NISSWA — The North Western Insulator Club preparing to have its 12th annual Swap Meet and Sale Saturday, Aug. 28, in Nisswa.
Karen Yennie, who hosts the swap meet with her husband Colin at 1126 Ebert Drive, Nisswa, said the most common questions the club gets are: 1. What are insulators? And 2. Why do you collect them?
“The hobby isn’t new and our origins go back to the early ‘70s when a group who had been interested in collecting various insulators, and was wanting to meet other collectors, formed the NIA — the National Insulator Association,” Yennie said. “Local chapters of the NIA were started around the country and interest grew as members shared their unique finds and how they obtained and researched them. The sharing of information and education inherent to the hobby brought in longtime collectors and those who had interest but had not had the opportunity to cultivate their hobby.”
"Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and share the day with us." — Karen Yennie
"Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and share the day with us."
As the popularity of the hobby grew, Yennie said collectors in the Midwest came together and started a chapter of the NIA in the mid 1990s.
“It was named the North Western Insulator Club in honor of a railroad line that came through the area. We met at members' homes and spread our finds out on the lawn, the driveway, a park or sometimes into the house if the weather didn’t cooperate,” Yennie said. “With publicity, veteran collectors were able to meet with novices to mentor and educate them and many hobbyists discovered that people in their local areas were collectors but had no idea that their friends or neighbors were anxious to meet with fellow collectors.”
The ability to meet and communicate with other collectors found the familiar glass insulators — seen on telephone and telegraph lines in the past — were beautiful and plentiful with the most rare being very valuable, Yennie noted. It spawned interest in all things insulator-related, including power pieces, telephone and telegraph equipment, Bell System paraphernalia, lightning rod balls, spools, signs and “go-withs” too numerous to list here, she said.
RELATED: Insulator swap meet provides place for novices, experienced collectors “Flash forward to 2021 and now there is a national conference every year rotating locations around the country, there are regional meets on a medium scale and the local swap meets organized by the local chapters,” Yennie said. “The North Western Insulator Club has members from Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa, western Wisconsin and Manitoba. We have three to four get-togethers each year hosted by our members. We meet in yards, parks, meeting halls and anywhere in the five-state region where a member is willing to host.
“Our Canadian members are looking forward to attending meets again when border crossing is possible. All shows and meets are open to the general public and we welcome all who are just curious, novice collectors and those experts who are always searching for that one special piece and are willing to share their knowledge and answer questions. Club dues are always kept nominal and affordable and support our local club activities.”
So far in 2021, the group hosted one swap meet in Bovey in May.
The next one is Saturday in Nisswa. Another one is planned Oct. 7 in River Falls, Wisconsin. The outdoor meets go forward rain or shine.
Past meets have been in the Twin Cities, Austin, Winona and Rochester and in South Dakota.
“Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and share the day with us,” Yennie said.
For questions and information, contact Colin Yennie at cryennie@hotmail.com or Karen Yennie at 507-271-3457. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lunch is pot luck for those who wish to participate.
Those bringing items to share or sell are asked to bring their own table and chair but there is no limit on space.
“Everyone is welcome — come and share a fun day and meet our enthusiastic insulator club members and see the beautiful glass and porcelain pieces that always keep us looking for the next treasure,” Yennie said.