Out Insualtor Hunting The Next Few Days

I did a slow roll by the old electrical lines that I was talking about earlier in the this thread. I stopped counting after I reached 40 and there are many more up there. They are all light blue or "clear" in color.

I pulled over and walked the line and sure enough, there were two on the ground...so I took them!

Here's one of them:


Earle, do you know any specifics with regard to this particular variety? I'm not sure if you can see it in the photo, but the name across the front reads "McLaughlin", and on the other side is "No 19".

Mine are mainly CD102's.
I have some with stars, plain, and bar.
Royal purple and sun colored amethyst.
Your collection is amazing Earle!

I also collect arrowheads, some I found, others I bought.
One of my favorites, authenticated, is a red railroad lantern arrowhead that is very late period, fashioned by native americans in the mid-1800's., who found the glass near the tracks, and fasioned it into a arrowhead.

Earle, thanks for the interesting info. Very much appreciated.

I walked along the old line for about three or four hundred yards today. Nothing this time around, but I did shoot a couple of pictures.




As you can see, some of them are not in the greatest of shape. After being exposed to the elements for Lawd knows how long, it takes its toll.

I'm thinking about going back at night (with a friend) and getting a few under cover of the darkness. Before I do so I'm going to walk the rest of the line and see what I can come up with.

I found an insulator unlike anything I have ever seen today for $20. It was blue but almost as big as a pie plate and heavy. Shaped like a sombrero. Very odd. What are they worth? What were they for?

@ndwlegal what you have found is a Hewitt suspension disc insulator. These were used on high power towers. I'm sorry I do not know the exact price because I don't do too much with porcelain insulators especially suspensions. But I think $20 is about the right price for this one.
I admit I really like the color of these and a couple times of almost bought them but I have a trouble finding a place to display the larger items like that.

Getting car sick posting these even though I'm dictating to an iPhone. Will post more answers when I get home

@Chequer
The Dominion 42 is the Canadian answer to the Hemingray 42. In an off clear - (called straw) these are very common, though cool looking valued at 1.00-3.00 (or free tables in Canada). But if you do have a modern drinking-glass-clear one, then thou have a valuable piece. These book at 50.00, but, if I am not mistaken, it is a lot harder to find than the price reflects. If I am not mistaken these bring in over 100.00 - maybe up to 200.00 for collectors. Its been a long time since I have heard of one and I have never actually seen one despite looking at Canadian glass and being a bit knowledgeable in some aspects Dominion since I have collected specifically some of these in the past. The Dominion 42 also comes in an incredible range of stunning ambers and the best dark cornflower blue (800.00-1000.00) color in the hobby.

@afterimage - that is one amazing arrowhead. I love the translucent ones like this. I know nothing of the values on them although I have friends who live in Binbrook, Ontario who keep finding more and more of these and other artifacts on their property. They say I also live in an area where I should be able to find paleolithic specimens.

Just got back from the largest insulator show in the country!

Last year I posted a thread mentioning my fiend Steve Blair who had hosted this show for 42 years and suddenly passed away. I am so happy that I was able to procure a piece from his collection (and a good one at that!). It will remain with me forever and always be a favorite. I will post pics tomorrow. I also got some other incredible buys I will take pics of.

@JimJumper
Yes, the River was very low this time and they did have a designated "bullseye" drawn on the shore. VERY memorable event - like to see it (note that verb ) again sometime.

Actually the Deputy Sheriff scenario all depends on where you are. Pre 911, I had a ladder up against a pole and was climbing (before my lineman-gear-owning and insulator picking device days).. The location was over a steppe embankment with a road at the top.

All of a sudden I hear, "What are you doing down there?"
Me: Getting one of the abandoned glass insulators from these poles. Is there anything wrong officer?
Policeman: Oh, no we just stopped b/c we saw a car parked back at the crossing and wondered if it was an abandoned vehicle since no one was in sight. Have a great day!

We then proceeded to go very close to town right ned to a busy highway where there was piece I had been wanting. I figured if anyone said anything, I could tell them a policeman had just OK'd my activities!


MAN I miss pre 911!

Anyway. I would not be seen climbing nowadays b/c of the post 911 era.

But if I was a long way from a road, and the poles are abandoned, they simply will become industrial trash for the weather to try to decompose. Glass is very non-biodegradeable! Farmers usually take the poles down and use them for fenceposts. If they live in a liberal state where the laws impose more on personal freedoms, then they call around until they find who owns them and get permission. A good place to start is the electric company.

BYW - please - no flaming on the liberal state comment. I meant only to declare fact. I have friends all over the US, and it is collectors living in the liberal states that post the most complaint about not being able to go out and hunt like the good old days. The laws in these states have very steep fines and the RR police are very alerted to arrest people. I live close to the PA border and have no problem walking along tracks on the outskirts of town. People in town even do this and walk their dogs there. But I would NEVER do such a thing in MD or Mass. anymore.