logo image Coleman lamps before mid-1920's


"The Efficient" pendant arc lamp, No. 6,

was manufactured by Irby & Gilliland in Memphis, Tennessee, 1899-1903.

After selling these lamps for Irby & Gilliland,

W. C. Coleman bought the company.

The lamp on the left is in Ernie Hiatt's collection;

the nickel plated lamp on the right is in Dick Seller's collection.


The Efficient was replaced by the Coleman Arc Lamp.

This one is also embossed Made by The Hydrocarbon Light Co.

This lamp, No. 7846, has the original preheater rod and cup

and brass chimney cap on a reproduction mica chimney;

all other parts on the lamp are original as well.

This "Abilene Historic Society lamp" is in Dick Seller's collection.


This Coleman Model PQ chandelier lamp

is reported to have been used in a railroad station in southern Ontario

which could explain why it came with #334 Coleman metal shades

which are not often seen on this model.

This lamp is in Glenn Knapke's collection.


The Model R Reading Lamp with a # 74 shade.

Less than 20,000 of this model were shipped

between 1909 and 1916.

Note the upper air regulator screw.

This lamp lacks burners.

It is in Ron and Charleen Becker's collection.


This Model A, the first designated "Air-O-Lite,"

was introduced 2 years after the Model R, in 1911.

Fewer than 25,000 were made in the 13 months it was in production.

It had a curved air tube and an improved burner.

The 306 shade was the standard shade for this model.

This lamp is in Jim & Jan Nichols' collection.


The Model H torch lit lamps were made from 1912 - 1916

and came with the 306 shade as seen here (left image).

The smoke bell in this model has an unique design (right image).

The filler plug includes black fiber.

This lamp is in Jim and Jan Nichols' collection


This is the Ker-O-Lite No. AVK307 lamp

with the # 307 matching shade.

Coleman shipped 4,284 of this model

between 1913 and 1918.

Note the arc lantern burners.

This lamp is in Ron and Charleen Becker's collection.


These Model "A" Air-O-Lite lamps

were made in the US from ca. 1911-22.

The lamp on the left, in George Rocen's collection,

has the shade holder and heat bell.

The lamp on the right, in Dick Seller's collection,

is outfitted with a Coleman 314C shade.


The Model "M" Air-O-Lite (left) and Model "N" Air-O-Lite (right) lamps.

The Model "M" was made in Wichita, Kansas, from 1915 to 1919.

George Rocen also has the wrench and torch for preheating the generator on this lamp.

The Model "N", in Shirley Willard's collection,

lacks the tip cleaner of the Model "M" and dates to the same time period.


Coleman made the Model AQ around 1918-1920.

This one, in Fil Graff's collection,

has the 318 Coleman shade.

This model has the fuel valve above the handle

and a Q70 Quick-Lite burner;

the fuel filler cap is under the bell cover.


An alcohol torch preheater was supplied with lamps as the above

as well as with lighting systems and street lamps.

The torch soaked in the alcohol in the bottle

and was applied to the stem of the lamp below the mantles

where it was allowed to burn down to preheat the lamp for running.

This is in John Carriere's collection.


This is the CQ 329 table lamp with small bug screens.

The Coleman company denoted the model with the shade number in sales brochures.

This was the CQ gasoline lamp with a 329 shade.

The "Protect-a-lite" screens were made to prevent flying insects

that were drawn to the light from breaking the mantles.

This lamp is in the collection of Dwayne Hanson.




Coleman began selling the Whirling Hand Demonstrator to dealers in 1922

so they could demonstrate the safety of Quick-Lite lamps in any position by rotating the lamp.

The clamp (bottom) holds the hexagonal valve securely.

The embossing (middle) is at the top of the cast iron stand.

This device is in Jim & Jan Nichols's collection.


Model CQ 333.

The sales literature lists this lamp as the combination shown.

It was sold complete with shade and large "Protect-a-lite" screen.

This lamp is also in the collection of Dwayne Hanson.


Coleman also painted the brass founts of the CQ lamp in three colors -

Antique Gold, Flemish Brass, and Roman Bronze.

Unfortunately no one has any literature that shows which color is which!

These three lamps, in Ronnie Hardison's collection,

are all undated and have #335 shades.


The Model CQ was made with a variety of shades.

Here it has a 335A fringed shade.

The fringe is reproduction material

on the original painted glass.

This lamp is in Jim and Jan Nichols' collection.


This Coleman CQ lamp is dated July '26.

On the left it is fitted with the #307 green cased shade

which has white glass underneath

and on the right with the #324 shade finished in green.

This lamp and shades are in Dean DeGroff's collection.


Not all
early shades were glass; these pre-1924 CQ lamps
are outfitted with a 334 green and white enameled steel shade (left)

and a 334 white and white enameled shade (right),
both made by Coleman.
The lamp and shade on the left is in Ronnie Hardison's collection

while the lamp and shade on the right is in Kelly Williams' collection.


Another CQ lamp, dated May, 1926, in Ronnie Hardison's collection,

has a 318 shade that Coleman originally had made for torch lighting Models M and N.

This shade is brown as are other shades designated 318 by Coleman.

David Jahn thinks this shade was sold on the later Quick-Lites,

as seen here, to use up old stock.


Coleman made the Model 532 for the Sunshine Safety Lamp Co.

Kansas City, Missouri.

It is similar to the CQ but has a wood handle

and the generator nut threads are female rather than male as on the CQ.

This lamp, with the original shade,

is in Shirley Willard's collection.


These lamps were made by Coleman for other companies.

The first lamp (left and center left) is stamped Arcolite CL 513 on the bottom of the fount

and was made for the Yale Light Co. of Chicago, which merged with Coleman in 1914.

It is in Shirley Willard's collection.

Model WZ (center right) was made for Sears, Wards, Savage, et al.

and has the same burner and 306 shade as the CL 513.

Coleman Canada made the Everbright lamp for a company by that name in Toronto.

It has the same burner as the other lamps in this row; I believe the shade is original.


Coleman made few of the De Luxe Quick-Lite lamps (left)

and fewer of the De Luxe (Quick-Lite) Parlor lamps (right) in the mid 1920's.

The two-piece shade and pot metal fount covers on the lamp on the left

were made by Edward Miller as was the one-piece fount on the right.

Fil Graff owns the lamp on the left, which is running,

and Jim and Jan Nichols own the one on the right.

Note the two different designs on the fount covers.

 

American Gas Machine lanterns - early models updated July 24, '09
Main updated Nov. 5, '09
AGM lanterns - models beginning with the mid-1930's updated Dec. 11, '08
American Gas Machine lamps updated Nov. 24, '08
AGM, King Seeley, & Thermos lanterns - later models updated Sept. 26, '09
Coleman lamps before mid-1920's updated Feb. 28, '09
Coleman lanterns pre-1931 updated Oct. 21, '09
Coleman lamps after mid 1920's updated Sept. 26, '09
Coleman lanterns 1931 - 1945 updated Oct. 23, '09
Coleman hollow wire lighting updated Nov. 12, '08
Coleman lanterns 1946 - 1960 updated Sep. 1, '09
Coleman stoves pre-1945 updated Dec. 11, '08
 Coleman lanterns 1961 - 1980 updated Oct. 31, '09
Coleman stoves post-1945 updated Oct. 5, '09
 Coleman lanterns 1981 - present updated Oct. 21, '09
Custom lighting updated Nov. 5, '09
Heater etc. manufacturers A - K updated Mar. 4, '09
Hollow wire lighting updated Sept. 22, '09
Heater etc. manufacturers L - Z updated Nov. 29, '07
International lamp manufacturers A - F updated Nov. 5, '09
International lantern manufacturers A - E updated Nov. 5, '09
International lamp manufacturers G - Z updated May 19, '08
 International lantern manufacturers F - M updated Oct. 27, '09
Irons updated Dec. 16, '08
 International lantern manufacturers N - S updated Oct. 25, '09
Links updated Oct. 22, '09
 International lantern manufacturers T - Z updated Oct. 2, '09
Pumps updated Nov. 18, '08
Propane lantern & stove manufacturers A - B updated Feb. 22, '08
 Stove manufacturers A - D updated Nov. 4, '09
Propane lantern & stove manufacturers C updated Sept. 15, '09
Stove manufacturers E - O updated Sept. 7, '09
Propane lantern & stove manufacturers D - M updated Sept. 15, '09
Stove manufacturers P - Z updated Sept. 12, '09
Propane lantern & stove manufacturers N - Z updated Sept. 15, '09
Swedish lamps updated Nov. 5, '09
Tilley lanterns updated July 14, '08
Tilley household lamps pre-1945 updated May 12, '09
US lantern manufacturers A - G updated Sept. 28, '09
Tilley household lamps post-1945 updated June 6, '08
US lantern manufacturers H - M updated Sept. 28, '09
Tilley industrial lamps & lanterns updated Apr. 25, '09
US lantern manufacturers N - P updated Sept. 19, '09
US lamp manufacturers A - B updated Aug. 14, '09
US lantern manufacturers Q - Z updated June 2, '09
US lamp manufacturers C - M updated Feb. 25, '09
Wrench & other lamp tool manufacturers A - M updated Dec. 16, '08
US lamp manufacturers N - R updated Sept. 19, '09
Wrench & other lamp tool manufacturers N - Z updated Dec. 16, '08
US lamp manufacturers S - Z updated Apr. 7, '09

 

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© 2000-2009 Terry Marsh
 tgmarsh@noctrl.edu