Hi all, Found this USA Coleman here in Sweden and there doesn’t appear any dating code… not on the side of the fount, nor on the underside of it. Does this mean it’s as early as 1930 ? Now, as far as I’m concerned brown hats don’t appear that often, OK, there’s some rust on this one, but I haven’t got around with the fettling yet, the weather is not letting me… It could be that the green colour disappeared over time by use… please could anyone help me out with this one.
I can't explain the lack of a date code other than they can be difficult to find/read sometimes. Is the fount brass or steel? A quick magnet test could help with the dating process... Looks like a fun project!
Can't be 1930. The first single mantle kero lantern was 242K and that dates from 1935. 236 and 237 date from about 1938 if I remember right. Sometimes the date stamps can be in the base plate and are often hard to read because the stamps are under the galvanised protection. I have never heard of a brown hood. Those hoods came in green or red. Mind you rust is sort of brown I guess. Very good lamps and nearly always possible to restore to run. ::Neil::
That is an odd one as Coleman US never officially made a 236 lantern. This is the second one I've seen. The fount is 1938ish-1941 vintage as the large fount stamp proves this. This larger stamp was found on the later versions of US 242B and the initial run of the US 237A lantern in 1941. This fount is identical to my 1941 237A which came with a sea foam colored ventilator. As mentioned before, this is the second that has surfaced but no new information has arisen since that time. The only speculation is the fount made it's way to the Canadian factory and was completed as a 236. Underneath the crud on the vent should be the light green color. Hopefully it can be cleaned off. They are an easy lantern to service and you should have it lit in no time.
Thx guys for the replies. From the test I've done, it must be brass. Yesterday when I was fettling it, I discovered a possible datecode? It is marked with ''5231'' on the burner and with a ''7'' further to the right. I suppose this is the correct date? I have still not found a date on the fount, I spent like 30 minutes trying to discover a possible date code. I'll take a look at that when I'm cleaning it. I also hope there's the green colour under the brown of the hat now. Will start cleaning it throughout the week!
I see traces of seafoam green on the fount but it looks plated. I also have never seen a USA 236, but I have a NOS valve assembly for one. Dan MacP
The large sunshine stamp on the fount tells me this is an early US made 236. probably 38-41.The year and month should be stamped under the fount. You might be able to see it once you polish the whole fount. Maybe. The US 236 was not produced much.Nice hard to find early 236 , especially that it was made in the USA. The Canadian models of that era are also not easy to find.Coleman Canada continued making the 236 during the war era. Funny , your US model has the wing nut like a Canadian model. With time someone must of installed it. Agostino
Neil, you were right as always. For more than 2 years, this lantern has patiently waited for the missing parts which I got just recently. The lantern burned really good, a little pulsing however was noticable. In the near future, I'll clean the fount from the inside. I'm very happy to have brought a rare lantern back to life. Thanks for reading... Frank
i found a 236 here in costa rica, no date looks just like that one but with ceramic nozzle. the tank is full of rust, i want to find another one.
