Hi Folks! Been away from the forum for a few months - hope everyone had a great summer of collecting and fettling! This happened just recently... I was pretty hard up for pocket money a couple of weeks back, and decided to sell a couple of antiques - a 1930's Edison Dictaphone (wax cylinder type) and a 1930's tobacco humidor - both which were given to me years ago and don't really fit in with our collections over here. Called my usual bunch of antique dealers to sell them and didn't hear back. Got a call the next week from one of them, saying "boy, I'm glad you called, cause I couldn't find your number. You see, a person brought in a bunch of lanterns, and I thought of you right away, but hadn't seen you in months." (I was thinking maybe 5 or 6 200's or 335's from the 60's or 70's). The guy says "there must be 30 or 40 of them - you'd certainly have a lot of spare parts, anyways." So, I tell him about my cash poor situation, and he agrees to look at my dictaphone and tobacco tin, saying we can work something out if I take all of the lanterns, as they are taking up space in his shop. My Sweety and I go down to the guy's shop (I brought my camera with me) and this is what I first see at the very back of the guy's shop..... Holy smokes! So, I start to pick through what I could see and just simply got serious overload from seeing the most lanterns I've ever seen in one place outside of my basement. The guy says "Ok, you're not rich, and I need to move them... how about the dictaphone, the humidor, and $60.00, and you can have all of them." I agreed, and left my antiques - promising to be back with the cash as soon as I was able. On Saturday last, I was able to go down with the cash & a bunch of boxes and old bed sheets to wrap them, paid the man, and spent a leisurely hour or so gathering them all up and loading them in my van - all 31 1/2 of them! When I got home, I lined them all up on the patio and took this image for the membership to see and comment: And here they all are. I called the guy back in the afternoon, to ask him about the person who had brought them to his shop. All he could tell me was that it was just this average middle-aged guy from Winnipeg. A real pity - I would sure have liked to meet and talk with the person who assembled this "hoard" of lanterns, maybe even find out who made the fantastic "frankenlantern" out of a 1925 Canadian Quick-Lite fount & Canadian 247 Scout. So there it is. I'll follow with an ID table to help describe the hoard, and will welcome any and all comments and questions about them. This group is going to keep me busy for a very long time, and I'll have many questions about the individual pieces as I begin their restoration work. I hope all of you enjoyed the story and images. Cheers, Chris W - Winnipeg, Canada
Here is a table of the lanterns and lamps in the "hoard". I just grabbed a lantern, gave it a number, and ID'd it as best I could. Please comment or pm me if there is a specific lantern you are interested in commenting on - Its a bit crude, but it should help with the images above. I'll answer any question regarding any of the makes or models & post specific images if requested. #/ Country / Brand / Model Name & No. / Date 1 US Coleman Air-O-Lantern Model QL 1916 - 1918(?) 2 US Coleman Air-O-Lantern Model IL post-1919(?) 3 US Akron Model 103 1920"s 4 US Justrite Model 25 circa 1926 5 US Sunshine Safety (unknown) 1920's 6 US Coleman Quick-Lite Model L427 6 5 7 US Coleman Quick-Lite Model L427 6 5 8 Coleman Quick-Lite Model L427 6 10 9 Coleman Quick-Lite Model L427 6 7 10 US Coleman Quick-Lite Model 327 5 4 11 Canada Coleman Quick-Lite Model 327 26 8 12 US Coleman Quick-Lite Model 327 4 11 13 US(?) Coleman Quick-Lite Model 327 5 6 14 Canada Coleman Sport-Lite 242B 3 47 15 Canada Coleman Scout 247 5 48 16 US Coleman 242B 1 11 17 Canada Coleman Sport-Lite 242B 7 37 18 Canada Coleman Sport-Lite 242B D 43 19 Canada Coleman Scout 247 4 48 20 Canada Coleman 242-type (no base rest) 9 36 21 Canada Coleman "Frankenlantern" - a Canadian 1925 lamp fount, with a Canadian 247 Scout 1950's to 1960's 22 Canada Coleman Major 236 5 67 23 Canada Coleman Model 159 lamp 9 57 24 Canada Coleman Model 159 lamp 9 57 25 Canada Coleman Model 200 12 58 26 Canada Coleman Model 200 1 63 27 Canada Coleman Model 200 5 62 28 Canada Coleman Model 335 5 72 29 Hong Kong Unimet Model GL-1 circa 1960's 30 Hong Kong Ashflash (US market) Model 1022 1960's(?) 31 Germany Hasag Deadflame Kero Hurricane Model No. 651 unknown 32 Canada Coleman Seafoam 236/237 ventilator and bail 1940's A bit crude, but the models and years are there. Best Regards - Chris W, Pressure Lantern Enthusiast - Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Hi Jeff - still fussing with the image optimizer (I'm rusty), so I'm afraid for now those images will have to do - apologies.
What a great find. Some nice ones in there too. An IL327 is a very good find if it is complete. Be nice to see a better image of that one with some burner images perhaps. You don't see too many Justrite lanterns either so that is a nice find as well. As for the rest you got some very nice 20s stuff there and I do like the Quick-Lite products. Seems to me you got a good deal there. ::Neil::
Greetings Neil! Alas, the IL was rebuilt many years ago to Quick-Lite configuration, so no fancy burner. Only the globe rest and base rest remain- possibly the fount as well. Still, it will clean up and function, and ranks as one of my oldest examples in the collection here. The Justrite has its original burner & generator, but the fount looks to be a Coleman & also has a nasty stress crack. Still waiting for positive identification on the fount. The QL is intact (and apparently an earlier form), and will be nice when restored, as will the Sunshine Safety lantern - its burner and unique generator are in excellent condition. The 327's and L427's have not been examined yet, but the winter here is long. I'll do my best to contribute to the Lamp Reference Gallery as the lanterns are restored. If you would still like images of the IL, or one of the other examples on the list, do not hestiate to email or pm me. Cheers! Chris W - Winnipeg, Canada
Chris. Better to do it here because other folk might like to see them. Can you do us a couple of images of the Justrite and IL. Justrite used two different tanks for their lamps and one does look a bit like a Coleman so your lamp may be original and complete. A good image will probably tell. The IL is interesting because several people down the years have had an Economy lantern which was wrongly asumed to be a converted IL. So some shots of the burner for that might be good if you can please. I am assuming you know what you have here and it is a converted IL but the burner images will tell all. ::Neil::
Hi Neil, I'll post 5 images each for both the IL and the Justrite on two separate posts on this thread, and some observations for each. Chris W - Winnipeg
Here is the Justrite lantern Model 25. Observations: - Fount looks suspiciously like a Coleman fount, and has what looks like a nasty stress crack (first stress crack I've ever seen in person). there are no markings anywhere on the fount. - Control wheel has been replaced by a home-made version (common up here in lanterns from the 1930's). still functions properly. - Ventilator clearly marked by company - Unique burner and generator From the literature, this model ( if it is in fact a model 25) seems to date to about 1926. Any advice regarding the date of manufacture or the suspicious looking fount will be gratefully received. Fount image to follow.
Here is the Justrite Model 25 fount. It is suspiciously like a Quick-Lite fount, but has an external thread. Is this the original fount? Does This model date to around 1926?
Here is the Air-O-Lantern Model IL. - No identification markings or small folded tabs on the lower flange of the ventilator - No central base plate - has large washer with 1 flattened or trimmed side, adjacent to the air intake tube - Patent date of 1919 on air intake tube - Burner caps are flared (typical) type & upper burner casting looks "recent" - R55 generator - Match lighting door on globe rest, with bead-like metal handle - No markings or date stamps anywhere on fount - Ventilator nut is missing - No pump notch in edge of globe rest - Base rest stamped "THE AIR-O-LANTERN MODEL IL MFD BY THE COLEMAN LAMP CO WICHITA KANS." - Valve wheel in poor condition, though may be flat on outer edge (as opposed to slightly rounded) - no markings visible - Unusual "cup-shaped" check valve on round filler cap with fine notching on edges - Mica globe with vertical sliding door (poor condition) I don't know much at all about this model, but from what I've seen, I would say the burner assembly was changed out with a more recent form sometime in the past, but that's just my guess. Please help me make an accurate ID of this lantern as to its model and years of manufacture, and the distinct features that make it a Model IL. Did this type have a model number as well as the "IL" designation? Was the burner assembly changed out? Other images to follow.
I love it! You're short of cash so you decide to sell some stuff, but then spend that money (and more!) on further lamps for your collection - in my book that's the mark of a true enthusiast! 8) My hat is off to you, Sir... Congratulations of some fine lanterns, BTW, although I think one needs chucking in the bin! What's the one with the wide-based fount?
Yes, truly ill aren't I? The "frankenlamp" was built by an unknown craftsman, from the fount of a 1925 Canadian Coleman Quick-Lite table lamp, and the upperworks belonged to a Canadian Coleman Model 247 Scout(a kerosene model), dating roughly from the late 1940's to the early 1960's. The base rest was skillfully trimmed down to mate the two halves. I have not examined the valve system yet. I can't wait to restore it & fire it up! I've always wanted a frankenlantern, and this one is quite tastefully done. But first, there are 7 lanterns and lamps lined up from the springtime - 2 of which I'm restoring or a colleague. Then.... I'll start on these, most likely with the early ones first. This coming winter will be long and cold here, and I'll never get through them all by spring. As I restore them though, I'll post them in The Reference Gallery and also share some first lighting's. Chris W - "Winterpeg"
Not sure about that Justrite tank. The real thing has a rounder shoulder that that. Here is an illustration from a model 25 instruction leaflet. The IL originally had a torch lighting generator and burner. These were commonly re fitted with Quick-Lite burners to upgrade the lantern. This upgrade was a service that Coleman provided but could also have been done by the owner of course. No question the fount and such are from around 1916 to 1921 but the burner could have been changed not long afterwards. So the retrofit fettle may well date to the mid 1920s. Interesting and desireable piece but sadly not quite as desireable as a complete and original example. ::Neil::
