This landed on the doorstep today, not one I ever really considered having in my collection but you never know what will turn up next. Got some work to do, cleaning up the plating shouldn’t be too much of an issue but reshaping the tube might prove a little more difficult.
Nice find, Matthew. I reshaped the bent tubing in my by gentle persuasion with bare hands, being very careful to not stress any joints. Mines not perfect, but it’s pretty good for a lamp that is or nearly a century old: Coleman HQ (1922-1924) A couple of questions: Did you find it in the UK? Does it have any stampings on the tank? Cheers Tony @Matthew92
@Tony Press So pleased, Mathew, that you picked up one of these. There are not that many around as I recall. I would check carefully how well the plate that the link screws into is spot welded to the fount as I have heard of these giving way, but I'm sure it's in good hands. Like Tony I gently bent the tubing on mine by hand and cold to straighten it back to a point where a shade would fit. Can't wait to see it cleaned up and I believe Terry Marsh is interested in details about these. Is that a preheater cup on it?
Thanks all, @Tony Press It came to me from Northern Ireland, looks like it's been kicking around someone's shed for a while. No markings on the tank, which I believe puts it pre 1925? Do you or @Sedgman know if the pipe work unscrews from the tank and the halfway point? My hanging loop is in the wrong position so something needs turning. It's fitted with an R55 generator, with the spirit cup.
@Matthew92 I pondered that question myself. I could not fathom whether they were soldered or not. So, I did not interfere with them. Maybe, @coleman54 knows? Cheers Tony
@Matthew92 I agree with you that the it seems the alignment is wrong. The lamp seems to usually have the fitted globe hanging below the attachment point, which is aligned with an end towards the centre of the tank and offers two hanging positions. The lamp then balances. I was lucky and mine seemed to work so I didn't have to realign things. Good luck
@Matthew92 Awesome acquisition! I personally have not physically had my eyes or hands on one of these in person. I suspicion none of the founts were stamped or dated but I’ve not seen them all either. More of these have been discovered since the post referred to in Jeff’s post above. The burner and valve wheel components vary in differences a little from Toronto and US production and I know of one example that has had the burner changed (not original). Coleman guide states these from 1924-30 US and Canada, by shipping records and brochures, catalogs. I believe yours is a later example with the two piece stamped mixing chamber And Bakelite Toronto valve wheel, there’s a possibility these were exported after the dates listed in the guide, Evidence of this action has been found in other lamps and lanterns by Coleman and Yale in the past. I am looking into this at present because I’m not as experienced in Toronto components time frame and not ready to put a confident date on this one yet, but leaning towards mid thirties or so. The connections appear to me not to be soldered, here is a link with more info. Coleman Canadian HQ pendant lamp -- finished! @Tony Press Larry
@Matthew92 Here is another link with the same burner. Does your example have any patent stamps on the back of air tube ? Coleman HQ.. @Tony Press Larry
Larry I will go and double check my Coleman HQ for a small number stamped on it. Are you saying that the “unstamped” HQ are not pre-1925, or are you referring to the burner only? Tony
@Tony Press Tony, this one shown below appears to be the stamped (manufactured design) two piece brass mixing chamber on this lamp and the one shown in the second link by Vikingson I posted above earlier, they both had when found. These are a later design and are quite a coincidence both had the same. These were used sparsely in the forties on some US and Toronto examples, I am checking to see just how early they were used in Toronto. As for the tank logo and date stamping I’m suspicious that it’s possible that none were after 1925 or later either, for reasons I’ll explain later if found proven. Bakelite valve wheels didn’t show up on Coleman lamps until usually mid 1928.
@Matthew92 Had a closer look at mine and my best guess is that they unscrew simply because yours appears to be turned somehow and the joint on mine has a good looking thread at the halfway joint (the coil side is obviously soldered). Good luck.
Thanks for all the input, big help and it gave me a little confidence to start taking it apart. @Tony Press @Sedgman @coleman54 I ended up unscrewing the middle joint, with the fitting staying secured to the loop side. The burner I have swapped out for one I had lying around, I could do with sourcing a replacement like the original but this will do for now. Adjusted the pipe work, gave it a polish and I'm quite pleased with the result. Thank you for the information and links you posted Larry, it's interesting and I look forward to any future discoveries you make. There are no stampings or markings that I can see anywhere on the lamp including the burner.
Thank you both and in better news, I dug a little deeper into the back of my wardrobe, down to the bottom of a box and found what appears to be a Coleman 329 shade, or at least a copy of one. I’m pretty happy.
