Collecting Our History

Collecting Our History

THE NATIONAL INSULATOR ASSOCIATION
GLASS COMMEMORATIVES


Being an enthusiastic insulator collector, Frank Miller of Tulsa, Oklahoma went home from the First National Insulator Meet (that’s what the "national" show was referred to in 1970) held in New Castle, Indiana with an idea that collectors should have something by which they could remember the national meets. After months of struggling, he managed to have an insulator mold made. Frank said it was often referred to as "Frank's Last Folly" since he retired from teaching shortly thereafter. He also said it was worth the struggle. The commemorative insulator he designed replicated the early threadless "pilgrim hat" (CD 736) and is almost 4 inches high and is 3 1/4 inches across at the base. Since 1970, the glass commemorative has marked the national show event with new embossing for the location and a new color of glass. During the first two years of production, the commemorative was embossed on the small 2" flat dome. In 1972 the show embossing was moved from the dome top to the base ring of the insulator. In 1988 embossing configuration was again changed so that each year used both the base ring and the dome top. It has continued for 22 years with this embossing pattern. In 1979 the commemorative production was awarded to John and Carol McDougald. In 40 years of production, colors have been repeated three times. Mr. Miller's first two years were run in the same three colors since both years were run at the same time. Last year, and again this year, a color has been repeated. Candy Apple Red was used in 2008, a repeat of the very popular color used in 1999 for the Scottsdale, Arizona national. This year's commemorative is made in Vaseline glass. This is a repeat of the color made for the Reno, Nevada national in 1978. Uranium glass is glass which has had uranium, usually in oxide diuranate or depleted uranium form, added to a glass mix prior to melting. The proportion usually varies from trace levels to about 2% by weight uranium -- not harmful in any way. The normal color of uranium glass ranges from yellow to green depending on the oxidation state and concentration of the metal ions. Uranium glass also fluoresces bright green under ultraviolet light. The most typical color of uranium glass is pale yellowish-green, which in the 1920s led to the nickname "vaseline glass" based on a perceived resemblance to the appearance of petroleum jelly as formulated and commercially sold at that time. The commemorative has been manufactured by only three different glasshouses: 1970 and 1971 (run at the same time just prior to the 1971 national show) - Overmyer-Perram, Tulsa, Oklahoma 1972 through 1976 - St. Clair Glass Works, Elwood, Indiana 1977 was the first year that Mosser Glass Company, Cambridge, Ohio began production of the commemorative. They have continued providing this service for 33 years.

40th NIA CONVENTION 2009 CORALVILLE, IOWA National Insulator Association Convention Glass Commemorative “Celebrating 40 straight years of production”

VASELINE GLASS It GLOWS in the dark with Blacklight!!!
Vaseline glass in daylight Vaseline glass in ultraviolet light
*Embossed on the base of the commemorative:* 40TH NIA CONVENTION CORALVILLE, IOWA JULY 10-12, 2009 *Embossed on the dome of commemorative:*

$40.00 postpaid for the first piece. Additional pieces $35.00 when shipped with the first. To order, send payment to: Grampa Mac's Insulator Emporium P.O. Box 21157 Sedona, AZ 86341 Phone Orders: (928) 284-3628 Email or PayPal Orders: grampa_mac@insulatoremporium.com If you have questions, please contact Grampa Mac's Antique Insulator Emporium at: grampa_mac@insulatoremporium.com Copyright 2009 © Grampa Mac's Insulator Emporium