by Rick Soller  

            There are a number of reasons why early books in the hobby make great reading.  They contain mysteries, forgotten finds, prices to drool over, and information to laugh at.   Since most collectors don't have these books in their library, let me share some of my favorites.

            Close attention to detail often uncovers other interesting but forgotten finds.  The picture below looks like a Thomas multipart until you study the dimensions.  That's when you realize that this must be an error or a salesman's sample.  Since I have this piece in my collection, I know it is the latter but didn't pay close attention to this detail in the book until after I acquired the piece.  Perhaps if I would have noticed these dimensions sooner, I could have been on the lookout for this piece and maybe picked it up for the bargain price of $3-5.

            I'm sure collectors who bought these early books were mystified by other pictures too.  Below are four drawings of the CD 196.  The first is from 800 Insulators, the second from Marcy's The Antique Insulator Finder's Collector's Price Guide (1969), the third from Ed Lane's Insulators that are Worth Collecting (1968), and the last from the McDougald's price guide (1999).  It makes you wonder if they were looking at the same insulator.

                Current day collectors would probably be stunned by the prices.  Marcy  lists green E.C.& M.'s at $15 while Lane lists aqua ones in the $5-10 range.  800 Insulators, listed green Mickey Mouse CD 257s for 50 cents to a dollar. On the other hand, a chocolate porcelain Findlay 182 was listed as rare by Lane, an aqua California CD 102 was priced at $25-30 by 800 Insulators, and the Maydwell #20 CD 164 in milk glass was listed at $25 by Marcy.

            Of course some information is incorrect, and the "experts" are still trying to correct it in the minds of many non-collectors and new collectors.  For example, Lane writes about getting offers of $35 for red insulators while the book 800 Insulators describes what seem to be San Francisco wood insulators as being made of White Oak and White Cedar.

                The hobby has come a long way since the late 1960's.  Thanks to all those who donated material to the archives so that we could see just how far we've come.  Most recently, Jimmy Burns' donation of Ed Lane's publication provided the inspiration for this report.