This is a beauty Tony, i've aquired a well used Coleman 249 scout, made in Australia under licence, dated 12/1958. It's the same design/build/inscriptions as your one, with chrome fount but it's seized and not working. My lamp is complete (but there's no box or accessories.) They sure are nice looking lanterns,
Have you tried slackening off the nuts on each shaft a bit? Those nuts compress materials that seal the shaft from leaking but over time things get stuck. I'd suggest trying to loosen them a few turns applying some lubricant and jiggling the controls one way a bit and then the other. If that doesn't work a small amount of heat may break the bond.
Thanks for this advice, tried all of the above (used a BBQ gas flighter flame for small heat) Did a partial dismantling and soot clean up. The jet pricker shaft is free again and can hear the mechanism moving inside. The fuel valve shaft may be bent a bit, I'm a bit worried about breaking the bakerlite control wheel, so only using a cloth and hand torque on it, but it's still frozen. RP47 is going on to try loosening it. I'm assuming that "open" is anti-clockwise (like on more modern lanterns) The other nuts on it moved ok, ( jet pricker lever, generator, base plate nut, top cap nut) cheers Andrew
