to its original color (or a shade in close proximity). Deep purple CALIFORNIA's revert back to golden yellow; light to medium purple W.G.M. Co.'s reverse back to varying shades of off clear, straw, or icy yellow green. These are only a few examples. A multitude of shade variations exist.

It has been reported that low to moderate levels of constant heat to irradiated insulators will reverse colors back to original. Ongoing experiments by this writer have furnished mixed results. A clear CD 128 Pyrex insulator subjected to intense radiation resulted in a very deep tobacco brown. This same insulator was then subjected to 300 degrees F. for three hours in an oven and emerged off clear. A second insulator, light aqua in color, was irradiated to an intense dark purple. After eight hours at 500-600 degrees F. no change was discernible. Other irradiated insulators were placed in Southern California's hot summer sun for several weeks -- some partially reversed, some didn't. However, ongoing extended exposures are beginning to provide positive results with most samples.

Colors are listed left to right left is irradiated control sample, right is reversed sample.

With all this in mind, we are now faced with the paradoxical question: Are "cooked" insulators actually fake? A perplexing question it is! Given the information presented here, some may argue that an insulator cooked back to its original color should not be labeled as "fake". To some extent this is true and here is where some separation between the two terms "fake" & "altered" might apply. Unlike an irradiated insulator that is transformed to a fake fantasy color, cooked insulators appear as their previous original color. However, when it is ascertained. that an insulator has been purposely color reversed by heat, it is no longer considered a "factory original" and takes on the term "altered". Regardless of which term you feel is most appropriate, all irradiated and cooked insulators are forgeries, holding no appreciable value within our hobby.

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to identify many fake and/or altered colors. Cooked insulators are the most difficult. Slumping glass, rack marks or flattening on the base are possible indicators that an insulator was reheated, but positive conclusions cannot be drawn since many authentic insulators exhibit similar characteristics. However, if combinations of these characteristics are apparent on a single specimen, it certainly adds more suspicion of tampering.

The intention of this information is not to create paranoia, but to make today's collector aware through education that the technology exists for altering natural colors of genuine old glass insulators. Your best protection is to be educated and investigate the source of any unusual color. If you happen upon an insulator you feel falls within the suspect category, always be suspicious and ask questions. Beware of anyone "playing dumb". Any ethical collector or dealer will welcome questioning and should provide sufficient answers and/or documentation. Most of all, listen to your instincts. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

The National Insulator Association has adopted a set of guidelines for insulator collectors known as the NIA Code of Ethics. These guidelines were established for members and nonmembers alike to set a standard for conducting all collecting and dealing activities honorably and honestly.

The following data was derived from extensive experimentation, as well as reliable reports from outside sources. This is by no means a complete listing of all possible color alterations. In some instances, shades can vary dramatically. More listings will be added as they become available. Most, but not necessarily all, styles (CD's) of the embossings listed are subject to the listed color alterations. Please be aware that some of the following altered colors can occur as authentic colors as well.

Embossing	Altered Colors
Am. Tel. & Tel.	Royal purple, Lt. pink, Off clear, Sapphire Blue
Armstrong	Varying shades of brown
Brookfield	Burnt brown aqua, Burnt olive green,
	Burnt olive Brown, Cornflower blue,
	Off clear, Royal purple
California	Lt. yellow, Honey yellow, Lt. yellow green,
	Golden yellow, Peach, Golden peach,
	Yellow/peach two-tone, Royal purple
CEW	Burnt olive, Cornflower blue, Lt. cornflower blue
Diamond	Burgundy
Hemingray	Varying shades of brown, Orange amber, Royal purple
H.G.Co.	Deep muddy purple, Royal purple, Brown amber
Kerr	Varying shades of brown
Lynchburg	Brown, Smoke, Muddy dark sage, Gray blue,
	Cornflower blue, Lavender blue
Maydwell	Muddy brown, Dark muddy purple, Purple
McLaughlin	Muddy brown, Muddy purple
NN "Grand Canyon"	Royal purple, Dark lavender purple
Patent 1871	Dark brown puce
NN "Pleated Skirt"	Sapphire blue
Postal	Royal purple, Deep sapphire blue
Pyrex	Orange Amber, Varying shades of brown
Radio strain	Dark orange amber, Dark amber, Royal purple
Star	Blue, Blue lavender, Deep sapphire blue,
	Muddy sapphire
W.E.	Dark smoky sage
WFG	Dark muddy purple, Dark purple,
	Royal purple, Dark puce
WGM	Burgundy, Light yellow green, Off clear,
	Straw, Yellow straw
Whitall Tatum	Varying shades of brown, Royal purple
1678	Indigo blue

Acknowledgments: I wish to thank --
* The National Insulator Association
* The many individuals who donated altered samples for testing.
* The following staff at the University of California Davis: Robert G. Flocchini; Krystyna Trzepla-Nabglo; and Mamdouh Metwally.
* San Bernardino Valley College.
* Fred Padgett, for arranging access to U.C.D.'s services.
* Mike Guthrie, for providing numerous test samples.
* Rick Baldwin and Mark Lauckner for technical advice.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the preceding information,
please contact: www.nia.org (National Insulator Association)
or Dwayne Anthony, 28390 Saffron Avenue, Highland, CA 92346 or
E-mail: blobtop126@aoI.com