Insulator, 1895-1940

01

Artifact Overview

Insulators--made of poor electrical conductors such as glass, ceramic, plastic, or composite materials--help make electric power and communication transmission lines safe. They isolate wires from utility poles, transmission towers, and buildings--structures that are made of conductive materials that could cause signal degradation, power loss, fire, or pose a shock hazard if the lines touched them.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Insulator

Date Made

1895-1940

Creator Notes

Many glass companies embossed their insulators with five-pointed stars; additionally the star designation sometimes served the recipients of the insulators. [source: STAR TRACK from the Star Tracks website accessed 31 January 2015 at http://www.insulators.info/articles/startracks.htm]

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2014.0.17.116

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Glass (Material)
Wood (Plant material)

Dimensions

Height: 12.5 in
Diameter: 2.5 in