Do you know who made these?
No 5. This lovely table lamp belongs to Stan & Penny, and looks to be of European origin. The style suggests a date of early 1920s, in those days when asbestos gloves and robust eyebrows were needed to adjust a burning lamp!
Status No 5: . Confirmed as a lamp in the catalogue of G. Haupois in Paris. This is a Unic-Lumiere model 3 or perhaps 6, identified by Neil McRae from the 1952/63 catalogue belonging to Ara Kebapcioglu. Neil says this lamp was made sometime after WW2, but I am more cautious in offering an opinion because there is evidence to suggest Haupois re-used catalogue pages over many years. It might be post-war, but there is an obvious problem in attributing a date because if this design remained in the product line for several years we don't know how it relates to the post-war catalogue. It could predate the catalogue by several years. As in the case of many other lamps and lanterns, it is almost impossible to give a date of manufacture without a date mark on the lamp.
No 7. This lantern belongs to Jill, who is wondering what it is. The Turban fount narrows the field a bit, so do you know what it is.......?
Status No 7: No positive identification yet. Neil McRae thinks the burner unit and support collar look like a Knight Light and these parts have been found assembled with Coleman founts, it is possible they made this lantern using the model N/M fount.
No 8: Here's one from Neil McRae - It's similar to Number 7, but have you seen this in a catalogue anywhere......???Neil says the original image was somewhat stretched. so I've flattened it a bit, so it looks much more like No 7.
Status No 8: No positive identification yet. This is another likely Knight Light product.
No.10. This is from Mike Monahan. These are AGM Lanterns, but Mike is trying to find out what model number, number produced and years they were produced. The Company stamping on the bottom of the founts is worn and covered with paint, so he cannot read much of it. The founts have the raised letters USFS. (United States Forest Service).
Status No 10: Thanks to Chris Haartz for this report: AGM manufactured these lanterns for the United States Forest Service. My belief is that they made them from around 1931 thru 1936 which was the same time that Coleman was also making a version of the L427 for the Forest Service. The AGM models have the raised letters USFS beneath the filler opening on the fount. On the bottom of the fount is "Made in USA." There are no other markings. This is a ReadyLite but I do not know what model it could be. It was made after models with the built-on pump, the 277 and 278 which date to 1928. By 1930 they were making the 287 and 288 carburetor-valve lanterns. I have yet to see an AGM 301 which is a match lighting narrow shade lantern so it may be like that. The AGM USFS lantern is an AGM version of the Coleman L427. Coleman Company records document a contract from 1931-1933 to produce lanterns for the Forest Service. It was not until 1933 that they made very many. There are no records of a second contract but Coleman USFS lanterns have shown up as late as 1936 so I am convinced there was a second contract. I also believe that there were far more lanterns made during the 2nd contract. The Civilian Conservation Corps started in 1933 and had a big impact on the Forest Service. I am sure the FS needed more lanterns as CCC operations expanded. Also the Forest Service was building and staffing more forest fire lookout towers and backcountry (fire)guard stations and by the mid 30's the use of gasoline lanterns was routine.
The Coleman USFS lantern was an L427 with a painted red(not nickeled)fount with a matching red ventilator. USFS in raised letters was stamped on the side of the fount half way between the pump and the filler opening. The bottom was stamped just as a regular L427.
Some AGM FS lanterns came with maroon/red ventilators but some have shown up with green tops as your example. I didn't think green was a regular AGM color in the 30's. I had a theory that the lanterns made for the FS from 1931-33 came with red tops but that those made from 34-36 came with green tops. Recently a Coleman FS lantern with a red ventilator showed up on eBay made in 1935.
A few regular Coleman L427's have shown up with "U.S. FOREST SERVICE" stenciled or etched in the side of the nickel plated tank. Did black paint etch the metal or was a special treatment used? It won't scratch off but there is some fading. Was it done by Coleman at the factory or by the Forest Service at a supply warehouse? I doubt we will ever know. I think it was done by the Forest Service. I think they had a sudden demand which Coleman could not respond to and the FS either got these from Coleman or bought them on the open market and stenciled them.
No 12 This one is from Giovanni Caiti. Who made this, when, and is it gasoline or alcohol ?
Status no 12. No suggestions yet.
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No 13. Left is another lantern of unknown origin. The photo was sent in by Neil McRae, but the lantern belongs to David Jackson in Australia. The burner has the look of a Unimet but the other parts don't. The pump and filler assembly is odd with that hex cap nut and a fount with a layered top like this is very unusual. Disregard the colour of the hood as David has re-painted it with VHT paint. Neil thinks that the globe cage support collar is missing, and if it were present it would probably have given us an ID, but Albert White in Queensland has seen another lantern identical to this (below), and there is no collar on that one either. There is no reason to remove a support collar permanently, so perhaps the lantern is probably and as it should be. Albert also says that he thinks the glass on the lantern is original. The glass size is the same as the Handi, but without the bulge.
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Status no 13. No suggestions yet.
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No 14. No, not two lanterns but two photos of the same lantern, number 882 Made in Germany. This lantern was bought from a seller in Germany by Henry Plews in Yorkshire, England. At first glance the top hood resembles the Petromax type, but there are some differences. The body style and fount do not resemble Petromax, and the carry handle is different as well. Do you recognize this, or does anyone know of a German manufacturer who could have made this. There must be others like it, maybe in other colours as well. Let us know if you have any ideas.
Pictures by Neil McRae (April 2004) |
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Status no 14. No suggestions yet.
If you have any suggestions regarding possible makers for any of the lanterns shown, please let me know.
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