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CD 121
Hemingray №16
  • Early Prismatic Style
    The earliest CD 121s are embossed with Hemingray or Am.Tel.&Tel.Co. in a prismatic style embossing. Note the straight sides of the skirt, rounded wire groove lips, and sides are wider than wire groove. [080] example pictured.
  • Later Hemingray Style
    The later CD 121s embossed with Hemingray have slightly more flared skirts to them. The example pictured here also has an unusually large dome (which I like to call "Frankenstein".)
Insulator Facts

Dimensions:3 3⁄4" H × 2 1⁄2" 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.1890s–1920s
Style Identifier: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.
16
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)
Extremely Common (1/10)*
Usage: Telephone (Long Distance)
Trade Name: Long Distance
Hobby Nickname: Toll
Weight:Weight is an average only (or as specified in original catalogs.) Weight may vary substantially depending on many factors, including amount of glass poured, depth of the threads, mold variations, added hardware such as brass or lead bushings, etc.
14.0 oz.
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.
$1-500*
* Please Note: This insulator style is one of Hemingray's most common insulators. Please visit the Common Hemingrays page for more information.
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 common long distance toll style was produced by Hemingray as No.16, and was later replaced by CD 122 in the 1920s. Hemingray and Brookfield both produced this style for American Telephone and Telegraph Company as well. A generally easy well to tell if an AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. insulator was manufactured by Hemingray is the "O" in "CO" will always be uppercase.

Related Links:
Known Embossings (29)
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.
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. [095] (F-Skirt) AM TEL & TEL CO {Note no periods}
Note: This embossing was used by multiple manufacturers, not just Hemingray.
SB 2011 Photo
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. [110] (F-Skirt) AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.
Note: This embossing was used by multiple manufacturers, not just Hemingray.
SB - Photo
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. [115] (F-Skirt) AM.TEL.& TEL.CO. {Note the bar is missing in the 'A'} SB 2011 Photo
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. [120] (F-Skirt) AM.TEL.&TEL.CO. SDP - Photo
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. [125] (F-Skirt) AM.TEL.&TEL.CO. (R-Skirt) A SB - Photo
AM. TEL. & TEL. CO. [130] (F-Skirt) AM.TEL.&TEL.CO. (R-Skirt) ['AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.' blotted out]
Note: This embossing was used by multiple manufacturers, not just Hemingray.
SB - Photo
HEMINGRAY [010] (Dome) 1 (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) № 16 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [020] (Dome) 1 (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/№ 16 (R-Skirt) HEMINGRAY SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [021] (Dome) 1 (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/[Blotted out embossing] (R-Skirt) № 16 SDP - No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [025] (Dome) [Blotted out embossing] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) № 16 SDP - No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [030] (F-Skirt) HEMIGRAY {Note spelling} (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [040] (F-Skirt) HEMIGRAY {Note spelling} (R-Skirt) PATENTED/MAY 2 1893 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [050] (F-Skirt) HEMINGAY/[Blotted out embossing] {Note spelling} (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893/[Blotted out embossing] SDP - No PhotoWANTED
($150 Reward)
HEMINGRAY [060] (F-Skirt) HEMINGAY/['AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.' blotted out] {Note spelling} (R-Skirt) PATENTED/[Blotted out embossing] SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [070] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) № 16 SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [080] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SB - Photo
HEMINGRAY [090] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SDP - No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [091] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY [Vertical bar on inside of front skirt] (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SDP 2019 No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [093] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1899/[Blotted out embossing] {Note 'MAY 2 1899' date} SDP - No PhotoWANTED
($50 Reward)
HEMINGRAY [096] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 {Note 'A' in 'MAY' is missing bar} SB - Photo
HEMINGRAY [098] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 {Note 'A' in 'MAY' is missing bar} SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [100] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENTED SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [110] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENTED/MAY 2 1893 RDP - No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [120] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENTED/MAY 2 1893 SDP - No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [130] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATENTED/['AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.' blotted out] SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [140] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) PATETED/MAY 2 1893 {Note spelling} SDP - Photo
HEMINGRAY [150] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/[Blotted out embossing] (R-Skirt) PATENTED/[Blotted out embossing] SDP - No Photo-
HEMINGRAY [155] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/[Glass dot] (R-Skirt) PATENT/MAY 2 1893 SDP 2015 Photo
HEMINGRAY [160] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY/['AM.TEL.&TEL.CO.' blotted out] (R-Skirt) PATENTED SDP - 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
HEMINGRAY [023] (Dome) [#] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) № 16
Note: Changed in 2019 price guide to "[#]" instead of "[Backwards number]". Removed completely in 2023 edition (merged with [010]).
SDP 2023
Known Colors (21)
ColorThe color of the insulator.
Aqua
Aqua w/ Amber Swirls
Aqua w/ Milk Swirls
Blue
Blue Aqua
Dark Green
Emerald Green
Green
Hemingray Blue
Jade Aqua Milk
Jade Green Milk
Light Aqua
Light Blue Aqua
Light Green
Light Jade Aqua Milk
Milky Aqua
Milky Blue
Olive Amber
Olive Green
Sage Green
Yellow Green