Directory of Insulators Resources

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Glass Insulators were first commercially produced in the 1850s for use with batteries, telegraph lines and lightning rod systems. As telegraph, telephone, fire alarm, railroad signal, high voltage transmission and radio antenna system technologies developed, the need for insulators grew very quickly and reached its peak sometime in the second decade of the 20th Century. Yesterday's technology moved electricity over open steel and copper wire. Today's technology moves electronic signals and electric power from point to point in many different ways. Advanced composite materials, ceramic compounds, plastic conduit, glass fiber, and microwave broadcast have all conspired to render the glass insulator of yore obsolete. Although pioneering collectors tell stories of finding and swapping old insulators as early as the end of WWII, insulator collecting as a formal, organized hobby really didn't begin to emerge on the antiques and collectibles scene until the mid-1960s. In the USA today, the National Insulator Association has thousands of members. This category is about collecting insulators. These sites contain information about the acquisition, display, identification, and history of these collections. This category is dedicated to the dreams and pursuits of insulator collectors around the world.

Subcategories

• Clubs

Resources in This Category

• Argentina Glass Insulators

  http://bobfrassinetti.tripod.com/glass/
  Photo gallery of glass insulators made in Argentina.

• Argentina Porcelain Insulators

  http://bobfrassinetti.tripod.com/porcelain/
  Photo gallery of porcelain insulators made in Argentina.

• Buzz Cashion's Insulator Site

  http://www.buzzc.net/buzzc.html
  Collector shares hobby of various types of insulators through pictures, and descriptions.

• Canadian Insulator Collector's Page

  http://www.parrotscanada.com/insulators/canada.html
  A tour of our insulator collection in southern Ontario, Canada. Contact information provided for help with insulator identification and information, and for those interested in buying, selling, or trading glass insulators with a Canadian collector.

• Canadian Railway Telegraph Insulators

  http://home.netscape.ca/~jhayes/insul.htm
  Pictures insulators used along Canadian railways and telegraph/telephone lines in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are related links and an email contact as well.

• Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum

  http://cprr.org/Museum/Ephemera/Brooks_Insulator.html
  This page features the Brooks ramshorn insulator and its associated patent information.

• Charles Bibb's Insulator Photo Album

  http://www.angelfire.com/co/charlesinsulators/
  This hobby enthusiast's site pictures insulator related events, and insulators from Mississippi and in his collection.

• Collecting Insulators

  http://www.collectinginsulators.com/
  Information on the hobby of collecting insulators and related collectibles. Contents include pictures of insulators, history of companies, patents, where to find insulators, manufacturing details, insulator terminology, books on the subject, and background on the hobby.

• Corning Pyrex Insulators On Parade

  http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1occl/thehaferpage/
  This site contains pictures of Corning Pyrex insulators still in use.

• Crown Jewels of the Wire Magazine

  http://www.crownjewelsofthewire.com/
  Magazine dedicated to the collectors of historic glass and porcelain insulators used by telegraph, telephone and electric power utilities. Includes value finder and subscription information.

• Glass Insulators Reference Site

  http://www.insulators.info/
  Insulator collectors resource with information on glass and porcelain insulators, show calendar, club listings, glossary, tips and photos of rare items.

• Glassian

  http://www.glassian.org/
  Collections of Ian Macky, including glass insulators, prism glass, and related history.

• Hemingray.info

  http://www.hemingray.info/
  Features the 'Hemingray Database' with details on this manufacturer's insulator production, photos of shows and displays, 'Laugh Lines' comics, and trip journals.

• Hungarian Insulators

  http://myinsulators.com/hungary/
  Site of a Hungarian collector; includes many photos and drawings of insulators in use in Hungary.

• Insulator Collector's Picture Forum

  http://www.insulators.info/pictures/
  A picture gallery where insulator collectors can post their insulator pictures.

• Insulator Collectors On the Net Webring

  http://www.webring.org/hub?ring=insulators
  Group of insulator enthusiasts who have linked sites together to allows visitors and ring members easy navigation.

• Insulator Gurls at Large

  http://www.insulatorgurls.com/
  Follow the odyssey of two Canadian insulator collectors, who refuse to take themselves seriously.

• Insulator Magic

  http://www.angelfire.com/ks/InsulatorMaGiC/
  This collector's site combines graphics, pictures and narrative style text to present the insulator collecting hobby from a unique point of view.

• Insulator News & Market Report

  http://www.inmr.com/
  A commercial advertising industry specific journal that serves the commercial electrical market as a source of information on international developments in power transmission and distribution.

• MyInsulators.com

  http://myinsulators.com/
  Provides space at no charge for insulator and go-with collectors to maintain a site. Also a directory of member sites.

• National Insulator Association

  http://www.nia.org/
  This site provides detailed information about the National Insulator Association. Photographs related to collecting glass and porcelain insulators and significant historical data are also available.

• Open Wire Insulator Services

  http://www.open-wire.com/
  Conducts periodic auctions, performs appraisals by appointment and offers to purchase collections.

• Porcelain Insulators

  http://www.r-infinity.com/
  Collector, research expert, historian's site

• Rainbow Riders Trading Post

  http://www.rainbowriderstradingpost.com/
  Photos of displays and shows, a few articles, and information about the out-of-print magazine.

• SignalSpark insulator book

  http://www.signalspark.com/
  SignalSpark is a high quality book celebrating the insulator as an icon of industrial design.

• Steve Blair's Website

  http://www.myinsulators.com/steveblair
  Photos of Lynchburg collection, strains and arrestors and the London/Springfield traveling show.

• Teleramics - UK Railway Telegraph Insulators

  http://teleramics.com/
  Detailed information and photographs on styles, materials, colours used for railway telegraph insulators from the UK. Sections on designers, markings and manufacturers of these products. Sub sections include railway crockery, insulator fixings, telegraph poles, brackets, and railway lighting.

• The Wayback Times - Threadless Insulators

  http://www.waybacktimes.com/ThreadlessInsulators.html
  Collector's site

Related Categories

• Home > Business > Electronics and Electrical > Electromechanical > Hardware > Insulators and Insulation
• Home > Recreation > Antiques > Telephones and Telegraphs
• Home > Recreation > Collecting > Glassware
• Home > Recreation > Collecting > Out of the Ordinary

 

Home > Recreation > Collecting > Insulators

 

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