Hi All, The grand old lantern pictured, is an ebay Import from the US. It wasn't so filthy, in or out the fount; which meant I had it all done in under four days. The accessories were acquired, pre-delivery; but apart from these (not counting the brillo's) the only two extras I had to shell out for, were the filler gasket, & a new 5891 generator 220. I was most pleased with the condition of the Vent, it looks not to have been used all that much, the deep green is still rich & shiny, with only one tiny dark abrasion to it's crown. I've fitted the spark ignitor, just so it match's my other two, but I don't find these much use, even though all I own give a good flash. This agitates a little, but more than anything, they're just bunging the access hole up to keep crafty critters away from the mantle. I'll not find out (can't see it being thoroughly investigatable), but the filler cap is a nifty chrome over brass, which if it was retailed as this, find it difficult to fathom, how it looks almost still new, 63 years on, down the line ? I've it running on Naptha/Aspen, as I do with the other American lanterns, I don't seem to need the clearing tip at all, & have yet to have made a mad dash, with assistance/recovery, drawing through any worrying splutterings. This just must be down to the cleanliness of the fuel, (or luck) ? Up to press, the only mistake I've made with this beauty, is to forget to take some snaps of the base plate (sorry folks !). It would be a sinch, taking a shave, from it. I'd love to stumble into one of the big AGM lanterns, with the perfect cobalt vent, still gleaming with formaldehyde and brylcream (almost as good as Napalm in the morning, after eggs over easy). I'll post a few more, when they're properly finished, maybe all three Big Hats, together (The Generals). Cheers, Jon.
What a beautifull lamp. You are very lucky to find such a nice lamp that age. Excellent restoring or may I say cleaning - looks stunning. Claus C
Fabulous lantern Jon, it looks like it just left the factory. And I'd like to add that your photography is Top Notch. Dan
Thanks for the thumbs up, Claus C; your right, all that was required (luckily), was the elbow grease. I'm a new starter with the more serious aspect to metal manipulation/jointing but this'll eventually have to be half championed, future wards. Ebay's where I fish for the majority of the lanterns I cop hold of, & you've just got to keep reaming through the pages, continually; to find the right ingredients. It's a bit of a downer, if the seller won't ship, international, but more often than not, this can be charmed around. You've just got to disengage the brain, when it comes to these costs, or we'd all still be lighting candles. I'd have rather depicted the evenly distributed wear, affecting the founts chrome finish, but it's not so easy to capture this using a cheaper camera (the bright day, did the lamp, favors, truth be known). On opening the parcel, the chroming just needed soft sponging, with watery hot, bar keepers friend. I didn't over do it, & it began looking better within 15 minutes. Very handsome lanterns, these models; their proportions just seem nigh on, bang on. Cheers, Jon.
Hi Dan, Yes, cheers for that; the photography didn't go too well, initially, going back some months now. I was up & down like a Yo-Yo, not knowing which way was up. Neil helped me through all of this (good stuff), & will entrust the computer to now, not self install unnecessary updates, that upset the apple cart. I could do with a digital camera that I could hold, without fear of dropping it, or unintentionally poking the wrong buttons, to display another mode; whilst handling the thing. Some make, twice its size, would be better, it's a Nikon Coolpix (the size of a ciggy packet, if that). I have got more used to using this, though; and now it seems to have automatically adjusted itself to 'near enough' giving me the loadable kb's (this must have been divine intervention, because I'd no say in this ; & thankfully it'll just keeps doing the same). Glad you like the lantern, it's the fastest time I've completed one in. More, soon to arrive, tops ! Thanks a lot, Jon.
Yes Jeff, a nice high, after the toil; seeing the lamp take off, with out much resistance. I hadn't mentioned this before, but the clearing tip graphite, quit working, at the end of its first run; there were flames flying out toward the snazzy globe. I had a heppy, just after engaging the tip, when it failed. No damage to the globe though, the heat didn't etch into it, thankfully. I just quickly turned it off, saw it was out; then replaced the full assy, after cooling. I think it not wise to start puffing like the big bad wolf, when lit fuels escaping (it soon wakes you up, when this happens, I was up & down like a ballet dancer "Oh sh*t, Oh sh*t .... . . .". Cheers, Jon.
The positive shut off valve is very useful in an emergency! It's always best to let a lamp cool down completely and it can be set outside to speed up that process, Jeff.
Lovely lantern! Well done for getting it shipped! I bought a Coleman lantern on e-Bay from US and it ended getting sent back to the vendor and me being refunded as the shipping agents refused to send it (despite offering international shipping)!
I'd pay money to see a picture of that, Jon Kidding aside, you and others mention chrome. I believe these lanterns and associated parts were nickel plated. You could of course take the replating all the way to chrome (after a nickel plate regardless) but I think this would substantially add to the cost. The other thing I'd like to know is if the cage, base plate and handle were plated with nickel or something else like zinc, especially the later ones which don't look like nickel plate. Dan
Hi Dan, Well, fire shouldn't always = Panic, but if I sort of did, it was for the safety of the globe, and not for my own eyebrows. The best thing is to just turn it off, and get into the habit of just doing exactly that, before anything else (except, for diving head first into a water trough, of course) I'm not in the know as to Nickel or Chrome are the same finish, it's maybe just the same generic equivalent between the US, & the UK ? I'd have only wished for a better finish, if the lantern was days or months old, but as it stands, the uniform 'faint wear', is fine with me (very costly, going that extra mile, & it wouldn't have all those bonafide years, staring back at me, telling a story). Only if serious chrome loss made it look like a toilet, would I feel very tempted to give it a new coat. Regarding the 'support' effects, I'm not entirely sure the information here is correct, but this is only because I've noticed very different finish's, to the half dozen or so US lanterns, structural protection, I own. The bale arm, frame and base/collar rest supports, to the only two similar, but contrasting lamps I have; do show a different application' to the same surfaces. The questions smack me, 1) "Is this an extra 15 years of use & age" (between the 40's/50's Coleman 220/228 D's, AND the 60's Sears 7407), 2) Unharsh, out of use, storage conditions (prolonging primary surface finish). Notice lanterns sold within ebay, with a lifetime spent in Aloha, Hawaii. OR 3) The (Cd 48) treatment levels of application, were just tweaked, up & down; between the many different Lantern Manufacturing companies, soundly operating through out those many decades. I only found out about Cadmium recently, from Fred K, I'd not heard of this before (not being a metal buff, forgive the lame pun), it had to be limited and managed more safely, due to its severe health risks. It's the similar scenario to hat makers going ballistic, because of the lead; or arsenic, used for Chrome/speculum coatings. (It's all still out there, it's even in foodstuffs still, rather worryingly). Link : http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/cd.htm Having written all that, I hope you aren't itching . The health & safety aspects to lantern tinkering, have to be watched over. If there's too much damage to the surface of any area, but this only detracts, aesthetically ; I take it back to its pure form metal. It helps if it's stainless (not much of that though), but if not, & it gets rained on, it isn't difficult to thoroughly dry your lamp down, then stick it in the airing cupboard with the pump/filler cap, off. (I certainly wont be using the Very High Temperature, clear engine spray varnish again, on a newly stripped & polished frame set. It ends up streaking onto the globes, during use ; taking up more time, fettling it off completely, so it looks like top brass again. I finished the excess tins off I wouldn't be using again, saturating all the junction joints to some outdoor furniture, whilst they were upside down, this summer, then righting them, to dry off. Cheers, Jon.
Thanks Jeff, I'll remember to always shut it off, here first; then when fire's involved, the reservoir below, is always safeguarded. What ever's burning, up above; will eventually exhaust itself (damage or no damage), regardless. Jon.
Hi Expat, I was sorry to hear you couldn't receive your Coleman, as it was returned to sender. I'm only illustrating this, here; (not to have you grinding your teeth), but offer some optimism. I've not been buying from overseas long, but have successfully purchased (all from ebay.com), 4 x Colemans, 4 x Higgins, 1 x Milspec US Army, 1 x Austramax, 2 x Sears - "Full Lanterns," and a lot of other small, yet essential parts, from beyond the UK. I hope I'm not stating the obvious, but you've got to keep on mailing the Seller/Vendor, to make sure you are both playing on the same football pitch (doing this, using ebay messaging, is easy to accomplish). Let them know how keen you are, to buy the item/s, leaving too much detail out, for the winds of chance, wont fully jeopardise or stop you from getting what you want, but if the seller realises that you maybe don't seem so keen (and not because this is true, you're trying something out for the first time, you're a little unsure & this just might come across, that way ) you could be removing some stepping stones, your self, without realising this ? Ensuring you have been properly invoiced for the item/s, by the Seller; via ebay/PayPal, also allows you proper insurance, against non-delivery, but also enables you to track & follow the parcels progress, along its route to your door. You must make sure that they have your correct delivery address, and they include, to you, a legitimate shipping fee, booked in. You may have just been put off, with your first unsuccessful attempt, and thrown the towel in, I don't know ? I'd go about finding something smaller, to secondly try buying ; maybe some special mantles, or a replacement part to a tired lamp, etc. If you've difficulty finding any of these, within .com ; then go ahead, & bid for a full lantern again, but don't go all out & pay a lot of cash, for something high end; keep it under $60.00. If you get one up on the board, it'll get simpler and you'll start having more fun, and also be picking up more clues, as to the best ways to receive what you'd like. Good luck, keep at it, don't be denied. Regards, Jon. Here's my first little cutie poo's, J.C.Higgins, and also the Milspec (both losing me more hair, in the process; but it was worth it; easily).
Yep, thanks for the compliment with the Big Hat, apart from the extensive Tilley range, I don't often see any different coated founts, etc; from the usual brass or chrome finished lanterns. The majority seem to be either metal, or polish coatings affected. I'm easy for either, so long as they don't look scruffy, just imagine boarding a flight to your holiday destination, and you could see, on arriving at your seat; there was coffee stains on your pull down table rest, and the isle carpet looked like it hadn't been vacuumed for weeks, etc. You'd soon start wondering if the engines were up to it, surely ? It'd be nice to see a lantern, built in Gunmetal or something similar, like Pewter. It's really quite surprising that little can be brought to the table, in regard to the other' metal options, available, to Lantern Manufacturing Co's. A lot of commerce, these days is governed over by ecological policies, but not to hear of any rare examples, despite looking around on the web, and other places; leaves me a little vexxed, to why many other optional materials, couldn't, or were not used ? Jon.
