Sluggo's Insulator Collecting - Featured Insulators: CD 420 and 421

Featured Insulators: CD 420 and 421 AGEE - from Australia

Photos

A nice series showing the evolution of the pony style insulator in Australia.
Left to right: (earliest to latest) CD 420 AGEE, CD 421 AGEE, CD 422 AGEE and CD 423 AGM.

Story - History

This month, we'll begin the first installment of story about the development of the Australian pony style insulators. These styles were known as "Sub" or "Subscriber" type insulators and would have been used on smaller local telephone line construction.

It is believed that the CD 420.1, 420, 421 and 421.1 were all produced in the late 1920's up until about 1930, by the Australian Glass company (AGEE) as development and testing led towards the finalized design of the CD 422. Judging by the appearances, I would say that the CD 420.1 is the oldest design as it is the most crude. (see picture below) There is only one known example of this CD and it is owned by Marilyn Albers (co-author of the GIFONA books). Next came the CD 420, produced only in aqua glass. That design was refined into the CD 421 with a wider, more tapered skirt. The CD 421.1 is very similar to the CD 421, but with a more rounded dome, leading into the rounded top design to come later as the CD 422. (see picture below) The CD 421 and CD 421.1 are found only in a lovely medium amethyst colour.

The CD 420 molding is a bit more crude than the CD 421 and often includes air bubbles. The CD 421 shows more of the usual quality associated with the AGEE company, and common throughout their other styles. It is fairly common to see a dimple on the dome of the CD 421s. All of these insulators are threaded for a metric pin, commonly used throughout Australia.

More Photos

Embossing, Colours and Price Guide Listing

Each of these insulators only come in one colour and one embossing pattern. The CD 420 comes in light green aqua, while the CD 421 and 421.1 only come in medium amethyt. The only known CD 420.1 is blue gray in colour. The embossings on all of these styles is simply "AGEE" on the front skirt. AGEE didn't start using mold numbers and date codes until after production of these styles had ceased.

CD 420 {F-Skirt} AGEE SB
- Light Green Aqua $30-40 US
CD 420.1 {F-Skirt} AGEE SB
- Light Blue Gray $1000+ US
CD 421 {F-Skirt} AGEE SB
- Amethyst $20-30 US
CD 421.1 {F-Skirt} AGEE SB
- Amethyst $100-125 US

Condition

I have three of the CD 420s, and only one CD 421. I had another CD 421 but I traded it in a deal for some other foreign glass pieces. My CD 420s range from Near Mint to Mint condition and my CD 421 is in Very Near Mint condition. Minor dings, fleabites, flakes and occasionally stress cracks are the most common type of damage seen on these pieces.

Market Place Musings

These two CDs don't come up for sale very often on eBay, and when they do, they often attract a fair amount of bidding attention. Despite the fact that the CD 420 is older, and listed at a higher value than the CD 421, it seems to come up for sale much more regularly than the CD 421 does. It could be the "purple" factor that causes people to hold onto the 421s, while the "aqua" 420s get put up for sale.

I would estimate that a CD 420 comes up for auction on eBay at least once every couple of months. I can recall seeing a few of CD 421s for sale in the past year or so. The CD 421.1 rarely comes up for sale. I can only recall seeing one or two of these on eBay in the past two years.

I paid $45 US for my first CD 420, and have bought several more since then, with each purchase being less money than the previous, down to as low as $8.00 US. I paid $31.00 US for my CD 421, and later got a second one at a bargain price. That one was traded away towards some Belgian and German pieces. I'm still hoping to get a CD 421.1 AGEE some day, and am constantly watching the Australian insulators for sale on eBay. I don't think I'll ever own a CD 420.1 unless by some miracle, Marilyn leaves hers to me in her will.