Got a Canadian Coleman 157 table lamp from Craigslist. It is dated Jan 1947. The lamp tank was full of very stinky (automotive?) gasoline and the T-44 generator cardboard was clogged by brown stuff almost completely. I emptied and cleaned the fount, repacked the gen with glass fiber (from the fiberglass rope for gaskets), fitted it with a jet and a cleaning rod from an old 200 gen. A rubber O-ring from the hardware store worked great in place of cap gasket. A DIY preheater cup and clip I made earlier for my unsuccessful 200 to 201 conversion were fitted on the gen. The pump was lubricated. Some clean kero in the tank, methanol in the cup, two 21A mantles, and it started nicely after preheat. Nice, even hiss and light without pulsing or sputtering, WOW! BUT the lamp still has some problems: -the upper part that holds burners has a small crack in it and some fuel-air mix leaks out in form of smoke. I think some high temperature solder or brazing will fix it. -A shade is needed. A holder for the globe can be bent from a scrap piece of metal. A Coleman Northstar globe seems to be very similar to the original one. And a vintage fireproof fiberglass shade would complete the project. What do you think? I know the lamp is not going to be exactly the same as it used to be but my primary goal is to make it work and look nice.
Yours is a kerosene or dual fuel model. I have an identical one that is set up for gasoline only. No preheat cup. I'm not sure the Coleman 355 globe came with this, but that is what mine has. The shade is parchment, pleated vertically, and has a clear plastic cover (mine is almost gone). There is a floral print on the shade. A quicklite glass shade will also fit, but I have been warned about using one as they make the lamp top heavy. I think this was one of if not the last lamp Coleman produced. Dan MacPherson
Finished this lamp! -Bought an adapter holder for modern globes. It was designed for 220 globe but I couldn't find one and installed a 639 globe that also has the right dimensions. -Found a mid-century shade which also fitted right in. -The crack in the burner was fixed using silver solder. Here are some pictures:
I have just purchased one as well, but my model is a 159, it has the pre heater cup on it. Mine states it uses a r55 generator and on dis mantle I found the pricker still works but it will need replacement seals.
Hi Dan, I got the holder from Ebay and the shade from etsy.com. I've also got a 158 lamp with R-55, external pump and a preheater cup. Waiting for the parts to arrive... These lamps are very nice and reliable!
I guess the originals had two shades. One pattern was called the "Empress" and the other the "Royale". Or so I'm told. Dan MacPherson
Hi You can make one easy as pie , like this.... Made mine from brass strip but steel will do 1mm thick is about where you need to be on minimum thicknes up to about 1.5mm , all you need is a good vise , a 1lb hammer ( to bend the strip squarely in the vise ) , a ruler/tape & marker pen ( start with a center point on each strip & work outwards from there ) , drill & bit for correct burner top locating screw & just measure the inside of the globe & take away an eighth or 5mm this is you max top dimension for both cross bits at the top to allow for expasion so as you don't shatter the glass when it gets hot! Then the rest is just a matter of trial & error measuring the globe height when fitted for the two bent upturned supports leaving control cock & pricker clear when operating them , but i think the pic's really explain all Have fun making one , Stu PS mine's a cheapo 220 globe
