Insulators in Bottle Dump

[RIBottleguy]

I got out today to dig a 1950s dump that has a decent number of older bottles sprinkled throughout it. It also had another interesting feature. There are a ton of insulators on the top layer. Most of these are Whitall Tatums and Hemingrays of a newer vintage, with some Armstrongs, Brookfields, and Am. Tel & Tel Cos. thrown in. Today I found two that were of reasonable interest. The most common insulators in the dump (Whitall Tatum No. 1) in two unusual colors.

First, a great purple example. Sadly it has seen better days. Still looks killer in the window! How much do these go for undamaged?

Second, a peach colored example. I'm sure there's a better description for the color (it has a hint of orange), but it's not coming to mind right now. Any value?

And, the rest of the lot. Two Am. Tel. & Tel Cos, two Brookfields, and two Hemingray 40s. I like the Hemingray 40s the most.

 

[Brains]

the book puts the purple whitall tatum's at 20-30 dollars, and they usually sell for that much (sometimes more for really good ones or if you can take a nice picture of it for an ebay auction)

peach ones are listed at like 3-5, but they are very common so they don't usually sell for anything.

The am tel co's you're finding aren't worth too much, but you could turn up an odd variant of one that's worth something, like an older mold-line-over-dome with the embossing on the skirt example.

It looks like you've found some significant variation already, so it's likely that you'll find something of interest in there

 

[RIBottleguy]

Thanks Bryan,
I was doing some research on MyInsulators.com, so far it has been very helpful in dating them. I'm going back today so hopefully I'll find some exciting stuff!

 

[BillinMo]

I agree with Bryan - you're finding some interesting variation there, from a variety of time periods. Might be worth digging around there some more!

Can't quite tell from your photo, but the Brookfield toll and Hemingray 40 (fourth and fifth from the left) - do they have some amber in them, making them look greenish? That won't increase the value dramatically, but it'll raise them out of the "giveaway" category.

That WT is a nice purple, not washed out as some of these are. I bet it looks great in the window.

 

[tftfan]

aw ! some un-green ! cool stuff . Good Luck , and more pics please . Thanks

 

[creeper71]

ORIGINAL: Brains

the book puts the purple whitall tatum's at 20-30 dollars, and they usually sell for that much (sometimes more for really good ones or if you can take a nice picture of it for an ebay auction)

peach ones are listed at like 3-5, but they are very common so they don't usually sell for anything.

The am tel co's you're finding aren't worth too much, but you could turn up an odd variant of one that's worth something, like an older mold-line-over-dome with the embossing on the skirt example.

It looks like you've found some significant variation already, so it's likely that you'll find something of interest in there

Beat Bill to it this time..lol j/k

 

[beendiggin]

Nice finds. I found an insulator dump one year where some old tracks had been . The tracks were gone, but they had dumped about 300 insulators in one spot. Nothing great but fun to dig. About 99% had damage.

Anyway, I think the color you call peach is referred to as "straw yellow". It is the result of selenium added to the glass batch for decolorizing purposes.

Magnesium was the older additive that can turn glass pink, amethyst, or purple.

I enjoy insulators but they are heavy as heck when you load up a backpack!!

 

[BillinMo]

ORIGINAL: creeper71

Beat Bill to it this time..lol j/k

Yeah, I'm getting old and slow... []

 

[BillinMo]

ORIGINAL: beendiggin

Nice finds. I found an insulator dump one year where some old tracks had been . The tracks were gone, but they had dumped about 300 insulators in one spot. Nothing great but fun to dig. About 99% had damage.

Sadly, that's typical in an insulator dump... they just get tossed into a pile. But it's great that you were there to rescue them.

ORIGINAL: beendiggin

Anyway, I think the color you call peach is referred to as "straw yellow". It is the result of selenium added to the glass batch for decolorizing purposes.

WTs indeed come in straw yellow, but there's also a range of peach and pink tones. The one in the photo looks pretty close to peach to me.

ORIGINAL: beendiggin

Magnesium was the older additive that can turn glass pink, amethyst, or purple.

Um, I think you mean manganese.

ORIGINAL: beendiggin

I enjoy insulators but they are heavy as heck when you load up a backpack!!

Yup. Insulators will give you a bad back. Or bulging muscles. Or maybe just aching muscles. []

 

[RIBottleguy]

ORIGINAL: beendiggin

I enjoy insulators but they are heavy as heck when you load up a backpack!!

Lol, this is quite true. When I went to pick up my bucket at the end of the day, ugh! Maybe it's just me but I seem to be adding a little more muscle mass from digging regularly.