4/29/19 Report - Incidental Sight Finds: Insulators. $30 Billion Dollar Treasure Story. Cookout Huge Success.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Blue Hemingray 19 Insulator.

I recently added a couple finds to my insulator collection.  One is a green Hemingray - No 9. (below), and the other is the blue No. 19 Hemingray shown above.

The green one  is in very nice condition. Otherwise it is nothing very special.

When I first saw it I thought it was broken because just a small piece of it was sticking out of the sand.  I almost didn't take the time to dig it up, but was glad I did.

It was just walking along and area where I've been many times before and wasn't really expecting much of anything because of the accumulating sand.  It was certainly not the place to expect coins.

Hemmingray No. 9 Insulator.

The blue insulator is the better one.  I don't know how much it is worth, but I saw the following ad.

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HEMINGRAY

[070] (F-Skirt) HEMINGRAY (R-Skirt) No 19 SDP

Cobalt Blue . . . . . . . . . . . $350-400

The least expensive Cobalt Blue insulator you can find! Be careful not to confuse this color with the very common Hemingray Blue.

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I don't know if it is worth that much, but it is my first blue insultor, so I'm happy to add it to my collection.  Now I have to learn if it is cobalt blue or just blue.

I always like sight finds, even if they are not metal.  I like a variety of types of treasure - not just metallic.  Keep your eyes open whether you are metal detecting or not.

I also learned that there are fake insulators.  They make copies of virtually anything that might have some value.

http://www.hemingray.info/database/index.php

I'm amazed by the different ways that insulators are altered and faked.  They are altered and faked just like coins.

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Here is the beginning of big treasure story written by Thomas Whittle for Freedom Magazine, June 1986.  The title is The Mystery of the $30 Billion Treasure.

Here is the beginning.

You are about to read a story that strains the imagination. It is about the disappearance of a fortune of up to $30 billion in gold bullion. When it was first presented as a “tip” to a Freedom Magazine reporter in El Paso, Texas, in 1981, it was discounted as beyond belief. However, when dozens of unrelated, independent sources began to corroborate the story, it could no longer be disregarded, no matter how bizarre. The following story, constructed from personal interviews, documents and confidential reports, is the result of a five-year investigation...

In one of the most closely guarded crimes of recent history, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tons of gold bullion were secretly and illegally removed from caverns on White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the beneficiaries allegedly including former President Lyndon Johnson and individuals connected with the U.S. Army, the Central Intelligence Agency and organized crime.

The caverns are located in and around Victorio Peak, in a remote, rugged section of south-central New Mexico... 

And here is the link for the rest of the article.

https://www.freedommag.org/english/vol18I10/ 

Thanks to DJ for that link.

Good reading.

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I received the following review of the annual Treasure Hunter's Cookout.

Treasure Guide,

Hello Friends!

What a wonderful time at the 11th annual Treasure Hunters Pic Nic, I had the pleasure to visit with some really interesting folks and seriously sincere Hunters whom some I knew, and others who I had the pleasure meeting.

For the short time I was there, I reflected on my time in Base Camp in Afghanistan during Operations with all the men whom appeared to look like us during during Operation Enduring Freedom, as we deployed to that area of the world.

One senior officer was reported saying he looked at us as "Pirates of the Caribbean" all of us,, not just one particular unit...

"I mean that with respect, to all who attended this gala."

Terry Shannon and friends, Capt. Fizzmer,  Taff Fisher, 1715 Captains, The Masters from NC, Capt. White, Capt Dominic to name a few...

If I missed anyone else it's was because it was so hard to meet every one involved, and the hero of the deep who made this possible.

Food was great and hospitality was what I expected from the "Breathen of the Coast" in a sincere manner.

I also what to mention all these men and women were exceptionally nice to my young son, who they paid attention to while I was talking to the folks there.

I look forward to seeing many of them again soon, and wish all of those passionate treasure Hunters the best of Fortune Safety and Joy these coming seasons.

Thank you from one Veteran to Another.

Respectively,Pirate Booty... 
 Chris N.  

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Thanks for the report on the huge success of the cookout.

If you missed it this year, you won't want to miss it next year.

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I just got an email from Bill P. suggesting XRF analysis to determine the content of the white melted pieces.  I talked about XRF analysis not too long ago, but didn't think of it in this context.

I think that should do it, if you want to take some samples to a pawn shop or where ever they might do an analysis for you.

Thanks Bill!

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Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/18/19 Report - Information on Glass Insulator Finds. Increased Surf Coming This Week.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Mystery Insulator Marked With Only Five :Pointed Star.

While I had some insulators out, I decided to take photos.  The group I showed yesterday included a Hemingray no. 14, no. 19, and no. 42, two similar small green Brookfield insulators, a clear Armstrong's insulator, a Whitehall Tatum no. 1, and a Pyrex LJ, along with the above green insulator that is only marked with a five-pointed star.

If anyone can provide additional information on the star insulator shown above, please let me know.

Here are some of the others.

Two similar Brookfield insulators.

The Brookfield insulators have some nice big bubbles in the glass.

Here is the history of the Brookfield Glass Company as presented in Wikipedia.

Brookfield Glass Company began in 1864 as Bushwick Glass Works, a bottle manufacturing company. Its founder was James Madison Brookfield. ^[2] In 1864, Martin Kalbfleisch the owner of Bushwick Chemical Works, built the factory to produce demijohns used for storing acid produced at his factory. Brookfield was appointed the owner. In 1869, Brookfield purchased the glassworks from Kalbfleisch and food storage jars were the primary item produced, specifically pickle and relish jars.^[1]

Insulators[edit]

In the 1870s and 1880s, the need for insulators increased as more telegraph lines were put into use. During the 1870s, Brookfield began producing large amounts of insulators at their Brooklyn plant,^[2] and the quantity of insulators produced was second only to the Hemingray Glass Company.  It is estimated that over 100 types of insulators were produced by Brookfield. In 1902, a second plant was opened in Old Bridge County.  The Brooklyn plant was closed shortly after, in 1912. In 1921, production had stopped at the Old Bridge plant and the company dissolved.^[1]

That seems to place the these insulators between 1912 and 1921, yet they were found as unbroken surface finds.  They are both in very nice condition.

One of the Hemingray Insulators.

I found a very good web site on Hemingray Insulators.  The site tells how to identify styles and dates.

http://www.hemingray.info/

The same site also gives cleaning instructions for insulators, which I would think would also work for bottles.  Here it is.

I clean my dirty insulators in a 5 gallon plastic bucket of water with oxalic acid (wood bleach crystals) mixed in. A good ratio is about 1 pound of oxalic acid for every 2.5 gallons of water. This mixture lasts for many years (my bucket has been used for 7 years and has cleaned dozens of insulators with no problem). Using rubber gloves, place your dirty insulators carefully into the bucket and let them sit for several days (or weeks if you're not in a hurry). Once they're ready, remove the insulators, rinse them off under cool water, and use 00 or 000 steel wool to get off any remaining soot. Especially stubborn insulators can go back into the bath for another round.

There are many important notes to observe before working with oxalic acid!
• Add the oxalic acid crystals to the water (not vice versa).
• Use a plastic bucket (not metal). Oxalic acid is corrosive and will eat away at metal.
• Always wear eye, face, and hand protection. Even though it's a mild mixture, be safe.
• Keep the bucket out of reach of children and pets. Always keep a lid on it when not in use, and label the bucket.
• Never use oxalic acid to clean carnival glass, flashed amber, opalescent glass, or insulators with metal pieces attached.

Pyrex LJ Insulator

Insulators marked "Pyrex" were made by the Corning Glass Company. Corning Glass Company/Corning Glass Works, Corning, New York (1875-to date). (Now known as Corning Incorporated). The trademark “Pyrex” was first used c. 1915 for Corning’s borosilicate heat-resistant glassware formula. VERY large quantities of kitchenware, serving bowls, ovenware, measuring pitchers, etc, as well as  glass electrical insulators for telephone and power lines were made.

Whithall Tatum Insulator With Mounting Bolt Still in Place.

Whitall Tatum entered the insulator manufacturing market in 1922, mass-producing them for use on power and communications lines across the country. Armstrong Cork Corporation purchased Whitall-Tatum in 1938, continuing insulator production under the Armstrong trademark.

So it looks like the Whitall Tatum marked insulators were made before 1938.  I also have one marked Armstrong, so I guess it is of a later date.

Whitall Tatum No. 1 Insulator.

Hemingray Insulator with Wire Attached.

Looking at the eBay listings, most sell for only a few dollars, however a cobalt blue Hemingray had a bid of $125.00.  I have one nice cobalt blue insulator.

Again, maybe someone can help me identify the unidentified insulator bearing a five pointed star and shown at the top of the post.

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It looks like we'll be getting an increased surf Tuesday or Wednesday.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

Doesn't look like the wind will be favorable though.

Happy hunting,

TreasureGuide@comcast.net