We call them a transfer in Australia. Anyway I'm open to suggestions of what the missing words might be. It's on a June 1935 Coleman CQ Quick-Lite, Canadian (Made in Toronto) 480 Hot Ray. I believe it runs on Shellite/Coleman Fuel so that it can be a Quick-lite and comments from the examples in the Gallery suggest that some need pre-heating. I believe that's what this label is about but I'm out of guesses on the main wording. Thanks Iain
Coleman Canada produced several Coleman Fuel lamps in a Kerosene versions make sense that this is a Kerosene version
I'm wondering if this is a fount from a 169K lamp that has been used for the fount of the 480 since they used the same fount. Is there an ink stamp on the bottom? Coleman let little go to waste so it might've slipped into the line or was a repair replacement. The decal calling it a "kerosene mantle lamp" makes me think so. Yes, the 480's are Shellite/petrol/gasoline and unless you want to soot up your precious ceramic element you preheat the roto-generator with a gooseneck lighter or a couple of matches. How on earth you would preheat it with alcohol is beyond me. Coleman got away from separate alcohol preheat torches pretty soon after the 316/319 IIRC and went to cups. I'm not sure how it would burn with kerosene. My 480 with naphtha definitely needs a nice leisurely preheat. Note in the first picture below I need to rotate the generator so that the tip cleaner assembly hangs down. It gets hot where I have it! Better in picture 2. The art design on the decal is very similar to a USA design, but the red print is specific to the Canadian 169K I believe. Here goes line by line: Coleman KEROSENE MANTLE LAMP MADE IN CANADA HEAT GENERATOR ??? WITH ALCOHOL ??? BEFORE OPENING (OPERATING?) ??? I know I've seen a full picture of this decal, I just need to locate it to get you the full text. Sweet find! Mike.
Thanks everyone for the help. Shared knowledge is so wonderful; I suspected 'lamp' on the end but couldn't see the forest from the trees as I was only looking at 480 Hot Ray heaters in the Gallery, Marsh's resource and the Coleman Products book. I also suspected kero but since some of the Gallery posts mentioned pre-heating, I was curious exactly what the decal said. Now I have it, fantastic. However, I suspect the unit is ridgy-didge, (er, genuine), and I will post pictures once some daylight occurs here including of the base @MikeO. There is what appears to be an asbestos sock on the burner too. I'll mask up! Shouldn't be too hard in this day and age. . Cheers
The Hot Ray with stamp and decal photos. I suppose I can try it on kerosene and see how it runs. @MikeO Picture of base attached. 'Asbestos and Wire' Mantle Date Stamp Back of Heater Comparison from left 1929 (USA), 1935 (Canada), 1938 (Canada). I note the knobs are different on all three and things like the retaining screws for the reflector and fill caps all vary too.
Lots of interesting stuff on your Hot-Rays. The ceramic element on your USA model is unobtainium! And they are very brittle. I'd be gently removing the generator and reinstalling with the little supports on the ceramic element resting on the generator as the ceramics crack very easily along the first row of holes if not supported fully along the length. Those sock style elements are very interesting and unknown of here in North America. Any idea on their origins? There is a stainless steel repro radiant for these that's available from Old Coleman Parts because of the unavailability of the ceramic style. You should move the grate onto the USA model, pivot the burner to horizontal, and give cooking a whirl. Coleman advertized this feature in the Hot-Ray brochures but I know I'm not covering mine in bacon grease spatter! The last specimen you have with the small fount looks to be a replacement and is well outside the production dates, and probably a bit top heavy, too! The really interesting one is the "Kerosene Mantle Lamp" specimen. It too is a bit outside the usual date range for Hot Rays (up to 1933), so possibly a replacement fount like the other one got with the small fount. But with that decal, even if it is a missing bits, is still a standout. The fuel cap differences match up with the different time periods, and on my model above, there was the remains of silver paint on the valve wheels. Coleman rarely wasted parts so all of those variations aren't unusual. Nice triplets! Mike.
