antique tin/brass toys and telegraph pole insulators

[rsorgel]

im just getting into antiques and selling things on ebay. suddenly my grandpa insists i know everything and keeps coming up with things for me to sell. he has these very very old decorations in a glass cabinet he wants to know what they are worth. ive searched ebay and etsy and havent had any luck finding similar items. they are unmarked and he said they are tin but i think they look like brass. some of them also play music which i beleive is cool. does anyone at least know what they are? what they are worth is also a bonus =) i also found this set of 4 old telegraph insulators at an auction and would like to know the value for a set of 4. they are ceramic not glass. ive seen them sell for 8000$ each and would hate to sell the set for 50$ and lose out. thanks in advance

[wendy177]

I believe they are copper and made around the 70s my mother had some   not much value and not Tin toys!!   found 2
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Vintage-Copper-Car-Music-Box-Model-T-Tijuana-Taxi-/220909430675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336f3a6793

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WALL-HANGING-INSIDE-HOME-DONE-COPPER-MUSIC-/260912751783?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbf9ca4a7

As far as your telegraph insulators  I have no clue will leave those to someone more in the know!!!

[mart]

I would like to know where you saw a price like that for insulators !!  Generally the ceramic ones used to sell pretty well for a few dollars each, but have gone way down in the last 20 or 30 years !! Back in the 70`s they did well !! Now its hard to give them away !!  Are these marked ??

[rsorgel]

i forget where i saw the 8000$ price on the insulator, i beleive i just google searched and one came up. neither the insulators nor the music peices are marked =( thanks for the info on the insulators, i will try to pull a buck a peice for them so they dont fill up my garbage hah.

[mart]

Check ebay and see what they are selling for !! I mean selling, not asking price !! Just sort by ending soonest and see which ones have bids and will sell !!  No point looking if there no bids !!

[ironlord1963]

    I have a whole box of those things some are so big, I've been afraid to post them out of the shear weight.  I purchased a whole box of $5.00  Thought I was going to make some good money back, but after looking at the value overall, and the weight factor, I put them on the back burner.  Going to see what the unique glass ones go for, we just posted two of them at work today, one is a really big one, and I post two little tiny ones.  Would have to agree that the value is low, but the unique unusual ones may have a value.

[mart]

The more unusual ones do have some value !! Color, size and maker (a few are marked) make some worth a few bucks !!  As anything else the more rare, the better !!

[cogar]

If you are into "insulators" ........ these are the ones you look for, to wit.

http://railrunner42.tripod.com/myglassinsulatorsite/id12.html

A "red" glass one just might have sold for $8K, ....... but none of the others are worth more than $1 or $2, ......... but only if you sell 1 at a time.

[wendy177]

cool info cogar learned somethin new!!!

[mart]

Great site Cogar,, !! Even though I couldn`t see all the pics !!  Darn dialup !!

[rsorgel]

thanks for the site cogar. looks like mine arent worth the dumpster they are going in. thanks for all the help guys!

[mart]

You might be surprised what people can find a use for !! I would list them anyway !!

[KC]

Wouldn't trash them.  Someone will buy them.  They are desired by artists....just to show you an example of a site that paints them
http://www.paintingonjars.com/insulatorcollection.html
ALSO  loved this article http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/an-interview-with-antique-glass-insulator-collector-ian-macky/
But really liked this one that contains information on the styles of insulators http://www.myinsulators.com/downtownseattle/project.htm

I see them in decor magazines and trade shows all the time suspended with wire and used as votive holders.  THEY ARE VERY POPULAR THIS WAY!  Also used as mini vases and candle holders.

As decor on upcycled wooden birdhouses
http://coleenscorner.blogspot.com/2010/03/glass-insulator-challenge.html
Nightlights

[KC]

In fact this time of year....they make a cute, roly poly....

[rsorgel]

wow excellent information KC! THANKS!!! now im having a problem finding out how to tell which ones are the rare ones. one of your articles said they could be up to tens of thousands of dollars for the very rare ones.