I was lucky enough to find this in a barn in Ohio. It is a twin of Tive's 1919 Air-O-Lantern in every way. I gave it a casual cleaning and found it to be in great unrestored condition, but the mica was flaking with holes, so I decided to save the globe frame and carefully disassemble it and only replace the mica. I even re-used the split rivets. This was a bigger amount of work than I had expected, but I thought it came out well. I cleaned the metal parts when they were disassembled, but decided against painting them. Has anyone else refitted mica in an old globe? After doing this project, I'm wondering if it is possible to replace just one mica panel without disturbing the others.
Hello ! Very nice find, and interresting to see another exact lantern from 1919, My mica globe had the same problem, however Fred prefer to make new ones because it's very hard to change panels since the framework is very fragile, and i had a new one made instead ( saved the old one offcourse ) Frederik
Hi Steve1000: Great score. Yours makes only two I am aware of with all 1918 features save the 1919 dated air tube. (No pump cutout, drilled top nut, pre- 1919 burner etc) Does any else have one of these? Your lantern appears to be in great shape and you are to be commended on the superb globe restoration. I have done a number of these through the years and they are a real bear. These days I buy them from Fred. Mike...
The hardest part of saving the globe frame is re-opening the folded metal parts without cracking or bending. I slid a dulled craft knife blade through the openings, twisting it slightly with repeated passes to gradually open them up for the new mica, then reassembled everything. Now I'm thinking I could replace one panel this way on lanterns where I'm trying not to over-fettle it, trying to keep it as original as possible with a correct amount of age showing. I had read about Tive's lantern prior to finding this one, so I knew exactly what it was when I first laid eyes on it. It will have a good home; it will be on public display under glass in my family's outdoor store. (...but I promise to take it camping once a year)
Hi, My "Old Coleman" came today. I think it's one of these. External pump, patent date 1918. Old messed up mica. I'll be ordering a new globe. I think it was green, but won't know untill I get 40 years of dirt out of it and clean it up a bit. BTW it was about $11.00 on ebay. I havn't seen a lantern with the hang up loop. Was that a common adaption? There is the Colman lamp stuff on the collar, and I think some more writing on the top edge, but it will have to wait for cleaning. Did I guess right? -Ralph
Hmmm, I just noticed that my lamp has a more common type carb on it. No loop and it has a cleaning crank. Maybe I guessed wrong... -Ralph
Hello, your lantern is a Coleman 327, it's a nickle plated lantern not a painted lantern. There may be date numbers stamped into the side of the tank, but if not, then it's a pre 1924 lantern. The hanger has been added by a previous owner, it should have a bolt which screws into the top of burner and the other end of the bolt should come up through the hole in the top of the hood and a nut should be screwed on there. The original Q-99 generator has most likely been replaced with an R-55 generator, that is not uncommon. It's a very well built lantern and it will restore well enough, Jeff.
Thank you Jeff. Well, the vent just sits there, nothing holdig it down. I'll have to look and see if I have a die, then I could thread the hanger and put a nut on it. Other than a ton of dirt and grime it dosn't look all that bad. Valves are free. I can get a pump at the Amish store. So I will clean it up and see what happens. A new mica globe will help. The door on this globe rotates, rather than slide up and down.
