I’m trying to work out if this lantern is a Coleman 247 but I have a few doubts too. I doubt a plain 242 because ventilators on plain 242s are just holes and no ball nut. Could be a 242A later production but these burners are supposed to be marked 3000 and the collars are marked. Earlier production also is marked 3000. Unlikely to be a 249 as they started in Canada in 1938. For it being a 247 · Being 1934 it fits the Canadian 1934-52 production years. · Pump cap is machined and has two small round head screws · Tip cleaner (L-shaped) · Valve wheel has many fine grooves · Early 247s have no markings Why I have doubts · Base rest is unmarked and has two slots cut out (Coleman Book shows no cutouts for 247) · Pump handle has bayonet mount and no air hole in it. (Coleman Book makes no mention of bayonet mount on pump rod.) · Filler cap has small hex head screw (Coleman Book shows Jan 1936 with round head screw) · Perhaps 1934 Coleman 247s had some legacy features. I don't think I saw any 1934 or 1935 Coleman 247s in the Reference Gallery. It seems original to me anyway. The base is also stamped with 1 or 11 Any thoughts appreciated. Odd stamping on base Thanks
Thanks Peter, I've just been down cleaning the burner more and discovered 3000 but very faint and hard to see. I reckon that now hints along the 242K that you mentioned. Odd though, no pricker wheel which lead me away from considering a 242K in the first place. Oh well different, including the stamping on the base. @peterthevet
That is a lovely lantern and an excellent find. This timeframe in Colemans history has some lanterns that are tricky to identify. It used to be that to call a lantern a 242K then all the features that characterise the 242K had to be present. We now see some knowledgeable collectors ( more knowledeable than me) accept that not all 242Ks had the tip cleaner wheel...and are just later production 242Ks. Then we have the case that some lanterns were repaired (with older parts)and the fact that Coleman used up old, leftover parts, so that nothing was wasted. I passed on a very similar lantern pictured above at the recent Yarra Glen swap meet... with hindsight I should have grabbed it when I had the chance.
Sedgman Probably the best place to start is the fuel pickup If it’s a straight pickup( which I suspect it has )not a F/A then it’s obviously a Kero drinker I’ve seen a lot of these fellas turn up here and that date puts you in the 242K bracket Like Peterthevet said there is less of a stranglehold in the K model than there used to be and because it was found here even more so as we know models were sent here with all sorts of of mismatched parts Probably has green on the underside of the vent too Double split collar is K as well Missing the trapdoor frame too but a recent K I found had the pricker wheel but no trapdoor ( lighting hole frame base ) so just goes to show lots of anomalies with these I’d call it an Aussie import K (Special K) But probably not a transitional 247 at this date I’ve seen and had stamped bases on founts as well Spoken with a few people about this and the dates didn’t line up with Canadian stamping on the side . We came to the conclusion these were most likely supplied from US Hope that helps you It’ll be a nice fettle well done !!
@peterthevet @Akeepsake Thanks for the advice, much appreciated and yes I have it down as a 242K now. Makes a lot more sense. I have also ran it on kerosene after a bit of a cleanup. Just for interest it may be the same unit as I bought it at the Horsham Swap Meet yesterday. Attached a picture of it being tested. Testing it without mantle Cleaned up as much as I wanted.
