Absolute cut-outs were safety devices designed to allow a series street lamp to be serviced without the danger of an open circuit happening where dangerous open circuit high voltages cause by induction from primary voltage conductors might be present. These units hung suspended above pendent street lamp fixtures. When switched to the off position, the cut-out completely removes the lamp from the circuit electrically wile shorting the two incoming lines together to prevent an open circuit. These devices were popular from about 1900 into the 1920's especially with street light arc lamps which required frequent maintenance.

Pictured here is one of the first units of this type to be manufactured It was produced by the Fort Wayne Electric Company. This unit was marketed by General Electric cir. 1900-1903. There were a number of different manufacturers and designs of these mechanical switch cut outs produced in the 1900-1925 era some of which employed glass pin type insulators such as the CD 281 as part of the unit.

The absolute rarity and value of these devices is largely unknown. It is entirely possible that early collectors found and discarded some of them after removing the glass insulators. Because they did not recognize the complete unit for it's historic value they may have inadvertently discarded the rest of the unit sans glass insulators. I am always on the lookout for new versions of these devices. Next photo [id=681661109]