American
Gas Machine lanterns - early models
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AGM's No. 5 street lamp
appears in their 1917 catalog.
The globe cage, burner,
and ventilator are the same as on their Model 334 lantern below.
The fount has a vertical
steel tube that passes through the middle
so that the lamp can be
mounted on a pole.
The collar is thick brass.
This 400cp lantern is in
Dwayne Hanson's collection.

AGM made two versions of
Model 334, circa 1913-1917 (Neil McRae):
the version on the left,
in Craig Seabrook's collection,
includes a cast iron globe
cage and lacks a globe rest.
It has a reproduction mica
globe by Fred Kuntz.
The ventilator on this
lantern is not original (Neil McRae).
The version on the right
has a globe rest and the ventilator is held on by two clips.
The 8 1/4" diameter fount
was also used on some lamp and stove models of the period.
AGM's Model 335 is a smaller
fount version of the 334 model above.
The globe cage is bayonet
mounted to the base plate
and held in place by a
spring clip (just above the filler cap).
The fount on this lantern
was re-nickel plated for me by Cheyenne Cobb.


The only marking on this
AGM lantern that is superficially like the single mantle Model 335 above
is PAT APL'D FOR on the
burner.
Dwayne Hanson restored
this lantern and found that it lights quickly although it is match generating.
The generator opens into
the burner chamber through a plug (right).
When the wire is turned
from below the globe cage (left and center) the rod drops into the slot
(right)
and shuts off the fuel
flow leaving fuel in the generator to quickly relight the lantern.


AGM lantern models, Model
57 (left), 58 (center) and 257 (right), date to c. 1923.
The single mantled Model
57, has an early mica globe
with a brass frame and
single finger latch at the bottom of the door.
Model 58 is single mantled
but with a wide ventilator and retractable handle.
Model 257, in Loren Abernathy's
collection, is a two mantle model
that features a reproduction
mica globe made by Fred Kuntz.

AGM's Model 258 features
a bail
that slides down through
the shade when not in use.
This is a wide ventilator
version of the two burner Model 257 above
and is in Craig Seabrook's
collection.
Craig replaced the fuel
valve with a Coleman to be able to reassemble this lantern.

AGM Models 267 (left) and
268 (right) are double mantle Ready Lite models
and require preheating
the generator with matches.
The globes are original;
the frame on the globes are brass
and fastened with large
head fasteners,
which is common on AGM
lanterns.
Model 268 is in Fred Kuntz's
collection.

Models 277 (left) &
278 (right) only differ from Models 267 & 268 above
in having built-on pumps.
These two lanterns came
with straight AGM L35 generators,
comparable to the Coleman
Q77, and require preheating with a match.
The globes are AGM with
brass frames and large head fasteners as above.
I have an ad from a 1926
magazine that pictures Model 278.

Models 287 (left) &
288 (right) are another pair of double mantle lanterns by AGM.
They are distinguished
by a "carburetor valve" that projects into the fount.
A needle valve at the bottom
of the fuel feed line controls the flow of air & fuel from the valve
through fine tubing into
the base of the generator making this an "instant lite" lantern.
These lanterns have AGM
brass framed mica globes with the two "crescent" finger holds; the founts
are steel
The unfired 287 lantern
(left) is in Dwayne Hanson's collection.

This AGM lantern has USFS
embossed on the fount.
It is similar to the AGM
287 above but is match lighting
and lacks the carburetor
valve and has a different burner.
It likely dates to the
early 1930's when the US Forest Service
contracted for a
Quick-Lite lantern from Coleman.
This lantern is in Pat
Garrahan's collection.


AGM introduced Model 337
in 1931.
A low cost model, the metal
below the globe cage was cadmium plated steel.
Here the fount, which had
rusted, has been buffed back to the steel.
The ventilator pushes up
to preheat and light the single mantle.
The paper label on the
bottom of the fount (right) is often missing off the early AGM models.
The L344 shade ring is
a detachable option (left).
A two burner, instant light
lantern,
Model 304 has a steel fount
that was nickel plated.
It has an L38 burner, an
L510 generator with a built-in tip cleaner,
and lighting directions
on a tag on the valve wheel.
AGM parts catalogs refer
to this as a 1933 Model.
The fount on this lantern
had rusted badly
so is painted silver and
cannot be run.


A single mantled lantern,
Model 100 (left) and double mantled lanterns, Model 101 (center), and 102
(right)
were all manufactured by
American Gas Machine (AGM), Albert Lea, Minnesota.
AGM parts catalogs refer
to these as 1934-35 Models.
Craig Seabrook has restored
his Model 101 including having the ventilator re-enameled.
The founts on these instant
lighting models are nickel plated with built-in pumps,
and were supplied with
mica globes (left), or glass (right).
All have cobalt blue porcelain
ventilators.

This unmarked lantern is
the same
as later Model 100 or Model
3606 AGM lanterns
but has a green porcelain
ventilator.
It may have been made for
Sears or Montgomery Ward.
This lantern is in Charles & Cathy Gibson's collection.
This AGM unknown model
may have been made for Sears or Wards.
It is only stamped MADE
IN USA on the bottom of the fount.
This two burner, instant
lighting model has the same burner
as the 101-102 models above,
but a simpler instant lite
valve assembly design as on Model 304.