Ok, I didn't start "collecting" that long ago, however, I've always had pressure lamps (or oil lamps) in the blood - started by trips to preserved railways and the Tilley that came out every time we had a power cut (fairly frequent all those years ago!) Dad got tired of having to pre-heat the Tilley so got a camping-gaz mantle lamp which he would use instead (kept the Tilley thankfully) but still had to put up with me asking him to light the Tilley. I bought a Tilley X246B and a Bialaddin 305X for night fishing several years ago - SWMBO wishes frequently that I'd stopped there. (No it's not an addiction, I can stop whenever I want...) Now, with a modern Coleman (unleaded) single mantle lantern, a scarred Hipolito (dropped down to a 350 jet & needle) and an even more dented Vapalux ready to do their duties when fishing, it's time to give these a little "love". So which lamps started your collection and do you still have them? Did you keep them the way they were, or have you tarted them up? Photos welcome
I wanted a lantern like we had growing up. I didn't hardly know one model Coleman from another and didn't realize that the red lantern used on so many family outings was a model 200. I ended up with a 242 purchased from "the bay of evil" and there began my love of small lanterns. Since then the collection of stoves and lanterns has grown. Andy
lol, we had a Skoda back then, really uncomfortable to sleep in. Besides, night fishing with our family & friends doesn't leave much time for sleep! Anlrolfe, really appreciate the Coleman 242, very glad I managed to pick one up!
Hi all The lamps that first awakened my interest in less lighting are: Tilley X246 Pork Pie, X246 Guardsman, BR49A, X246A and X246B. As a youngster and young adult I used to attend the annual St John Ambulance Norfolk County Cadet Camp which from the late 1970's through to the 1990's was predominantly held in the grounds of Holkham Hall. At night the division between the boys and girls tents, the toilet tents, and the interiors of the cadet and staff marques were all lit entirely by the motley collection of lamps already mentioned. One year I was caught somewhere where I should not have been and as a result I lost all of my evening free time and had to work on camp chores. One of the chores was cleaning, servicing, filling, lighting and distributing the lamps to the required areas. As you can imagine this punishment could get have been better and I always used to volunteer for this job on later camps. I purchased my first, and only new Tilley, an X246B in 1991 and this is still my main user lamp for family and group camping. From this humble beginning an obsession (surely not) began and continues. Hope you found this account enjoyable and I can't wait to here other members stories. Regards, Jeremy
This is my first lamp. Hipolito 502. It was given to me by a friend and butterfly-collector almost 40 years ago when I was a youngster and couldnt afford such my self. It is very powerfull, good quality and is still going strong. This lamp got a friend and a fellowcollector starting a collection app. 5 years ago and therefor I also started. But first this lamp was a tool to me - now I have a weakness for Hipolitos. Claus C
It all started with an Anchor lamp. I can't remember why on earth I bought it, and I didn't know how it worked. I thought something was very wrong as I could turn "the tap" round and round without it closing . I know better now... Them days, I used Campingaz and similar . A virgin Coleman 238b was bought online, and from then on it all got out of control Mind, I had already started to accumulate stoves by then, still my main illness (and a couple blow lamps too ) Best regards, Wim
Got 2 Tilley FL6's in 1980. Then gave them away to a railway society. Came accross a Tilley lamp last year when browsing ebay for something else. Now have about 16 of them and determined not to go above 20. Only collect the X246 series and do not want to go down the road of chasing every make and model of lamp ever made. Have made 2 exceptions in the form of PL53 and R1 radiator.
Hi wim, I loved your line "still my main illness " did make me laugh! An my first lantern was an anchor 39 years ago bought for me by my parents for fishing It was a revelation, but my first contact (literally )was with a x246a whilst trammol netting on a freezing wet night, thought it was a good idea to rest my soaking backside on top of lamp an subsequently melted my nylon underpants to my arse wasn't funny at time but you live an learn Gozzy
I purchased an Austramax 3/300 at a garage sail many years ago for camping. I didn't start collecting till about 2013 when I picked up a Tilley X359 and a Veritas 350 that had been left out for the local council "Hard Garbage" collection. I was very impressed with the quality of the materials and workmanship in the Veritas, and that got me started. I also fettled then fired up the Tilley, with the "flame thrower" that promptly cracked the glass. I've collected a few more lanterns since then.
My interest started 40 odd years ago, when as a scout I was introduced to the Bialladin 315. A few years back, I was looking for something to use in the garden on long summer nights when astronomy was impossible(most of the time in Manchester), and I aquired a Tilley X246B. After a few more were added to the collection, something I hadn't intended, I was finally able to aquire a 315, and I haven't looked back since.
