Monday, February 03, 2014

Insulators

These are some of the glass cap-and-pin isolateurs (insulators) that hung from the electrical poles that served our hamlet. They're still out there on the ground and I'm still debating with myself about whether to go get one or two. I'd only need a pair of pliers to remove them from the downed pole as they seem to be held on with simple goupilles (cotter pins).

Insulators attached to the pole on the ground out behind our house.

It turns out that there's a group of insulator collectors based in the United States and, surprise, they have a web site. You can click here to see it if you're so inclined. My maternal grandfather used to work for a telephone company in upstate New York and he kept numerous blue glass insulators around his house. He also had an old wooden telephone wire spool or two in the back yard, up-ended and used as a picnic table.

10 comments:

  1. They are strangely attractive items, must be the turquoise coloured glass.
    I can see how they might be of use to a certain breed of interior designer.
    I would definitely take some if I were you, you never know they might fetch a tidy sum on Ebay!

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  2. Go for it - they'll probably end up as landfill otherwise! P.

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  3. DOOOOO EEEEET! those things are fascinating!

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  4. Definately, when you first showed the poles being taken down, I was going to write and say to gather them up, they are really interesting things. I bought some at a Vide Grenier and sold some of them (I kept the ones I like the most ) at an antiques fair in UK!

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  5. Walt

    I will go for it - "ni vu ni connu" .

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  6. Take 'em. As it is said, it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

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  7. Sounds like you have a "live auction" going right here on your web page???!!!

    I went to the link - just for fun. I couldn't find any prices. I wonder how much your fancy French Insulators are worth? You can always dispose of them...

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  8. these look to become lovely wind chimes.

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  9. I don't find these particularly attractive. I absolutely HATE this damned prove you're not a robot bullshit!!!!!

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