This is an early Coleman CQ table lamp, undated. Its features are: No stamping on fount Coleman Quick-Lite/--CQ--/The Coleman Lamp Company/Wichita, Kansas. U.S.A. on fibre handle No patent number stamped on burner air tube 3 3/4 inche fibre handle Steel dome under nickel plated cover on fount Note that the fuel control cock and wheel are a replacement part that was on the lamp when found. The lamp was found in Australia. It did not come with the shade or shade holder shown in some photos. The shade is a copy. I made the lamp hanger. In plain type: "Coleman Quick-Lite/--CQ--/The Coleman Lamp Company/Wichita, Kansas. U.S.A. The lamp came with the R55 generator on the right. I ended up using an early Q99 generator (not the one in the photo) with an unstamped, low profile tip. This would not have been the original control cock. It is a replacement. Testing Testing burner with the repairs I did to the burnt out burner caps and tubes. With test mantles. Up and running It will never win a beauty competition given the state of its nickel plating and the rough mechanical handling it's had over its life, but it is a fine lamp and over 100 years old. Cheers Tony PS. I'll do a post on fettling this lamp. There are a few interesting things to show.
An old lamp with a long service life. Guess over the many years repairs and modifications would have been carried out.
Hi @Tony Press, please take no offense, this lamp should not be judged as a correct example by others because it has some mixed components that are not the same in the original time line, in addition to the valve and wheel you mentioned and obvious burner caps mix. Here are just a few. 1. The mixing chamber would be correct for 1930+. 2. The air tube would be correct for pre May 13 1919. 3. The filler plug/air stem mid twenties- thirties. 4. Does fount baseplate have hex bolt or a raised nub ? Larry
Thanks, Larry. No offence taken at all. I knew it had mixed components, but not the familiarity with these old Colemans to know all of the nuances. I based my “early” description on the fount, which has the hex nut at the bottom as well as no stamping; and the fibre handle with the plain-characters stamping. I will post a photo of the base of the fount below. Thank you for your assessment overall. I will ask for the title to be changed to from "Early" to “mixed components”. This is how the lamp came to me, and it's had a hard life. It was not in running order when I received it, so I reckon it may possibly have been serviced by CJ Thomas, TW Sands, Parsons, or Brandt Bros some time in distant its past life. For your consideration, I make the following consolidated assessments based on your comments and partly on the "Coleman Book"**: Fount and handle: The fount is somewhere between 1917 and early 1924. The fibre handle is not earlier than 1919, and before 1924. The filler plug and air stem are no earlier than the mid-1920s. Burner and control cock: The burner is of mixed heritage... The air tube 1917-1919. The cast mixing chamber no earlier than 1930. The control valve has the later shorter casting, with a Canadian Bakelite control wheel. Here is the bottom of the fount: I only ever intended this lamp to be a shed light. I'm going to make a reflector to fit under the shade screw so that the lamp can hang high in the shed over my work area (hence the home-made hanger rod). ** I note that the "Coleman Book", on page 27, describes the printing on the fibre handle as "COLEMAN LAMP QUICK-LITE" etc, whereas the photo, and my handle, are stamped "COLEMAN QUICK-LITE", so I assume the word "LAMP" in the printed text is a typo. Once again thanks for your feedback, Larry. My comments above are for your (and others) consideration. Best regards Tony @coleman54
Great save Tony! I always say one day mankind will be gone from this ole world, but there will still be a Quicklite lamp lighting the night.. Hard to kill them. One thing I would like to add on top of what Larry posted above would be on the fount. I find the transition from the short fount, tall handle CQs to the tall fount, short handle (like yours) to be mid 1922. These would be undated until the later part of 1924 as yours appears to be. So I would place your fount in the mid 22 - mid 24 range. Not uncommon to see these pieced together here in the states as they were work horses for many and they did what they needed to keep them running. Happy fettling
Thanks, Toby Do know when the separate steel domed cap that sits on top of the fount, but under the cover, began and finished? Cheers Tony @Toby Garner
Tony I do not... I have seen them with, without, and with the brass tube beneath the bell... But I have not noticed a pattern, sorry.
Tony, I have to agree with Toby in stating great save. And as usual you've done a fantastic job of with your presentation of your lamp. Your lamp is looking fantastic and running very well indeed.. Cheers, Norman
