Ceramic Insulator Identification

Collecting insulators is a fun and unique hobby that will allow you to learn much about the history and make of these unique objects.

Ceramic insulator identification.

As technology developed insulators were needed for telephone lines electric power lines and other applications. Glass insulators were first produced in the 1850 s for use with telegraph lines. Evidently the 1 to 4 line marking stamp did not securely hold the individual letters and numbers and sometimes a few letters shifted. Jobber of electrical supplies.

Vintage insulators are most commonly made out of porcelain or glass materials and they come in a wide variety of colors and shapes making each item a unique piece that can make a great addition to a collection. For 50 years crown jewels of the wire has been the leading publication for glass and porcelain insulator hobby news history articles with columns devoted to worldwide insulators show reports in depth research articles meeting announcements photos and other insulator information. Tod died in 1989 and in 1991 his wife granted permission to elton gish to assign new u numbers as new styles were reported. The u chart was developed by jack tod and published in 1971 porcelain insulators guide book for collectors his 3rd edition book was published in 1988.

Found on porcelain insulators. Today there are over 2000 collectors and insulator clubs national shows and good reference books are available. In the mid 1960 s a few people began collecting these glass and porcelain insulators. Make offer 2 vintage brown ceramic porcelain insulators locke thomas thomas insulator saddle back ceramic vintage 5 22 00 8 20 shipping.

Collectors interest has been focused on some specific areas and style numbers have been created to assist in identification and cataloging styles. The 55 4 is the ansi style. Return to the national insulator association page. Link to other types of insulators.

There are a large variety of insulators in existence. Go back to main page. Cook porcelain insulator corp. Paul greaves spent countless hours verifying the many different fred locke markings on porcelain insulators.

Cooper power systems the 99335 may be a catalog number. Click on an insulator above for more information. Circa early 1920 s to circa 1930 cooke wilson e. Different fonts and sizes of letters and numbers were used.

Dry process mine insulators with this marking u 98 were possibly made by american porcelain co.