Neil McRae notes that Model 246 was Coleman’s number for the 242 lantern made for export. This lantern is now in Jay Tews’ collection. The stamping was likely done in a maintenance shop of the Northern Pacific Railway. The dent on the “shoulder” of the fount below the collar seam (upper image) contains a stamped “R”, perhaps because they first tried to stamp it above the rim. The date stamping on the bottom of this 427 Coleman is covered with galvanizing but the lantern is stamped on one side of the rim 1934 and N.P. The year number wasn’t found in the lower left of the central opaque area and may not have been stamped. This technique revealed the month number 3 (for March) in the upper right of the central opaque area. Robert Burnes used a direct radiography panel to capture x-rays for the middle and lower images. The bottom plate of the 242A lantern above was heavily galvanized at the factory, a common occurrence in the 1930s, so the date numbers don’t show up (upper image). The pump handle lacks an air tube and positive shut-off as Model 242 above but does have a bayonet mount (lower image from John Stendahl) This lantern has a reproduction mica globe a mica globe was standard on this model. This lantern, in Dean DeGroff’s collection, was restored by Fred Kuntz. The pump lacks an air tube and positive shut-off as found on almost all Coleman models.
The ventilator doesn’t take a ball nut but has a threaded insert so that a shade can be fitted and it can serve as a lamp.
This Coleman Model 242 is dated February 1933. This lantern, in Mel Taylor’s collection, may have been made in late 1931 before regular production began. The lighting instructions on the other side of the base rest (bottom image) appear to have been hand stamped. One side of the base rest (middle image) has the Coleman logo that was usually on the side of the fount on other models. The ventilator rod (upper center image) projects outward rather than inward as on later 242 lanterns. This undated 242 lantern has a bail that is shaped as in the catalog images of the earliest version of this model (upper left image). We have no record that Coleman marketed this model sold with their company name on the lantern This lantern is in Brian Passananti’s collection. This F146 lantern is the same as the one above except that it is badged for Coleman, rather than Instant-Lite as above. The lantern is in Mark Baldwin’s collection the collar badge (lower image) is on a lantern in Neil McRae’s collection. This lantern instant lights using the carburetor valve to feed gasoline from the fount. Note the so-called carburetor valve enters the fount not the base rest. In the early 1930s Coleman made this F146 lantern for Sunshine Products Co., Chicago, Illinois, a wholly owned subsidiary of Coleman. In the instant lite position, air bubbles and fuel pass through the sight glass (2nd from right) while in the run position, only fuel passes through the sight glass (right).
Jim Nichols modified an early 220B by adding a heat deflector and sight glass (2nd from left). This lamp is in the Coleman Museum in Wichita. The Coleman Company made a demonstration lamp (left) to support their Instant-Lite patent note the presence of the sight glass to see fuel and/or air moving up to the generator.