AboutBob Berry Expertise Questions related to collecting Glass Insulators and porcelain insulators - I can provide historical information as well as current collector values. I am also interested in purchasing insulators I need for my collection.
Experience I have collected since the early 1970's and have much historical information, as well as knowledge of current insulator values.
Organizations National Insulator Association (http://www.nia.org)
Education/Credentials BS & MS in Electrical Engineering
Expert: Bob Berry Date: 4/29/2008 Subject: question
Question could you please tell me what you can on these insulators? light green whitall tatum co. with a w over a t inside a triangle on one side and on the other no.1 made in the USA. also clear hemingray 45 on one side. and made in USA 87-41: also armstrong's DP1 on one side and on the other side made in USA small circle with the letter A 86 48 also clear whitall tatum no.1 on one side and on the other is made in USA 23-45. also clear whitall tatum no.1 on one side and made in USA 76-46? thank you very much for taking the time to help me
Answer Hi --
Insulator collectors have developed a style numbering system called the CD (Consolidated Design) system -- For more information see:
Your first insulator is a CD 154 -- A long distance telephone style made by the Whitall Tatum Co. of Millville, NJ -- Dated from the 1930's.
Both the Hemingray-45 and the Armstrong DP1 are CD 155 styles and were also for long distance telephone use. CD 155 replaced CD 154 in the 1940's.
Your last two Whitall Tatum No. 1 styles could be CD 154 or 155 as they shared similar embossings. the numbers (23-45 and 76-46) are the mold number followed by the year the mold was made. ie: mold #23 made in 1945 and mold #76 made in 1946.
All of these are pretty common and have a typical collector trade value of $1.00 or so -- still all are great pieces of communication history!
