Been looking for years for this one. There has been speculation about the 1/300, if it existed or not. I'm not saying this is the 1/300 but appears to be manufactured before the takeover of Austramax. If it was Austramax at all. But it is a little bit different. ie Hood and Hood retaining nut. The nut is longer than the 2/300. [ about 25 mm all up " Obviously to facilitate the hood. Also has Coleman style Filler Cap with screw pressure release. In any case one more off the " Bucket List " Structurally the same as 2/300. Colin
Hi Colin, what approx year do you think it was from? i am also wondering if they originally came with a strait or bulge globe, looks in good shape, nice score, Frank
Hi Frank, Hard to put a year but there are Au Patents for the Burner etc mid 40's I think. Austramax as we know it dates from '49 when the Hungarian Immigrant to Australia took it over. As to whether it was Austramax or he started the Austramax line who knows. Early 2/300's came with the straight mica so have gone for a straight sided glass for originality. Colin
You lucky SOB. I'm very jealous. This ties in with the first adverts I've found from 1940/41. Here is an example of an ad from March 1941. The picture is not the best but it shows the top with no rim and a straight glass (or mica). I really think this should go in the reference library.
Great find, Colin. Just looking at the ad posted by Nils, the filler/release valve looks as though it has a long release valve rather than the screw that is on Colin's lamp: or maybe I've confused the pump with the filler release in the ad. What do you think, Nils?
Unfortunately you can't trust pictures in advertising. Otherwise I would say you are correct if you compare the alignment of the filler, wheel and pump on Colin's lamp and the picture in the ad. I'm guessing that they have reversed the picture in the ad. Another possibility is that the filler cap on Colin's lamp has been changed at some ppoint in time. An old 2/300 that I have has a different style of filler cap with two bars on each side.
hi Nils, the lamp you have is identical to the one i have, i wondered about the filler cap with the bars for tightening, seems they were original for the period, don't think they pre date Colin's though?Frank
They can't pre-date Colin's, but if they are the earliest type found on the 2/300 then it might be the same type originally found on Colin's. It's a theory. Another thing. It's possible that red was the first hood colour they used. Any thoughts?
Often wondered how far back Austramax went, but could never find the paperwork. Now I know, Thanks Nils. Lantern is as found, warts and all. Bits get lost and replaced with whatever does the job. Colin
Nice lamps Colin and Nils. I like those lamps where there is no supporting outer Cage. They just look less heavy. I still need just to get my first Austramax though Claus C
saw two lamps exactly like Colin's a few months ago for sale on a site in OZ, one black top one red, i thought over 200 dollars a it rich for me, but now, maybe not,Frank
We can take the date back a little with this ad from Deember 1940. The company may have been sold in 1949-1950 but the name was still Estee-Austramax in 1953 from this advert. I did try to trace the owners but no searches in Aus genealogy gave me any hits. I have the brief history which gives Anne Faiman as wife of the current owner in 2002 but I assume that is her married name so not the name of the guy who bought the company in the early 1950s. We also have a note that a Norman Grummet applied for a patent in 1946 and I have an advert that has a Mr Grummet donating a lamp for some event in May 1945 but that just says Mr Grummet and his company. So was he the owner? What was the name of the Hungarian or Polish guy who bought Austramax? Come to that what is the name his son in law who was running the company in 2002? Questions questions? ::Neil::
There was an article on Austramax in a Melbourne paper, I think it was the Age. This will answer most questions. I did have it but another one gone to Windows Heaven Mr Grummet .... Pre 53 Austramax " Norman " that answers another hypothesis. Colin
I note that the collar on this Austramax of Colin Mills has two holes that may have accommodated an Austramax name plate like the one shown in the post of @Nils Stephenson here: Austramax 2/300 (early?) Cheers Tony
@Tony Press The one you posted also has these holes. I assume it is for a similar badge/label, just without the 2/300 number. The badge on the 2/300 I have is only held on with solder, so maybe they had a tendency of loosening and falling off. I have another 2/300 that only has the holes as well.
I now have Collin Mills’ Austramax (the lantern shown in this thread). I am posting these additional photographs for extra information and discussion. The hood is the same as on my early Austramax here. I am uncertain whether the filler cap, pressure release is original to the lantern. It is made as a Coleman filler cap where the screw locks the part that seats the rubber washer. Collin’s lantern has the two holes for the lost Austramax plate, as does mine, here, and one of @Nils Stephenson here. The pump is found on early Austramax 2/300s, and the same as mine here. Ignoring the burner cap, the cast burner is the same, except for the mould cast 3 as early Austramax 2/300s and my early Austramax (that is cast mould 1). The hole to take the bail is smaller in diameter than Austramax 2/300s and is the same as my early Austramax. Here next to a 2/300 on the left. Here is Collin Mills’ lantern (on the right) next to mine. Note the different shape of the tank. Here is Collin Mills’ lantern next to a bog standard 2/300. I am posting this for discussion and observation. Cheers Tony
By the looks of things, there are only three things that differentiate this lamp from the first variant of the 2/300 (here). That is the hood, the top nut and the filler cap. Maybe this was a chance to use up stock of the old hood. The filler cap is strange and I have never seen one like it on an Austramax. It looks like it doesn't attach with many threads. Could it be home made? The top nut could be a later replacement.
@Nils Stephenson I think it’s worth also checking early 2/300 lanterns for the size of the holes that accept the bail, and the cast mould number. It could be that the early Austramax 2/300s used a thinner steel for the bail as this one does (as does my early Austramax). I don’t think the filler cap is home made. I don’t think it’s original to the lantern, either. I suspect it’s a replacement from a different lantern. Tony
@Tony Press It's quite likely that one of the improvements in the change to the 2/300 was a heavier gauge wire for the bail. It's easy enough to drill a larger hole. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of my 2/300 burner castings from the side to show the bail hole. I do have one 2/300 V2 with me over here and the hole has a diameter of 4.3mm. There is no visible number in the burner casting. The filler cap looks a lot like a Coleman, but I don't have anything on hand to compare with.
@Nils Stephenson The filler cap does have one of the the Coleman configurations, being three piece (screw, brass plate, cap) with a washer. As you’ve noted it does not screw down far, but that is because of the plate/washer inside the cap. Without the plate and washer it screws down through all its threads comfortably. All variations of the Austramax caps that I have fit Collin’s lantern. The wire for the bail is 3.7mm Ø, while the later 2/300 bails are 4.1mm Ø. My conclusion is that it sits between the early Austramax in my thread, and the early Austramax 2/300 you have linked to. Best regards Tony
