Does anyone know what this is?

by Elisabeth
(Federal Way, WA)

Beige ceramic unknown item

Beige ceramic unknown item

~ submitted by Elisabeth in Federal Way, Washington State

I love sea glass and went hunting at Discovery Park in Seattle today. 

I didn't find much but did find something made out of ceramic I'm hoping someone can identify for me! 

It's almost 3" long, the top (at the widest) is almost 3/4" wide and the hole that goes through the length of it is just under 1/4" across. 

The break at the bottom is very worn.  It has a very small stamp at the top which is a triangle with possibly a "v" inside it. 

The top is a little cockeyed when you look at it from the side, maybe from being in the water for so long and wearing down. 

I keep thinking it may have something to do with electric power but really don't have a clue. 

I'm hoping someone out there knows what it is!


Thank you!

~ submitted by Elisabeth

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Comments for Does anyone know what this is?

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Oct 31, 2013
 Ceramic Tube Sea Glass Find
by: David & Lin @ OdysseySeaGlass

Great job, Pete ( see comment below).

Lin and I have also found several of these on the Olympic Peninsula and never knew what they were.

Like Elisabeth, we assumed they were some kind of electrical insulator but weren't sure.

Now, with your comment, we looked this up on Wikipedia and came up with a very definitive photo:


ceramic insulator sea glass beige or white

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David and Lin Sea Glass
Jul 16, 2010
 Knob and Tube
by: Pete

What you have there is a ceramic tube, part of the "Knob and Tube" electrical wiring insulators used in building houses back around 1920 or so.

The "Knob" was also ceramic about 3/4 inch in diameter and 1-1/2 inches high.

You still can find them on old wooden electric fence posts.

The part you have is the "Tube" and was used to insulate the wire when it was threaded through a joist or truss in the rafters or walls of the house.

Hope this helps.

-Pete-

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