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Collectors' PagesHi, my name is Ed Downs. I began collecting glass insulators in 1965 when I was 11 years old growing up in Denver, Colorado. My first insulator was a Dominion two piece transposition in aqua green. My best friend gave it to me when we were visiting his grandmother in Greeley, Colorado. As it turns out, his grandmother had two telephone poles cut down in size so she could use them to support her clothesline. On these telephone poles were some remaining glass insulators. I learned very quickly that the best way to get an insulator is straight off the pole. They're much fresher that way.
We all grew up walking the lines and digging around under the poles to find insulators. My friend Pat once found a Chicago Insulator stuck on the side of a wall in downtown Denver not being used. We found a lot of WFG. Co, WGM. Co and R. Good Jr's that way as well. As you can well imagine, there was a lot of very serious insulator trading going on at the time!
I am thrilled to see that the hobby is still going on strong and if anyone has a Hemingray #19 in cobalt blue, I would be interested in buying it.
Good luck to all, especially you, Andy.
Written by Ed Downs
Last updated Monday, August 26, 1996