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Central Pacific Railroad Telegraph Insulator and Telegrams CA - c1867 - 2012aug - "Railroadiana"

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:250.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 700.00 USD
Central Pacific Railroad Telegraph Insulator and Telegrams CA - c1867 - 2012aug -  Railroadiana
Invoicing and lot pick up will NOT be available at the live auction.
Telegraph insulators have existed for longer than most people realize, with some of the earliest dating to the late 18th century. By 1860, insulators were comprised of glass, which was later replaced by porcelain. The rounded top of this cast iron insulator was designed to lock into the underside of the crossbar atop the telegraph pole. The glass insulator inside the cast iron shell insulates the casing from the double hook that protrudes below to hold the telegraph wire [Ref: cprr.org]. The flat top of the cast iron shell, 6” long by 2” wide, is embossed “Brooks/ Patent/ CPRR/ Aug 6 1867”. This insulator was manufactured for the Central Pacific Railroad. Insulators of this type, and in such wonderful condition, are very scare and highly collectible. This lot also includes six 4" x 2.5" telegraph cards with typed or handwritten messages from the late 1880s and 1940-1950 period. - Jacobitz Collection -59883