No 135 insulator:

[Robby Raccoon]

Got this at the bottle show. "No 135" insulator. I believe it is a Brookfield product, and it is made for Fred M. Locke as a high-voltage insulator. Beyond that, I know nothing. It has quite-visible amber swirls (pictured) in the aqua-teal glass, and it has what I think resembles "snow" in its solid impurities that are scattered throughout it-- pot-stones, I think you would call them? Many swirls of glass cover it, too. There is a small bruise, if I recall, on the back, and a couple "flea-bites," and one small inner chip if I recall-- otherwise, it's very good condition.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

The man who sold me it was a bear of a man but as sweet as a teddy, lol. "How old are you?" he asked."18," I responded. "Do you know what this is?" he spoke as he shook the insulator I had picked up and asked the price on. "An insulator.""Yep. Do you know what they were used for?"-----And the conversation continued in which he then gave me it for ten dollars. I picked up one of only two not marked in price-- the others at about 15 dollars on average. He also sold me a book from 1870. Very friendly man, good to talk to and deal with, and we both shared many of the same likes-- especially books.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Sorry about the numerous pictures-- I just love the color. Lol. Anymore information on it that anyone can tell me?

 

[Robby Raccoon]

From the book I bought from him: I just cannot get enough of the pictures. The book was in very decent shape for its age, and I did only minor repair work to the spine and portion of the cover.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

It's kind of local, too.

 

[BillinMo]

Yep, you've already done your research! You're right about this being Brookfield. The style (CD 287) is a Fred Locke design, and the ones Brookfield made for him are embossed with his name. I believe Brookfield sold the number-only embossed units themselves, since they show this insulator in their 1912 catalog as their number 135. Maybe the bottle people use different terminology, but "potstones" are usually small pebbles or rocks that manage to get in the glass. The white snowy stuff is actually furnace fire brick lining that often flaked off into the glass. It turns up pretty frequently in later Brookfield products. The amber streaks are usually from tiny flakes of metal that ended up in the glass. And... that's a really cool book! The illustrations are really amazing works of art.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Thanks for the response and information on the "snow"-like stuff/swirls. How many years were they in production, if you know? Billin, look at late 1800s Family Bibles. Some have colored illustrations in them. I restored one that is... INCREDIBLY gorgeous. This one photographed is circa 1890.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

This Bible, just to show what can be done, went from the first photo to this second one by the time I got 2/3rds done: I need new matching leather/leather stain, some special products to keep the vegetable-tanned leather from going further into disrepair, and some other items to repair pages and such. Otherwise, after 5 hours I got it back together from what was left, at least. It's my Church's original Swedish Bible.

 

[logueb]

Nice Insulator and book. I remember as a kid riding down the highway and all the utility poles cross-beams were filled with glass insulators. And all the different colors too. Aqua, blue, green, clear , sca, etc. I keep all that I find digging and have a small collection. Never researched all the types and styles of insulators. They use the ceramic insulators today. Not as nice as the one you have, Buster

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Logueb, is sca a form of purple?
If you find them while digging, you might have some good ones. Care to share (pics.)