Insulators??!! |
Insulators have also been made in porcelain, wood, rubber, plastic, and iron.
When you add to this the amount of different embossings, base types (with or without drip points, different styles of drip points, etc.) there are literally thousands of different insulators available.
If you don't like large collectibles, you can go as small as 2 inches. If you perfer BIG, many insulators are available in sizes over a foot across and a foot tall.
One of the nicest parts about insulator collecting is that most of them (from the cheapest to the most expensive) are pretty available. They can be found in magazine ads and internet ads; and you can go to the "insulator store" via shows being held all around the country all year long. (The National Insulator Association coordinated the large shows, and supports the hobby in many other ways.)
Once you have a supply of insulators, you can also trade with most of the other collectors.
Those who want a treasure hunt can still find insulators "in the wild."
Many collectors also view insulators as a large part of their financial investment package.
Insulators have made it through wars (including the Civil War), being buried for years, or just being unnoticed for 100 years or more in a remote area. Many have survived the gunshots from cowboys of old and little boys of late; and many wooden insulators were not destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake and fire.
The early telegraph lines paralleled the transcontinental railroad, and insulators became an integral part of railroad safety.
In some areas of collecting, the few who have a great deal of knowledge are hesitant to let anyone else know the secrets. In the insulator world, articles are written as soon as new facts become available. And, when the new collector has questions, he can call any of the pros on the phone (or the internet) and get friendly answers. It is very common for dealers at insulator shows to hand out glass or porcelain beauties to the new collectors and youngsters. Insulator collectors are just the friendliest group around!
We here at the Rainbow Riders' Trading Post are having a great deal of fun with all aspects of this hobby!
The insulator photographs came from Bill Meier.