Spark Plugs

[Walt G]

Thanks Terry, I had hoped you would comment on the ones I posted a photo of with a bit more history to fill us all in on what and when. GREAT I appreciate you mentioning what you did. More amazing information to be found here on the AACA Auto Encyclopedia.

[Cizu]

The second photo shows a photo of a J-D Petticoat type spark plug.  It's interesting to note that Champion acquired this company in 1916 so they could obtain the rights to mineral deposits of Siliminite, which produced a superior insulating material.   The "Petticoat" type of plug has a deep recess surrounding the center electrode.  That provides a greater surface area a spark would need to travel in order to short out.  Spark will travel over the shortest distance, and in the case of a "Petticoat" style plug, that distance will be between the center and ground electrode-just where the spark should be. 

[Terry Bond]

Still finding them - here are a few recent acquisitions - Sparker-seems to be quite difficult to find.  This is a NOS example. Wish it had a box so I'd know more about the company that produced it.   Next to it is a wonderful NOS early French made plug simply marked "A1" on the porcelain.  Note it's apparently "upside down."  Plugs marked like that were made for early one cylinder cars.  They screwed in horizontally. By printing the name on them like that you could easily see the brand when you lifted the hood, usually from the front of the car.  This one came to me from France and has its original wooden tube container.   Next to it is another French plug - Joly.  Many of these plugs saw use in WWI era aircraft.  This one is quite early and has a 1/2" tapered thread, which would fit a Model T Ford.  Last one is an "All-in-One" priming plug.  The petcock on the side was so you could prime the cylinder to make cold weather starting easier.  It was made by the Buffalo Carburetor Company. 

 

I managed to purchase several from a very old collection that was being broken up.  I've not cleaned them to photograph them yet.  They were stored unprotected in a damp environment so the surface rust detracts from otherwise nice condition plugs.  A little spare time with some 4-0 steel wool and WD-40 will take care of that.  All I need is the spare time.

Terry

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

Some old Swiss plugs….

[Terry Bond]

Nice!  Like them two in a box like that. The early European plugs have always been my favorites. Lets see more of your collection.

 Terry 

[Peter R.]

23 hours ago, Terry Bond said:

Lets see more of your collection.

I don‘t have a real collection, just some older plugs in the display case…

….and around 4000 plugs on the shelf for use 🙂🙃🙂

 

 

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

[Peter R.]

…..and lots more newer plugs.

[Porsche 68]

😳😳😳. 👍

[Terry Bond]

Now we know where to go for plugs!

Terry

[Peter R.]

Yep, I have everything….except the plugs that ypu need….😂

[Peter R.]

Another Swiss plug that I just found.

 

 

[Peter R.]

[Terry Bond]

On 5/17/2022 at 3:35 PM, Peter R. said:

Another Swiss plug that I just found.

 

 

Peter, any of the early plugs are of interest for my collection. You can send me a message through the forum with photos/price on what you might have for sale. Any Oleo, Eyquem, or anything a bit unusual might be of interest.  Thanks,

Terry

[Peter R.]

[Terry Bond]

Thanks Peter - some great plugs there.  Sent you a PM.

Terry

[Terry Bond]

On 6/2/2022 at 11:27 AM, Terry Bond said:

Thanks Peter - some great plugs there.  Sent you a PM.

Terry

Peter - send you another message about the plugs.  Waiting for your reply.  Thanks,

Terry

[Terry Bond]

18 hours ago, MetroPetro said:

Ah a Charlotte NC plug!   I'm not sure who actually manufactured the plug for Southern Friction Materials, but the thing that many collectors really enjoy is seeing how many different names they can find. 

 

For many years, as few companies have produced "private label" brand plugs.  Just like today when many store-brand products are actually made by some of the larger companies, private label spark plugs could  be ordered with the names of small-town garages, gas stations, hardware stores, and even grocery stores were a few auto parts and accessories might be displayed on a corner shelf.  Since so many of those were distributed only in small local areas it is possible for collectors to turn up something unique.  Doubt many west coast (or European) collectors would ever find a plug made and sold only in the Charlotte NC area.  Extra neat with the box too - without that and the info printed on it you'd never know where it came from. 

 

Terry

[31 LaSalle]

Terry what a fascinating collection of plugs 

I simply cannot believe the variation. and the one with the site glass is incredible

I never gave plugs a second glance but now I see them in a different light 

thank you for sharing your incredible collection

[Terry Bond]

Lot of plugs made with visible window features in them.  They incorporated a spark gap that actually intensified the spark to help burn off oil and carbon deposits.  Here are a few from my collection.  There are others including some with all glass insulators.

Terry

[Terry Bond]

Salesman's display plugs - these cut-away samples were produced to aid salesmen when trying to add dealers to their sales-network.  In those days, it was all personal contact - sales reps visiting local garages, auto parts stores, hardware stores, etc.  Remember the old "Fuller Brush Man" going door-to-door?  That sales technique was not limited to just brushes!  Here is a great ASKO brand cut away example from my collection. Sometimes they were contained in fancy presentation display boxes showing additional varieties the company produced.  Sometimes they were made to mount onto counter-top displays that would actually demonstrate how they functioned.

Terry

[John Bloom]

Terry, this is such a good thread. I picked this box of ten up today.  I love the artwork. I am not familiar with the brand or era. 
 

 

[Terry Bond]

An interesting history - ALDOR is the name of the plug produced by the A. L. Doering companuy, founded by Al Doering in New York in 1914.  Doering was a farmer who had learned that introducing an air-cap in spark plugs actually intensified the spark. This was not an unknown idea, having originally been discovered and incorporated into spark plug in Europe in the early 1900s.  Doering formed a partnership with M.L. Anderson, an inventor, and together they founded the Doering Spark Plug Company.   The plug they manufactured was called the Duro.  An Ohio based farm equipment manufacturer was already producing an engine called a DURO and brought suit against the NY based company.  In the 1920s, they won and forced Duro Spark Plugs to become simply DOERING, named of course after Al Doering.  Doering plugs continued to be produced until expansion to Puerto Rico and New Zeland when the name was changed to ALDOR.  They continued to be made until just recently and were listed as available from Walmart as recently as 2015.  The website is no longer available and I can find no indication the plugs are still being made.

 

It's hard to specifically date yours, especially since the basic design of them was virtually unchanged for many years.  I'd think 1950s - 1980s would be an approximate dating range on them.  Nice to have a full set in original packaging. 

Here are a few photos of some early Duro and Doering products. Also shown is a sales counter display for Doering plugs.  I have the same cabinet with the Duro name on it.

Terry

[John Bloom]

Terry, great background and history lesson. I have almost no education in the vintage spark plug world but I am learning so much from you and others. Your collection is fabulous!

[rniez]

This topic has been quiet so I thought I would revive it with some "go withs".

[Terry Bond]

Great!  That salesman's box is one I've not seen before.   I also have a Kopper King match box cover like that. The "go-withs" have always fascinated me.  My favorite is this little stickpin advertising Connecticut Coil Plugs.  Never seen another one.

Terry

[Terry Bond]

Here are a few more spark plug items that you might find interesting - watch fobs, and pins.

Terry

[Terry Bond]

We're all looking forward to Hershey and the chance to add more plugs to the collection.  I'll have a few duplicates available so drop by early and see me at GCC 5,6, in front of Giant Center, almost across from the crab cake vendor. 

Here are a few that i added not long ago -  The Elk is a variation I did not already have in my collection.  The Mosler with the mica insulator is a NOS plug with beautiful nickel plating.  Norris Valve Seat was one that I had no idea what it was until I removed the protective fiber cap. Strange but there are no identifying markings anywhere on the outside of the plug.  The other nickel plated mica insulator plug is very early.  It was intended for use in an early car (probably a one cylinder) where the hood lifts up from the front.  In a one cylinder engine, the pug usually sticks straight out towards the front of the vehicle.  With the name stamped "upside down" on the plug itself, you can easily read the name stamped on it (provided it screws in so the name will still be visible).  This was often done of early plugs like the De Dion Bouton shown next to it.

Terry

 

[Terry Bond]

Yes, spark plugs - one of my favorite topics.  Here are a few recently added to the collection.  Recent additions include a coupe of European plugs from a collection recently broken up.  The "Elite" priming plug was one I had an advertisement for but never was able to find the plug until recently.  The Mosler Motorcycle plug is another rarity.  The label on the mica insulator is just a decal that will quickly disappear if rubbed hard with not much more than a microfiber cloth. Finding them in such pristine condition complete in the original box is very difficult.  Of course the "Ford" plug is made for the Model T.  I have quite a few different plugs that were sold for use in Model Ts through accessory catalogs and auto parts stores, even country garages with their own brand names on them in addition to "Ford."  It makes for an interesting side-line in plug collecting, and since I'm a Model T guy, it's something I'm always looking for.   The search continues for early and unusual plugs.  I guess it's really the first thing I ever collected and I'm still finding them.

Terry

 

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by Terry Bond (see edit history)

[Terry Bond]

Another plug from my collection that has always been one of my favorites - the British made CAV.  It features a glass tube on top so the plug can be seen sparking.   It was produced by a company founded in 1892 by Carter A. Vandervell.  They produced magnetos, coils and generators used in many different early automobiles. They eventually produced spark plugs, electric lighting equipment and many other automotive produces.  Post WW1 they were also in the small tool business, however spark plug production largely ceased due to its competitive nature.  Eventually, by 1926, the company was acquired by Lucas as a joint venture with Bosch, who had a 49% interest in the company.  The subsidiary company was known as C.A.V.-Bosch, but by 1931, Bosch gained full control and the name C.A.V. disappeared from their products.  It's a rare and unusual plug that I'm pleased to have in my collection, with help from a good friend and fellow spark plug collector.  

Terry

Edited January 27, 2023 by Terry Bond (see edit history)

[Larry Schramm]

Terry,

 

Thoughts on application?

[Terry Bond]

Not automobile. Probably a heater or industrial..

[Terry Bond]

Back at the end of January, I posted a photo of a British made plug -CAV.  Until then, I did not have a good example of one in my collection, despite having lived in the UK for almost 8 years back when I first began collecting.  They are very hard to find!  I never thought I'd find the one I posted, and certainly never thought I'd soon find a companion plug to display with it.  This one is quite early and in my opinion is one of the most beautiful plugs ever made.  It also has been high on my "most wanted" list for years.  I finally got one and it'll sure look great in my display alongside it's glass topped mate.

I guess the adage "all good things in time" certainly holds true. 

Terry