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CD 125
Hemingray - 15 / W.U.№5
  • December Patent Variant
    The earliest mold style is the December Patent style, shown here, with a regular dome and a straighter skirt.
  • Wide Dome Variant
    This is the wide dome version with fatter wire groove lips. These are both found on some Dec. Pat. styles as well as early Hemingray embossed W.U. Nº 5 versions.
Insulator Facts

Dimensions:4 1⁄4" H × 2 3⁄4" W
Primary Embossings:The Primary Embossing is typically found on the front of the insulator and usually identifies either the manufacturer (such as "Hemingray") or the company that the insulator was made for (such as "AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.")

Insulators with No Name or No Embossing are denoted as such.
Years Produced: c.1870s-c.1933
Style Identifiers:Hemingray often used style numbers, letters, words, or a combination to differentiate their insulator styles (such as: T.S., E2, № 1 Provo Type, Muncie Type, etc.) These are often, but not always, embossed on the insulator.
W.U. 5, 15
Rarity Scale 0. No specimens known
1. Extremely Common (millions known)
2. Very Common
3. Common
4. Fairly Common
5. Uncommon
6. Very Uncommon
7. Rare (dozens known)
8. Very Rare (less than a dozen known)
9. Extremely Rare (2 or 3 known)
10. Unique (only one known)
Fairly Common (4/10)
Usage: Telegraph
Trade Name: Western Union
Value Range: This is an estimated value range only, based on historical hobby collecting data. Insulator values vary widely depending on many factors, including embossing, color, condition, mold variations, manufacturing anomalies, and other attributes. Please visit the Hemingray Values page for more information.
$5-1500
Please Note: This insulator style was also made by other manufacturers, not just Hemingray. This page will only detail the specific variant(s) manufactured, or suspected to be manufactured, by Hemingray.
Insulator Overview

This style is most commonly known as the Western Union No.5. Hemingray first manufactured these embossed only with the Dec. 19, 1871 patent date. Later, c.1919, Hemingray renumbered this style to No.15 and continued producing them until c.1933.
Known Embossings (15)
Primary EmbossingThe Primary Embossing is typically found on the front of the insulator and usually identifies either the manufacturer (such as "Hemingray") or the company that the insulator was made for (such as "AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.")

Insulators with No Name or No Embossing are denoted as such.
EINThe Embossing Index Number (EIN) is a unique number assigned by the collecting hobby to each distinct embossing for an insulator design. It is normally shown in brackets, e.g. [050].
EmbossingMost common terms:
(F-Skirt): Front Skirt
(R-Skirt): Rear Skirt
/: New line of embossing
{}: Special note (not embossed on the insulator)
[#]: Represents a number

Other terms:
{MLOB}: Mold Line Over Base
(F-Crown): Front Crown
(R-Crown): Rear Crown
(F-Umbrella): Front Umbrella
(R-Umbrella): Rear Umbrella
BaseThe base is the bottom of the insulator. Hemingray made 4 different types of bases:

1. SDP: Sharp Drip Points
2. RDP: Round Drip Points
3. CB: Corrugated Base
4. SB: Smooth Base
Year AddedThis is the year that this embossing was officially recognized and added to the McDougald (1991-2008) or Briel (2011-2023) insulator price guides. It is not necessarily the year this embossing was discovered.
Photo
Status = In my collection

If the value in this column says WANTED, then that specific insulator is on my wanted list! If you have that insulator and would like to sell it, click on the WANTED link to submit photos and contact me.
HEMINGRAY [010] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) № 15 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [020] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY-15 (R-Skirt) MADE IN U.S.A. RDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [030] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY-15 (R-Skirt) MADE IN U.S.A. SDP - No PhotoWANTED
($50 Reward)
HEMINGRAY [040] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/MADE IN U.S.A. (R-Skirt) № 15 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [055] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/W U № 5 {Note no periods} (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [057] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/W.U. № 5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 RDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [060] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/W.U. № 5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SDP - Photo
W.U. [020] (F-Skirt) W.U./5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC.19.1871 SB - Photo
W.U. [025] (F-Skirt) W.U./5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC. 19. 1871 {'DEC'/'PAT'} SB 2019 No Photo
W.U. [030] (F-Skirt) W.U./5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC.19.1871/['B' or 'D'] SB - Photo
W.U. [040] (F-Skirt) W.U./5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC.19.1871/['B' or 'D'] {Wide dome} SB - Photo
W.U. [050] (F-Skirt) W.U./5 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC.19.1871/B {Wide dome} SDP - No PhotoWANTED
($250 Reward)
W.U. [055] (F-Skirt) W.U./5/PATENT/MAY 2 1893 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC. 19. 1871 {Wide dome} SDP 2019 No PhotoWANTED
($250 Reward)
W.U. [060] (F-Skirt) W.U./5/PATENT/MAY 2 1893 (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC.19.1871/['B' or 'D'] {Wide dome} SDP - Photo
W.U. [070] (F-Skirt) W.U./5/A (R-Skirt) PATENT/DEC.19.1871 SB - Photo
Removed Embossing

The following embossing(s) were removed from the price guide because they could not be verified to exist, were consolidated with other embossings, or were otherwise ambiguous/inaccurate. They are preserved here for historical purposes.

Primary EmbossingThe Primary Embossing is typically found on the front of the insulator and usually identifies either the manufacturer (such as "Hemingray") or the company that the insulator was made for (such as "AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.")

Insulators with No Name or No Embossing are denoted as such.
EINThe Embossing Index Number (EIN) is a unique number assigned by the collecting hobby to each distinct embossing for an insulator design. It is normally shown in brackets, e.g. [050].
EmbossingMost common terms:
(F-Skirt): Front Skirt
(R-Skirt): Rear Skirt
/: New line of embossing
{}: Special note (not embossed on the insulator)
[#]: Represents a number

Other terms:
{MLOB}: Mold Line Over Base
(F-Crown): Front Crown
(R-Crown): Rear Crown
(F-Umbrella): Front Umbrella
(R-Umbrella): Rear Umbrella
BaseThe base is the bottom of the insulator. Hemingray made 4 different types of bases:

1. SDP: Sharp Drip Points
2. RDP: Round Drip Points
3. CB: Corrugated Base
4. SB: Smooth Base
Year Removed
W.U. [080] (F-Skirt) W.U. / PATENT / MAY 2 1893 (R-Skirt) PATENT / DEC. 19. 1871 / [Letter] SDP 2003
Known Colors (39)
ColorThe color of the insulator.
Apple Green
Aqua
Aqua Tint
Aqua w/ Milk Swirls
Blue
Blue Aqua
Brooke's Blue
Celery Green
Christmas Tree Green
Clear
Dark Aqua
Dark Purple
Gray Tint
Green
Green Aqua
Hemingray Blue
Ice Aqua
Ice Blue
Ice Green
Lemon
Light Apple Green
Light Aqua
Light Blue Aqua
Light Green
Light Green Aqua
Light Purple
Lime Green
Mustard Yellow
Off Clear
Purple
Purple/Gray Two Tone
Purple/Sage Green Two Tone
Sage Gray
Sage Green
Smoky Purple
Teal Blue
Teal Green
Yellow Green
Yellow Olive Green