Insulators that are Unique to The Southern United States

Compiled by Keith Roloson , February 1993 for the Dixie Jewels Insulator Club

The Glass Blocks

CD 1000 Found in a Selma, Alabama dump and unused ones found in Gallatin, TN. in a railroad station, about 1968. Terribly expensive colors. Possibly made at Novelty Works, Pittsburgh and shipped down river.

CD 1004 Two known, made circa 1847; found in Louisville, Ky.

The Eggs

CD 701.5 Found in Alabama. About 10 known.

CD 701.6 Found in Mobile Bay, Alabama; rare until large cache found in remains of a Confederate Storage Depot in Richmond, Va. in 1990. Richmond was the capitol of the Confederate States. The depot was torched by Rebels during Yankee advances in April, 1865. Many good colors including deep greens, emerald greens, cobalt. All glass eggs of these two CD-types possibly made at Richmond Glass Works; known to have made telegraph insulators of some sort.

U-970 A small, crude telegraph egg in a tannish color is known; rarely found in gray; attributed possibly to Parr's Pottery, Richmond, Va. Some were found at a Confederate encampment near Dunfries, Va. Many also came out of the Richmond Depot digs.

The Slashtops

CD 788 glass: ambers, greens, bluish aqua (last color new per David McGee); 3-part mold, found only in Alabama in 1959 by Dr. Phillips and sons.

U-988 porcelain: white glaze, 2-part mold, found in GA., Nov. 1975; (red clay stains evident in specimens found, from laying in soil). Also part of the Mobile Bay discovery, 1959, by Dr. Phillips and sons. Possibly made by a pottery plant in Kaolin, SC (per American Ceramic Society historical notes)

The Teapots

CD 790 the large teapot; found in Georgia, Florida, and same area of Alabama as the CD 788 Slashtop.

CD 791 the 'baby' teapot; known, rare, found in ?? ;one known in dark root beer amber as of May 1993, in collection at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Also known in dark green.

U-990 the porcelain large teapot, found in ?? ;tannish in color with mottled blue/gray specks. More also came out of the famous Richmond Confederate Supply Depot dig.

U-991 (?) porcelain baby teapot, found in ??

References:

Crown Jewels Topical Index, 1986
Crown Jewels Aug. 1972, pg. ?? (CD 1000)
Crown Jewels Feb. 1976, pg. 36 (U-988)
Crown Jewels Apr. 1976, pg. 19 (U-990)
Crown Jewels Feb. 1980, pg. 13-27 (U-970, CD 701.6 and all 'egg' CDs)
Crown Jewels May 1988, pg. 4-11; (CD 1000) and details many towns the telegraph lines passed through!
Klingensmith Catalog, Summer 1988, pg. 1-5 (CD 1000), pg. 6-8 (CD 788, CD 790, CD 701.6, U-988)
Klingensmith Catalog, March 1992, Volume 1, pg. 6-7 (CD 701.6, U-990) pg. 14 (CD 1000, CD 1004)
Klingensmith Catalog, March 1992, Volume 2, pg. 84 (CD 701.5)
McDougald's Insulators: A History and Guide to North American Glass Pintype Insulators, Volume 1 (Glass Houses and other sections)
McGee, David; student/curator catalogueing insulators donated to the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa (reference CD 788, CD 791)

Return to the Research Articles page

If you have questions or comments, please use this Feedback Form.

Last updated Sunday, August 27, 1995