Which insulators should I look out for from now on?

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Jet Coaster Fan

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I have a Whithall Tatum N o 9, 1947, a Hemingray - 42 in clear and another same one in aqua green, a Hemingray No 40, a C&P Tel Co. a Hemingray - 9, a small white WP 36 insulator, a small white WP 5 insulator and a Armstrong's No 22. 1954.
 

2find4me

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Anything that is a Hemingray 42 or a plain shaped clear one by Hemingray or Whitall Tatum I leave behind. These can contain errors or junk in glass that make them valuable though. Cool colors, interesting shapes, or strange embossing I usually pick up. I am not really an insulator collector, just like to display these colorful big globs of glass. Generally, avoid the normal aqua and clear Hemingrays and Whitall Tatums, they were big companies and produced tons of insulators. Most Brookfields are common as well, but like Jim said, you need to educate yourself. Maybe some one can post a link they use, that shows the CDs and stuff.
 

Robby Raccoon

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If you have fence-posts that are your own and aren't where people will steal the insulators, pound a nail into the fence-post top and let the nail stick up to about the roof of the inside of the insulator and set it on there (not so high that the insulator lays on it at an angle, but not so low that something will knock it off.) They look great when they're centered (I'm all but OCD about it) and the sun hits them. Here is a page showing the "most common" insulators. Play around with the site. In two years of collecting, I have only one worth over $10. I have one wiring-insulator that is probably the only one known (made for less than a year,) but I doubt that I could get a dollar for it. It all depends on, A. Color, B. CD number (Style,) C. Condition, D. Age, E. Much more (I.E. as above noted: Flaws, like amber mixed in clear or white mixed in aqua, in the glass.)
 

Sand_pontil

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Firstly, if your serious about getting into collecting, buy this: http://www.insulatorpriceguide.comForget about the price guide browser, the book is your best friend and appendixes in the back will help you narrow stuff down quickly. Second I would say join ICON. The "forums" are extensive but hidden pretty well. http://www.insulators.info/icon/Get to them by clicking on "Picture Poster Items". Name is a bit deceiving and also hidden under "For Sale and Wanted". There you will learn a lot just by browsing and can also upload photos with questions. Go to shows if thats your thing. Insulators range from $1-$10,000+. I would rather be out in the woods digging and if you need any help getting started on this PM me. Antique stores can be fun I guess. Can get burned or quite the opposite. Bring your book along and you'll do fine. Once you get good at identifying insulators you can see them from a mile away and know what they are. Its lots of fun and very rewarding. Im done with bottles although I go through phases. Insulators are my main priority now. -Mason
 

nhpharm

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I would make a comment about insulators. You are much more likely to find a good bottle either digging or in a shop than an insulator. I've vaguely collected insulators since I was a kid. I dug along the railroad tracks, bought in stores, etc. In 20 years of doing this, I've found two insulators that were better than $50 insulators, both of them at a flea market in Maine where they were being used as candle holders. This is not to say that good insulators are not in the ground or in shops, but the likelihood that you will find a good deal or a good insulator is fairly slim unless you pony up market price for a good insulator on eBay or at a show. 98% of insulators are worth less than $10.00 and probably 99.99% of insulators found (by pure volume) are worth less than $10.00. Basically, if you are happy collecting insulators (many of which are beautiful) without consideration of value, insulator collecting is a great hobby because for very little money you can acquire a wide range of beautiful insulators. If you are jumping in to try to make money by buying and selling them, I think you are in for a nasty surprise and probably should leave that to the experts.
 

Jet Coaster Fan

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I am not trying to sell them at all. I want to have some glass on hand to trade in exchange for embossed 1800s bottles that are not on the common bottle list.
 

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