Nice Looking Brookfield

[PhilaJDH]

Grabbed this one off a pole in the Lehigh River Gorge, near Jim Thorpe PA, a few years ago on a bike ride. It was covered in soot when I grabbed it and it wasn't until after it soaked for a week or so that I noticed the beautiful amber striations. Nice little bubble clouds too. Can you guys give me some more information on this insulator? Is it desirable to a collector or better suited for my window? Thanks!

 

[PhilaJDH]

2

 

[botlguy]

CD 152 nicknamed "Hoopskirt" for its shape. Quite collectble, $15 - $20, with the amber streaking, $1.00 without. Later BROOKFIELD glass like this is common with inclusions and "Junky" glass. Poor to nonexistant quality control at the factory. Nice but not uncommon piece.

 

[PhilaJDH]

Thanks Jim! You've been most helpful today.

 

[BillinMo]

If it's close to you, it might be worth going back to look for more.

Generally, the more dramatic the amber swirling, the more desirable. Jim's estimate is on the mark, but I haven't had any luck selling 152s for that range with the amber swirling; there seems to be more interest in the smaller telephone styles with amber. I've sold a couple 152s similar to yours for around 10.00. Of course, if your amber swirls are breathtaking when viewed in person, just ignore what I said.

If you want historical background, this CD 152 is the Western Union pattern from 1911-1922. Brookfield was out of business by 1920, so yours would be in the earlier part of that span.

 

[Brains]

the presence of a "round base" opposed to a typical "smooth base" can aid in dating you insulator a little- i believe round bases showed up towards the later half of the date range Bill gave you, with smooth bases of course being used mainly during the earlier half. I'm sure there was some overlapping use of the two though...
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...if the mold lines on the sides of your insulator curl under the base, you have a round base. Round bases show up on a lot of the later and especially crude brookfields. A good example is the B and the B-No44 (or most of the other brookfields that bear their style number... not to be confused with a shop number) beehives you mostly find up in canada. They always show up in some crazy shade of olive green, i think we sent the undesirables up to the great white north or something. I have a brookfield 152 that's a round base and a crazy shade of green.

There is absolutely no difference in the value between a round base example and a smooth base one (with these later brookfields), but since some don't show up in the bible...err... price guide with a round base, someone always gotta' put one on ebay as being rare and unlisted (especially if it's a cross between aqua and green aqua).
^I always gotta' complain about something i see... sorry

 

[PhilaJDH]

ORIGINAL: BillinMo

If it's close to you, it might be worth going back to look for more.

Generally, the more dramatic the amber swirling, the more desirable. Jim's estimate is on the mark, but I haven't had any luck selling 152s for that range with the amber swirling; there seems to be more interest in the smaller telephone styles with amber. I've sold a couple 152s similar to yours for around 10.00. Of course, if your amber swirls are breathtaking when viewed in person, just ignore what I said.

If you want historical background, this CD 152 is the Western Union pattern from 1911-1922. Brookfield was out of business by 1920, so yours would be in the earlier part of that span.

Thanks for the info! I don't really live that close by and even if I did I wouldn't know where to begin. There were miles and miles of poles, most with almost all the insulators still on them, and almost all were covered in soot. You'd really have to know what you're looking for to make it worthwhile. I also have a feeling that taking them off the poles there is kinda frowned upon....wouldn't stop me from doing it again though.