Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby novascotiaglass » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:43 pm

Part 3 - Saturday Nov28 to Sunday Dec6, 2009

Saturday Nov.28, 2009
Went to an annual flea market about an hour from home. Scanned the scene for any insulators, but didn't come across any. While there I ran into a dealer (same guy from part 1 who gave us a lead) he informed me that a guy who had a collection was there walking around and that he would track him down for me. He introduced us and I was off following this guy back to his place to check out his collection. Upon arriving we went to his building and checked out the glass. There was some interesting glass there (ambers, green creb, few purples, etc) but nothing that stood out. He did have one interesting go with (which i wont name yet, we might end up getting it at a later date) that he was also interested in selling. He named his price and it was quite a bit more than I wanted to pay, when I made my offer I wasn't even in the ball park haha. ill keep everyone posted if we go back to buy, the go with was a real show stopper.

Saturday Dec.5, 2009
I went to visit my sister who is attending University about an hour or so from where I live. While there I went to check out a collection of a guy who said he had about 40 amber ones. So, I headed to his place to check them out with doubts in my mind. When I got there my suspicions were correct, all straw in colour. He had a few coloured pieces, some good stuff for a newbie, but nothing I was interested in.

On the way home I stopped in to see a guy who said he had 3 purple ones he wanted to get rid of. They ended up being CD102 bar/bar ponies in royal purple. The price was very right so I purchased them. I asked where they came from and the guy told me his uncle picked them from the top of a pole in Ontario in the 70's and had given them to him years later. I can't remember the spot in Ontario, even though he told me.

Sunday Dec.6th, 2009 - The luck reaches its peak
I had made plans earlier in the week to go check out a collection about an hour or so away from my home. The weather was pretty nasty but after talking with the guy and him telling me there were small and big purple insulators there, I had to take my chances. So I ventured out on my way, on the drive there I kept exploring the possibilities of what the "Big" purple ones were. I thought maybe a short dome 1678 or something along those lines. We dont have a big variety of "Big" purple ones here in NS so I was racking my brain trying to think what else it could be, maybe id get lucky and it would be a purple CD143 of of some sort, maybe a NE Can tall variant I thought, we had got one from that area before...HIGH HOPES i thought to myself, probably id get my hopes up and it would end up being a CD 154 Whitall Tatum.

Anyhow, I arrived at the guys house at the time we agreed one. He invited me in and told me the insulators were not there, they were at his Mother in Laws place about a 15 min drive away. He then told me that her husband had passed away and that he had been a railroad linemen for many years...Sweet I thought, those guys definitely only grabbed glass that was different, who knows what is there.

So we arrive at the lady's home, she invites me in and takes me to the kitchen. On the cupboard i see 2 amber dominion 42's, a purple BTC Montreal CD102, and some others. Then I get closer and see a nice light purple CD145 G.N.W Tel Co, I dont have one of those I think to myself, then I see a CD164 Diamond in light purple, I dont have one of those either I think. So I ask, is this all you have. She says "No", there are lots more in the basement. Her son in law takes a small basket and starts bringing them up 10 at a time.
In the first batch he brings up a couple goodies, 2 clear/sca CD 143 Standards, not in mint condition, but still great looking pieces.
The next batch comes up, lots of commons, a few 1678's in the normal colours.
The next batch a killer CD143 clear/sca CanPac in great condition, with a nice malformed dome. Not enough glass in the mold to fill it out, so a nice flat spot.
The next batch, a purple CD102 BTC Montreal, 3 or 4 CD143 NE Can RB in aqua, a CD202 in aqua No.14(unlisted embossing)

As the last batch is coming up, I am talking lots with the lady of the house, she is telling me about the railway and things her husband experienced and what not
so I wasn't paying attention to the glass in the bunch, I am already satisfied with what is there and know I am buying it. So mid sentence of our conversation I turn around and BAMMMMM there it is, a piece I have been looking for for a long time...a killer CD154 Dominion 42 in medium/dark cornflower. I was super excited and told them that I had been looking for one of these for awhile. So we continue talking and her daughter comes though and says there were 4 or so more but they were chipped up so she had kept them for herself because she figured I wouldn't want them. I think nothing of it as she said they were all aqua.

So we talk a bit more and settle on a price. I am starting to pack up the glass, when i get to talking about the railway again...very important I did this because it left just enough time for her daughter to head back downstairs and come up with the glass she figured I wouldn't of wanted...
She has the pieces in her hands and is laying them down on the counter and out comes the last piece. As soon as I see it I say "I' like to have that one", she says but its chipped, I say that is okay and that I will pay you more just to get that one. She agrees and is very happy to get some money for herself. The reason I wanted that one is because it was a CD143 NE Tall Variant in a nice royal purple, the chip consists of a very very flat small base chip.

Needless to say I was ecstatic to pick up these pieces, what a rush. The ride home was a difficult and long one, I just wanted to get home and spread the word to Dad and let him know that he was going to be getting a few more pieces for his collection and I was dying to get everything out and have a good look at it before it got dark.


This month of insulator collecting will probably never be matched by me again, it was a great experience and I am more than happy to have added some new pieces to my window. There are lots of great pieces still out there that aren't already in collections, you just gotta find'em. Retired linemen are a very very valuable source for glass and information.

Hope you all enjoyed the story and the pics...I know I enjoyed every aspect of the last month or so in this great hobby of ours.

Good luck to all and happy holidays,

Jay
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Last edited by novascotiaglass on Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Glass Junkie....I need another fix
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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby novascotiaglass » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:45 pm

more pics
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Glass Junkie....I need another fix
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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby novascotiaglass » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:47 pm

and more, pic of the cornflower doesn't do it justice. The cornflower 42's gotta be one of the prettiest insulators going.

Overall shot, middle row

ill post a few other randoms when i get a few spare minutes.
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Glass Junkie....I need another fix
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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby Lee S. » Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:49 pm

Wow, I can't believe you picked up all of those insulators in just three weeks. Congrats!
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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby 369reid » Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:13 am

I'm speechless Jay, good on you & Curtis. I have to agree the cornflower 154's are top shelf. Glad you finally got one.
Canadian Insulators Rock
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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby Alex » Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:12 pm

Thats some haul! Bought a lottery ticket yet? =-)

Alex.
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Re: Nov.14-Dec.6..A month in the life of an insulator collector

Postby Barrett » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:14 pm

Awesome haul, man! Thanks for sharing the story. I was reading every word with incredibly anticipation!
I don't think too many folks on here have had that sort of luck talking to the non-collectors! Whenever I find someone who's grandfather was a lineman for 35+ years for whatever telephone company, and "He kept all the colourful ones that he thought were pretty", I wind up sorting through a six quart basket of Dominion - 42s. I guess that's just how it goes most of the time. :roll:
That cornflower piece is killer, as are the two 126s! You seem to be one of the sole contributors of those Canadian 126s to the hobby! Keep it up, man! Hopefully there will be enough to go around some day!
All the best, and keep finding this stuff!!!
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