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CD 20 W = 2 3/16" H = 1½" |
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ESBs are the most common style (embossed front "E.S.B. CO." and back "PHILA. PA.") Top thickness depends on the amount of glass dropped into the mold and varies greatly, from 1/16" to almost a full inch. No fancy colors. |
CD 22 W = 2 3/16" H = 1 3/16" |
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This unembossed style only comes in aqua, emerald and a violet-cobalt. This last fantastic color is not available in any pintype insulator, but the Mt. Washington ramshorn is (rarely) seen in the same. |
CD 22.5 W = 2 3/16" H = 1½" |
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The three Goulds at the top are incorrectly booked
as CD 20. CD 20 and 22.5 differ only in the shape of the top: 20 has a
button rest, and 22.5 has a
simpler profile. Goulds come in
nice colors, the rarest being light lavender. Embossed front "GOULD
BATTERY" and back "PAT. DEC. 1. 1896".
Unembossed units comes in two styles: the emerald type have a concave top, while the aqua has a flat top. The aqua specimen pictured came from the Brookfield dump and is slightly taller (but this may be individual variation). |
CD 24 W = 2½" H = 1 13/16" |
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This style is distinguished by the unusual waffle top. There is only one pattern, crown embossed either front "NATIONAL BATTERY CO." and back "UNIT ACCUMULATOR", or in a full circle "THE UNITED STATES LIGHT AND HEATING COMPANY". Reported is a version skirt embossed "THE U. S. L. & H. Co." Aqua only. |
CD 28 W = 4" H = 2¼" |
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This unembossed style has a button top like CD 20, and relatively thin top glass, only about ¼" thick. Plunger seems almost hexagonal at the end, but this may just be a coincidence caused by the glass flowing (need another example to verify). Comes in shades of aqua only. |
CD 30.5 W = 3" H = 1 7/16" |
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An unreported hockey-puck style, most similar to the CD 30, but 3" wide instead of 3 1/8", and 1 7/16" tall instead of 1 15/16". The author picked the CD number, so it's unofficial. Thick top glass, about 11/16". Light aqua, heading towards ice. |
CD 31 W = 4" H = 1 7/8" |
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This style is made by E.S.B. (Electrical Storage Battery Co.) only; it's embossed around the top "THE E.S.B. CO." and "CHLORIDE ACCUMULATOR" separated by a vertical bar, and has an inner skirt. Accumulator is an early name for battery, and Chloride refers to the lead and zinc chlorides used in their construction. Comes in shades of aqua and a variety of rich greens (which are hard to tell apart). |
CD 35 W = 4¾" H = 3 5/8" |
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Smaller of the two "bird feeder" style E.S.B. battery rests, embossed on the front "THE E S B CO" (note no dots) and on the rear "MADE IN U S A" (also no dots) with a smaller "B-16016-3" underneath. Also comes in an unembossed version which is scarcer. These look a bit like chick feeders or waterers, hence the nickname "bird feeders". Aqua only. |
CD 36 W = 6" H = 3 5/8" |
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Larger of the two "bird feeder" style E.S.B. battery rests, embossed on the front "THE E.S.B. CO." and on the rear "MADE IN U.S.A." with a "B-159933" or "B-159933-N" (where N is 2 or 3) under the top. Also comes in unembossed, also scarcer. Both "bird feeders" were actually oil insulators used to support large open-tank storage batteries: the insulators sit on ceramic pedestals to keep them off the floor and add extra insulation, the trough is filled with oil and covered with a lead shield (to keep the oil clean), then the batteries rest on top. These installations were often in basements, which being below grade could flood, so the high ceramic base also kept the system out of the water. The support bases were not continuous, but instead cut away in three places to allow air circulation. Aqua only. |
CD 50 W = 4" H = 2¾" |
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The medium-size screw-top, smaller version of the CD 51 (not shown) at 4" wide instead of 5½". Comes in two variations, a Gould (embossed front "GOULD BATTERY" and back "PATENTED DEC. 1. 1896") and an unembossed. Both have four ribs supporting the umbrella for strength; in the unembossed unit they are nearly straight-sided, but in the Gould they are much heavier and wedge-shaped. Top thickness (not counting screw) in the Gould is ½", and in the unembossed, a full 1 3/8", but this may be due to pour variations. The fragile glass screw is used to locate and secure the insulator in the framing above, so that the insulators and frame can be picked up and moved as a unit. Shades of aqua only. |
CD 53 W = 2½" H = 2 1/8" |
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Baby screw-top, isn't it cute? Made by U.S. Light & Heating Co. and embossed with a relatively large (½" tall) "USL Nº2" in a very unusual double-outline script. This smaller size does not have any supporting ribs. Shades of aqua only. |
CD 60 W = 3½" H = 3 3/16" |
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Robertson's Patent Battery Insulator, an early style of battery rest used before the more common patterns shown above. It's unembossed, threadless, and meant to be "placed upon a wooden pin, in the ordinary manner": see this 1872 Tillotson catalog ad (Dario Dimare collection, from the May 2002 Crown Jewels reprint). Very rare, only two examples known. Also comes in a variation with a larger pinhole, only one of these known. |
CD 70 W = 3" H = 2" |
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Another uncataloged battery rest, a totally different style than all the rest. The CD number shown was picked by the author so is unofficial. It's basically a 3" square block of glass with a stubby cylinder on top to locate what's above, and two triangular feet at two opposite corners of the bottom to locate the glass on a 2½" wide board or rail. Total height including feet and cylinder is 2". |