GLASS FACTORIES THAT
MANUFACTURED INSULATORS

GLASS FACTORIES THAT MANUFACTURED INSULATORS

American Insulator Company
Boston area, MA (c.1883-1886?)
Although insulators made by (or for) this company are embossed "AM.INSULATOR CO. N.Y." (on the base), business offices were located in both New York and Boston according to directory listings. Possibly the actual manufacturing facility was located in the Boston area, and may have been the American Iron Glass Pipe & Plate Company (Iron Glass Works) factory at Haverhill, Massachusetts. In addition, recent evidence has surfaced which indicates the Lyndeborough Glass Company, South Lyndeborough, New Hampshire (1866-1888), produced some of the American Insulator Company insulators.
[McDougald-1990: Joe Maurath, Jr., Bob Fuqua]


American Iron Glass Pipe & Plate Company (aka Iron Glass Works)
Haverhill, MA (1884-1885?)
There is a possibility this was the actual factory location where many of the American Insulator Company insulators were produced. At least some of the "National Insulator Co" embossed insulators were almost certainly made here.
[McDougald-1990: Joe Maurath, Jr., Bob Fuqua]


Armstrong Cork Corporation
(See Whitall Tatum Company)


Baltimore Glass Manufacturing Company
Baltimore, MD (1895-1897)
Insulators embossed "B.G.M.CO." were produced by this company.


Bay State Glass Works
East Cambridge, MA (1878-1879)
Samuel Oakman is listed as agent. [McDougald-1990]


Beaver Falls Glass Company
Beaver Falls, PA (1869-1879)
Insulators marked "B.F.G.Co." were made by this firm, and several other unattributed styles are believed to have been made here as well.
[McDougald-1990: Ora Beary]


Boston & Sandwich Glass Company
Sandwich, MA (1825-1888)
Considered by some glass collectors as the premier glass company of the entire 19th century in America, this factory made some of the finest glassware, both handblown and pressed, ever produced in the United States. They are believed to have manufactured some insulators in the 1850s-1860s period, including CD 701.1 threadless types.
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith]


Boston Bottle Works
Boston, MA (c.1872-1877)


Brookfield Glass Company (aka Bushwick Glass Works)
Brooklyn, NY (c.1864-c.1906)
Old Bridge, NJ (c.1906-1921)
For more information on this company, please click here .




California Glass Insulator Company/California Glass Works
Long Beach, CA (1912-1916)
Considering that this factory only operated for about 4 years, they nevertheless produced a fairly large amount of insulators. Most of them were used in the western area of the United States, and are embossed "CALIFORNIA". One type (the CD 102 pony) is marked "C.G.I.CO." Most commonly seen colors are sage green shades and a medium purple color with a slight brownish tint, but many other shades of color are known.


Canada Glass Company
Hudson, Quebec (1864-1877)
[McDougald-1990: Morgan Davis]


Canada Glass Works (aka Foster Brothers)
St. Johns, Canada East (Quebec) (1854-1860)


Cohansey Glass Manufacturing Company
Bridgeton, NJ (1870-1900)
"Electrical insulators" were displayed at the Franklin Institute 1874 Awards. Type(s) are unknown.[Adeline Pepper-Glass Gaffers of New Jersey(1971), pg. 215; Alice Creswick-The Fruit Jar Works]


Colorado Glass Works
(See Valverde Glass Works)


Corning Glass Works
Corning, NY (1875-to date)
Maker of the "Pyrex" insulators. The great majority of Pyrex insulators for the U.S. market were made between about 1922 and 1951. A huge variety of industrial glass as well as glassware for home use has been produced by this company for well over a century.
[McDougald-1990: Jeff McCurty]


Crystallite Products Corporation
Glendale, CA (1935-1940)
Manufacturer of the units embossed "Maydwell" which were made for Maydwell & Hartzell, a distributor of products for electrical utility companies.


Denver Flint Glass Company
(See Valverde Glass Works)


Diamond Glass Company/Diamond Flint Glass Company
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (1891-1913)
Starting as Foster Brothers Glass Co. (c.1857-1878), then known as Excelsior Glass Company (1878-1883), later as North American Glass Company (1883-1891), the Diamond Glass Company was formed in 1891. In 1902 the name was changed to Diamond Flint Glass Co. and (by this time a conglomerate of several glass plants) it then merged into the Dominion Glass Company in 1913.
[Steve Goodell]


Dominion Glass Company
Montreal, Quebec; Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada (1913-1967?)
Dominion was a re-organization of the Diamond Flint Glass Company, a large conglomerate with factories at several locations in Canada. Other glass plant locations included Toronto, Ontario; Hamilton, Ontario; and Redcliff, Alberta. Most insulators made by Dominion were produced at the Wallaceburg site. Insulators were also made for short periods of time at Redcliff, Alberta (1942) and at Point St. Charles, Quebec (1943). Last insulators made by Dominion are reported to have been produced in 1967, although production of other glass items (bottles, lamp chimneys, etc) continued afterward. (Pictured: Dominion-42 in orange-amber).
[McDougald-1990: Morgan Davis, Eric Halpin; Steve Goodell]


Duquesne Glass Works
Belle Vernon, PA (1834-1886+)
The factory known as the Duquesne Glass Works operated under several different company/firm names during it's existence. Beginning with George Kendall and Thomas Patten c.1834, the property soon changed hands and was taken over by William Eberhart, Sr. (c.1836-c.1855). About 1855 George A. Berry & Company took over the factory. In approximately 1865, R. C. Schmertz acquired ownership of the property and around this time it became known as the Duquesne Glass Works. It is possible that the insulators embossed "DUQUESNE GLASS CO." were made there, but to my knowledge there is no solid proof that this is true. I don't know what year this factory closed, but the style of the DUQUESNE insulators (all small telephone styles) suggests they were made sometime in the 1890-1910 period. NOTE: Recent evidence uncovered by historian/collector Bob Stahr indicates these insulators were made by a later, unrelated glass factory. More info eventually forthcoming!
[McKearin & McKearin-American Glass(1941); Joe Maurath, Jr.]


Ellenville Glass Works
Ellenville, NY (1837-1896)
[Insulators reportedly made in 1886-info from a Web article]


H. C. Fry Glass Company
Rochester, PA (1901-1933)
Fry Glass made (at least) 5 different types of glass insulators that are known so far (4 pintypes) and all are unique styles and very rare. Most known examples were recovered from the factory dumpsite. Colors included opaque cobalt, milky opalescent, dark purple blackglass, etc. The actual manufacture of these insulators occurred in the 1920s.
[McDougald-1990: Ray Lanpher]


Gayner Glass Company
Salem, NJ (1898-1957)
Although glassman John Gayner was involved in several ventures in the glass manufacturing field in Salem as far back as 1879, the official incorporation of the "Gayner Glass Works", as such, did not occur until 1898. Insulators were evidently only produced during the period of 1920 to 1923. Most of the insulators they made are embossed "GAYNER" on the skirt area. Their main line of glass products consisted of various kinds of bottles and fruit jars.


R.Good Jr./Robert Good Jr.
(See Valverde Glass Works)

Hamilton Glass Company
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (c.1864-1898)
[McDougald-1990: Eric Halpin, Morgan Davis] [Colin MacIntosh (Canadian Insulators) states
dates as 1864-1895 with a note that Diamond Glass Company absorbed
Hamilton Glass in 1894].


Harloe Insulator Company
Hawley, PA (c.1902-1906?)
Elmer, NJ (Mar 1903-Oct 1903)

This company made two unusual "no-tie" style insulators--- the CD 109.5 and CD 206.5 styles. Harloe's embossed marking is a logo consisting of the letters "H I Co" intertwined, above the words "Hawley, PA. U.S.A.". Ending date of insulator production at Harloe is uncertain but evidently in the 1905-1906 period. Harloe operated the Elmer, NJ "lower works" for a short while after the Sterling Glass Company ended it's operation there. (Note: This company should not be confused with an earlier glass company called the "Hawley Glass Company" which was located in Hawley, PA and in operation c.1872-1885, which produced fruit jars and bottles).
[McDougald-1990: Bob Harding; Ray Klingensmith]


Hemingray Glass Company
Cincinnati, OH (1848-1852)
Covington, KY (1852-c.1890?)
Muncie, IN (1888-1933)
Muncie, IN (1933-1967) [Owens Illinois Glass Co.]
Hemingray is the best known and was the most prolific glass insulator manufacturer in the world... more


Indiana Glass Company
Dunkirk, IN (1907-2002) & Sapulpa, OK (19??-to date)
Indiana Glass Company (subsidiary of Lancaster Glass Corporation) has produced a tremendous variety of glassware throughout it's long history. In 1967, the very last insulators carrying the Hemingray name were produced at the Indiana Glass Co. glass plant in Dunkirk, using molds and machinery shipped over from Muncie. For a site with more information on Indiana Glass, click here
[Bob Stahr]


Kearns & Company (G. W. Kearns; Kearns, Herdman & Gorsuch)
Zanesville, Ohio (1864-1886)
A check exists circa 1870 that indicates telegraph insulators were then being produced. Nothing is known about what type(s) these might have been.
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith, Bob Henrickson; Alice Creswick-The Fruit Jar Works]


Kerr Glass Manufacturing Co.
(See Whitall Tatum Company)


King City Glass Works
Fairmount, IN (1890-1897)
Insulators marked "K.C.G.W." were manufactured at this factory. The plant was bought by Marion Fruit Jar & Bottle Company in 1897.
There is a possibility that some insulators were produced
by the M F J & B Co., re-using old molds from the King City operation.


Lancaster Glass Works
Lancaster, NY (1849-1908?)
Year this operation closed is uncertain. McKearin quotes two sources, stating it could be either 1890 OR 1908. Some of the firm names used include Reed, Shim & Co.; James & Gatchell; James Glass Works; and the Lancaster Cooperative Glass Works.
[McKearin & McKearin-American Glass(1941)]


Louisville Glass Works
Louisville, KY (1855-1873)
John Stanger along with several other glassmen started this factory in 1850 at the SE corner of Clay and Franklin Streets in Louisville. First known as the Kentucky Glass Works, it was being referred to as the Louisville Glass Works by 1855. Primarily, their products consisted of bottles, flasks, fruit jars, lamp chimneys and similar items, but personal research in period newspapers confirms that telegraph insulators were being produced at this factory in early 1866. Type(s) manufactured there are not known at this time.


Lynchburg Glass Corporation
Lynchburg, VA (1923-1925)
Insulators embossed "LYNCHBURG" were made here. Although, according to production records, over 4 million insulators were made within less than 2 years' time, as a result of various operational problems this factory ceased glass production in early 1925. (Pictured: Lynchburg No.44 (CD 154) in one of the green shades found in this CD).


Lyndeborough Glass Company
South Lyndeborough, New Hampshire (1866-1888)
It's official! The celebrated Lyndeboro' factory, long known by Northeast region bottle collectors as a maker of many beautiful bottles and whimseys, has been found to be the source for many (if not all) of the base-embossed American Insulator Company electrical insulators. For more information, check out this site: Lyndeborough Glass blog


Marion Fruit Jar & Bottle Company
Fairmount, Indiana (1897-1904)
A possible producer of insulators. (See King City Glass Works). The MFJ&BCo was bought by Ball Bros. Glass Co. in 1904 and the plant was closed in 1910. [Alice Creswick-The Fruit Jar Works]


Massachusetts Glass Company
Somerville, MA (c.1867-1871)
[Predecessor of Boston Bottle Works]


McKee and Company
Pittsburgh,PA; Jeannette, PA (1834-1951)
This company went through a series of name and ownership changes... more


McLaughlin Glass Company
Vernon, CA (1920-1935)
William McLaughlin worked at Robert Good, Jr.'s glass factory at Valverde...more


Mt. Pleasant Glass Works
Mt. Pleasant, NY (1844-1870?)
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith]


National Insulator Company
(See American Iron Glass Pipe & Plate Company)


New England Glass Company
Cambridge, MA (1818-1888)
This factory was principally a producer of fine tableware and upscale glass items. Evidence strongly suggests that threadless insulators were made in the c.1846-1850 period for Ezra Cornell, who was involved in the construction of early telegraph lines in New York and other areas in New England.
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith]


New England Glass Manufacturing Company
Boston, MA (1898-1900)
Insulators marked "N.E.G.M.CO." were made by this glass company. Although reportedly listed only in the 1899 Boston directory, it is believed that actual glass production started in 1898, and might have lasted into early 1900 before the new directory was printed. Shown: CD 162 in aqua.


New Granite Glass Works
Stoddard, NH (1861-1871)
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith, quoting Ken Wilson]


Novelty Glass Company
Elmer, NJ (1901-1903)
Maker of many, if not most, of the "KNOWLES" embossed insulators. Many of the insulators that were made by Novelty are seen in shades of medium & darker greens. A number of the "STAR" embossed insulators were produced at this factory. Although Novelty Glass was dissolved in 1903, the factory itself may have produced insulators as late as 1907 under a succeeding firm's ownership.


Oakman Manufacturing Company
Mercer Street, Boston, MA (1890-1897)
[McDougald-1990: Joe Maurath,Jr.]


Ohio Valley Glass Company
Pleasant City, OH (1903-1905)
This factory operated for a rather short period of time, but nevertheless produced a fairly large number of insulators that are found frequently throughout much of the U.S. Most commonly found types are CDs 106, 112 and 145. The embossing consists of the initials "O.V.G.CO." (Note: Another company with the same name operated in Bridgeton, Ohio circa 1881-1888. That company produced fruit jars with an OVGCO monogram, and evidently had no connection with the later one in Pleasant City which produced insulators.) Shown is a CD 121 in blue-aqua.
[McDougald-1990: Bob Harding, Glenn Drummond, R.David Dale, Darrell Moore;
Alice Creswick-The Fruit Jar Works]


Opalescent Glass Company
Kokomo, IN (1888-to date)
Insulators (types unknown at present) were reportedly made here from 1888 to 1896.
[Paul Crist, Bob Stahr]


Owens-Illinois Glass Company
Toledo, OH [head office] (1929- )
Owens-Illinois was the product of a merger in 1929 of two large glass companies, the Illinois Glass Company (of Alton, Illinois), and the Owens Bottle Company which was headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. After the merging, the total number of plants owned by Owens Illinois numbered more than 20 in several states, with each assigned a plant code number. In 1933 Owens Illinois bought the Hemingray Glass Company plant in Muncie, Indiana, and it then became Owens Illinois plant #26. Glass insulators were made by O-I at Muncie (carrying the Hemingray name) until 1967. (More info under Hemingray)


Pacific Glass Works
San Francisco, CA (1862-1876)
Either this factory OR the San Francisco Glass Works was in all probability the manufacturer of the E.C.& M.CO. insulators. Merged with SFGW to form the San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works in 1876.


Richmond Glass Works (Virginia Glass Mnfg. Company)
Richmond, VA
This factory produced some of the threadless "egg" style insulators, as evidenced by specimens found during excavation at the factory site. They were most likely made during the mid- to late 1850s.
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith]


Sandwich Cooperative Glass Company
Sandwich, MA (May 1890-November 1890)
The Electrical Glass Corporation (director, James Pennycuick) bought the old Boston & Sandwich factory (which had closed in 1888) in December of 1889 and it was later known as the Sandwich Cooperative Glass Co. For several months in 1890, glass insulators were evidently made here, but the exact types are unknown. It is speculated that some of the Pennycuick-style threaded insulators may have been made at this factory, including "Diamond-P" ; "C.E.L.CO."; and "Pettingell-Andrews" embossed CD 134s, and perhaps other unembossed, and as yet unattributed, examples. It isn't clear how long, or where, the Electrical Glass Corporation made insulators previous to this period of time, assuming they did produce others.
[McDougald-1990: Joe Maurath, Jr.]


San Francisco Glass Works
San Francisco, CA (1865-1876)
This factory MAY be the source of some of the E.C.& M.CO. insulators. SFGW merged with the Pacific Glass Works in 1876 to form the San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works (1876-c.1901). Insulators may likely date from after the merger as well.


St. Johns Glass Company
St. Johns, Quebec, Canada (1875-1877)
[McDougald-1990: Morgan Davis]


Standard Glass Insulator Company
Boston, MA (1893-1894)


Star Glass Works
New Albany, IN (1869-c.1880)
Gerald O. Haffner in The Glass Industry of New Albany (1983:44), indicates insulators were produced here, apparently referring to contemporary newspaper articles. However, no actual insulators are confirmed to exist that were made by this factory, as far as is known to collectors. If any exist they would be, at present, still unattributed examples. Star Glass Company became the W. C. DePauw Glass Company (aka DePauw's American Plate Glass Works) before 1880, and operated under that name until the summer of 1893, when the plant closed down production. Occasional brief re-starts evidently occurred as late as 1895 or 1896, but for all practical purposes, the Panic of 1893 led to the demise of this factory. Most of their product consisted of plate and window glass (and fruit jars) in later years. (NOTE: None of the insulators with the embossed "star" markings were manufactured here. They are of a somewhat later era and were made by (principally) three glass companies: Novelty, Sterling, and Harloe).


Sterling Glass Company
Elmer, NJ (June 1902-March 1903)
This firm manufactured insulators marked "STERLING" and/or "£", as well as some of the "star" insulators.
[McDougald-1990: Ray Klingensmith]


Thames Glass Works
New London, CT (1863-1865)


Valverde Glass Works (aka Robert Good,Jr.; Colorado Glass Works;
Denver Flint Glass Company)
Denver, CO (1896-1899)
[McDougald-1990: Don Reinke, Mike Miller]


Virginia Glass Manufacturing Company
(See Richmond Glass Works)


Western Flint Glass Company/Western Glass Manufacturing Company
Denver, CO (1899-1900); (1900-1909)
The markings "W.F.G.CO." and later, "W.G.M. CO." are found on insulators from this factory. The WFG'S have been found in many odd shades of color, but the WGM's are usually found in various shades of purple.
[McDougald-1990: Don Reinke, Mike Miller]


Whitall Tatum Company/Armstrong Cork Corporation/Kerr Glass Mnfg. Corporation Millville, NJ (1922-1938); (1938-1969); (1969-1978)
The first glass factory in Millville, New Jersey was started in 1806 by James Lee... more


E. Wormser & Company/Wormser Glass Company
Pittsburgh, PA (c.1854-1875; 1875-c.1927)
This factory is believed to be the source of certain unembossed insulators, including CD 120s, and 133.4 "bullets". The great majority of examples are found in shades of SCA (sun colored amethyst), ranging from a light pink to a medium-dark purple (similar to a typical Whitall Tatum No.1 in purple). A few CD 120s in clear glass exist but are very rare. Aqua examples are known but are extremely rare. A receipt dated September 5, 1884 indicates that 1000 insulators (unspecified type) made by Wormser Glass Co. were sold to the Central District & Printing Telegraph Company. The factory address at that time is shown as "Laughlin Station, B. & O. R.R. Pittsburgh, Pa." I also saw a business letterhead for sale on ebay some time ago which was dated 1906. Toulouse (Bottle Makers and their Marks-1971) indicates this company closed c. 1929. Alice Creswick gives ending date as 1927.
[Brent Burger]

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MEXICO

Vidriera Monterrey
Monterrey, Mexico
Vidriera Monterrey is now known as the Vitro Corporation, known for large quantities of bottles and jars they currently import to the United States.


Cristaleria, S.A.
Monterrey, Mexico


Cristales Mexicanos S.A.
Mexico

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Special thanks goes to Bill Meier, webmaster of www.insulators.com for his helpful advice and assistance. I appreciate the opportunity he gave me in allowing me to post these informational pages on myinsulators.com.