not a clue[] i assume it's some kind of spool or somthin, i dont kno too much about newer stuff as it does lok to be from the 60's-70's. I am saying this because it's white, it could be way older. I got a white insulator thats over 100 years old so i cant tell you much about your insulator. I would bolt it to my mailbox if i had it tho.
I believe those date from 1910 or so up to around 1950. Somewhere in that time frame.
I'm really not sure about their use either, to be honest, but I've seen them bolted to the exterior of buildings, and I believe they were used to run a wire across the exterior facade to an entry point or what not. I've seen them mostly on buildings in urban settings, not so much in the country.
If that was in good shape you could remove that bolt up through it and make a lamp out of it. Or you could take those screw bolts out and use it as a wall sconce to hold a candle,
Was getting ready for trash day this evening, and was getting rid of trashed boxes and so forth. Found a box of Insulators, not many, about ten or twelve. Took a picture of a couple of them. Here they are below. I am sure they are for the most part common and inexpensive, but I recall someone posting once wanting to see some insulators or something to that effect, so here is a couple. Will try and post a pic of the others tomorrow, it got too dark to keep messing with them. Here is one of them below, an AM TEL & TEL CO, #11[/align]
The am. tel co. is a cd 121 brookfield made insulator. I would say yours is from the early 1900's, 1900-1910 or older. The OVGco is a cd 112 and was made sometime between 1902[3?]-1905. Both insulators are fairly common and would book max $5 each, a good find neer the less as i never see any one "find" those styles, they are just allways for sale.
Thanks for the info Bryan, I didn't figure they were worth much of anything, just though someone might have enjoyed viewing them. I met a Guy in the Columbus, Ohio are a good many years ago that had a pretty nice collection of them, around 20 or so, some of them even being cobalt blue. I do not remember any of the names of them though, but I would say that some of them were probably worth a good bit of money.
If that's the same OVG Co. I'm familiar with, it was in Bellaire Ohio. They made a variant of an 1858 Mason and also their own fruit jar that is quite scarce and quite expensive.
Thanks Zane, and its good to hear from you, its been a while. The OVG is the only one I have ever seen or found in my area, although there may be plenty of them around other places. I know absolutely nothing about insulators. Will take some pics of the others I have tomorrow if I get the time to do so.