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#3115 CD 102 NESS McLAREN & BATE Aqua. 
- Sold Winning Bid: $3,000.00
- 23 Bid(s) View Bid History
- Lot # 3115
- System ID # 691488
- End Date
- Start Date
#3115 CD 102 NESS McLAREN & BATE MONTREAL Aqua.
A very rare embossing on this pony style insulator! To date, only two examples have been confirmed to exist in the insulator collecting community. Recent communication with the current owner of the other known example indicates this unit and the other were actually produced in two different molds.
The first example of this type insulator was discovered just ten years ago in southern Ontario. This one also surfaced in Ontario.
An interesting history is associated with these insulators, They were produced for Ness, McLauren & Bate, an electrical / telephone supply company located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Then, the mold used in their production was reworked and engraved with lettering "N.W.& B.I.T. CO.," representing the New Westminster & Burrard Inlet Telephone Company. Examples of the NW&BIT units show blot-outs and traces of the earlier lettering.
T.W. Ness operated an electrical supply company in Montreal for a period in time, supplying various products, including those related to the telephone industry. In 1895, a new company was formed under the title of Ness, McLaren & Bate. The company continued to supply similar products through the remainder of the 1890's and into the early 1900's. Their catalogues listed glass "pony" style insulators available at $3 per 100.
These insulators were produced sometime during the period 1895 (formation of NM&B) and 1903 (demise of NW&BIT), most likely in the 1890's. The extreme rarity of this jewel and ties to the very popular NW&BIT examples make it a very desirable insulator.
Thanks to Brett Bloxam, Dudley Ellis and Chris Minicola for their research and information. For further detailed information see Chris Minicola's extensive research at https://www.insulators.ca/t-w-ness/
An informative article by Dudley Ellis can be read in the December, 2013 issue of Insulators, Crown Jewels of the Wire magazine: https://www.cjow.com/archive/article.php?month=12&a=12December.htm&year=2013
Displays wonderfully from the front. A base to dome fracture (see third photo) on the right side of the reverse (no glass missing). Two shallow 1/8" peck marks on reverse dome. Like most of the NW&BIT embossed relatives, this beauty also has an abundance of attractive dome glass.
Additional images show a catalogue illustration from the 1890's, NM&B letterhead and company photograph (courtesy Chris Minicola).