No 16 high voltage insulator

[JerryN]

I found this large insulator in California. The only embossing is the No. 16 seen in the picture. It is threaded inside.

I have not found a similar one searching the web, though the few large ones like this suggest it is high voltage and the No. 16 is for the gauge of the wire not the CD number.

Any information about this insulator would be appreciated.

 

[digginthedog]

CD # 297 I think, the embossing on the front and rear skirt would be blotted out...

 

[JerryN]

CD # 297 I think, the embossing on the front and rear skirt would be blotted out...

That looks right. Any idea of the age or how common it is?

 

[DavidW]

Looking at the price guide (I don't have the latest edition) but it's definitely a CD 297. That style of insulator is listed under the "LOCKE" heading in the guide. Most of that style were made for F. M. Locke, Victor, New York - by Brookfield Glass Company. There are variations in the exact embossing seen on the insulators. Some have the "FRED M. LOCKE / VICTOR NY" on one side and "NO 16" on the other. Others have ONLY the "NO 16" lettering. Others are unmarked. Yours is a product of Brookfield Glass Company.

Just for clarification - the CD numbers assigned to insulators are never actually embossed on any insulator. The CD (Consolidated Design) numbering system to catalog and identify glass insulators, invented by Nathan R. "Woody" Woodward, has only been used by collectors, and was not used by the actual manufacturers of glass insulators.

The CD numbers were assigned decades (or even a century or more in some cases) after most of the older insulators were made. ( Just in case anyone has misunderstood and expects to see a CD number embossed into the glass on an insulator.)

 

[JerryN]

Thank you for the great information! It looks like it would be hard to date as they were producing insulators from 1890 to 1912. Apparently it was rated to 15,000v

 

[UnderMiner]

Wow, she's a beaut!

 

[Bohdan]

I found this large insulator in California. The only embossing is the No. 16 seen in the picture. It is threaded inside.

I have not found a similar one searching the web, though the few large ones like this suggest it is high voltage and the No. 16 is for the gauge of the wire not the CD number.

Any information about this insulator would be appreciated.

View attachment 237398View attachment 237399View attachment 237400

I found this large insulator in California. The only embossing is the No. 16 seen in the picture. It is threaded inside.

I have not found a similar one searching the web, though the few large ones like this suggest it is high voltage and the No. 16 is for the gauge of the wire not the CD number.

Any information about this insulator would be appreciated.

View attachment 237398View attachment 237399View attachment 237400

#16 AWG is a very small wire. Some smaller lamp cords are 16ga.

 

[DavidW]

#16 AWG is a very small wire. Some smaller lamp cords are 16ga.

The "NO 16" in this instance is just a model number assigned by Locke to that particular style of insulator. It has nothing to do with wire sizes or diameters.

 

[Bohdan]

The "NO 16" in this instance is just a model number assigned by Locke to that particular style of insulator. It has nothing to do with wire sizes or diameters.

The comment about wire gauge was in the original post (JerryN) - not mine.

 

[DavidW]

The comment about wire gauge was in the original post (JerryN) - not mine.

Yes, I know. My post wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular. Just posted it in case anyone at all misunderstands the purpose of the number. These threads will probably be archived and searchable via google for years to come.