Up for sale is this unusual porcelain and steel strain assembly for use in drop wire applications. This style of strain assembly was used along the former Michigan Central or Canada Southern (CASO) line from Windsor to Fort Erie (Detroit to Buffalo) in southern Ontario. Most of the line has since been ripped out, and these odd brackets are in short supply. What is unusual about these is the poor placement of a pin to connect the strain to the pole in the closest hole of the strain, so that there is an excessive amount of strain on the porcelain surrounding the outermost hole of the strain. I can't imagine these would have been a sound design, and I can attest to having found several broken examples which apparently were the victims of high strain from line wires. The metal bracket the strains are attached to is quite clearly marked "US PATENT / 1883109" on one side, though a quick search of US patent databases for this number brings up some sort of pump assembly for the production of ice cream instead of anything related to insulators. Not sure why that is. The insulators themselves on this bracket are quite shiny and have a beautiful mottled dark red-brown and metallic gray glaze.

The bracket and strains are in great shape. Obviously the bracket is a bit rusty, but otherwise nothing appears to be wrong with the thing.

I'm asking $40.00 U.S. plus shipping for this odd piece. I accept PayPal, money orders or bank cheques, or personal cheques from any member of ICON, or anyone I have dealt with before. Please feel free to look through my previously unsold items in the "For Sale (Not Sold)" folder, and combine purchases to save on shipping