1. How much is my Hemingray insulator worth?
2. Which Hemingray insulator do I have?
3. Are you interested in buying my Hemingray insulators?
4. Where can I sell my Hemingray insulator?
5. Are your Hemingray insulators for sale?
6. What do the numbers on my Hemingray mean?
7. What are those little "bumps" around the bottom of my insulator?
8. Does the "May 2, 1893" date mean my insulator was made in 1893?
Q: How much is my Hemingray insulator worth?
A: Please see the Hemingray Insulator Value page.
Q: Which Hemingray insulator do I have?
A: If your Hemingray insulator has a style number (like "HEMINGRAY-42" or "No.16"), you can easily look up your insulator by style number. If your Hemingray insulator does not have a style number, or you're not sure, try the Identify Your Insulator page. Or, you can browse the Hemingray Database in order of CD Number.
Q: Are you interested in buying my Hemingray insulators?
A: My collection is highly specialized. Currently, I am ONLY interested in purchasing insulators that are on my Wanted List. Most of the insulators that are on my wanted list are very uncommon, so unless you are a fairly serious insulator collector, you will most likely not have what I'm looking for. Sorry!
Q: Where can I sell my Hemingray insulator?
A: If your Hemingray insulator is worth $5 or more, eBay might be a good place to start. On the other hand, if you're looking to sell a barrel full of very common $1 insulators, you're better off just donating them to a local antique/junk/thrift shop, giving them away to kids, or using them as indoor/outdoor decorations. Do a search on eBay and see how many other people out there have the same insulator you do and how much they're selling for (and, more importantly, if there are any bids!)
Q: Are your Hemingray insulators for sale?
A: Sorry, the insulators pictured on my web site are for display/reference only and are not for sale. If you are looking to start collecting Hemingray insulators, visit Insulators.info to find an insulator show in your area, or search for Hemingray insulators on eBay.
Q: What do the numbers on my Hemingray mean?
A: If the number is directly after "Hemingray" (such as "Hemingray-42"), or "Nº16", that is the style number of the insulator. Some Hemingray styles are comprised of letters, words, or a combination, such as: "T.S.", "E2", "Nº1 Provo Type", "Muncie Type", etc.
The other numbers (usually only seen on Hemingray insulators produced after the 1930's) such as "6-46::" is believed to be the mold number and date, respectively. See this section for exhaustive information on how to decypher a Hemingray's mold and date codes.
Q: What are those little "bumps" around the bottom of my insulator?
A: Those little bumps are actually called drip points. They were patented by Hemingray on May 2, 1893 as a device for drawing moisture off of the insulator to prevent it from creeping up inside and making contact with the wooden pin. (View Patent: Picture / Text) Hemingray produced two styles of drip points: sharp drip points (abbreviated "SDP") and, later, round drip points (abbreviated "RDP"). Some later Hemingray insulators were also produced with a corrugated base (abbreviated "CB")—a rough, cross-hatch style base which is not considered a form of drip point, but essentially served the same purpose. Hemingrays were also commonly manufactured with smooth bases. Click here to see an illustration of the different types of Hemingray bases.
Q: Does the "May 2, 1893" date mean my insulator was made in 1893?
A: Not necessarily. The May 2, 1893 date is the patent date granted to Hemingray for drip points (see above question). It does not necessarily mean the insulator was made in 1893. It is believed Hemingray insulators were produced with this embossing possibly as late as the 1920's.
According to an Electric Appliance Co. catalog from 1909-1910, "Where several lines of different companies are on the same cross arm the lineman can distinguish his line by the color of the insulator. Different currents can also be designated by different colored insulators."
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