The decal on this lantern (lower image) identifies it as T 53-5, which may be the date of manufacture. The lantern is in Richard & Lorna Long’s collection. We lit campfires, cooked, played board games, had parties, and even chopped wood on moonless nights coleman sleeping bag with this lantern. During one of our parties, we put the Northstar near Grandma when she was chilly. This lantern does make a bit of a hissing sound when it is lit, and when the fuel is about to run out it makes a rather loud whistling noise.
This Coleman 237 is date stamped November, 1960. The instruction sheet identifies it as a US made “Marine lantern” perhaps in an attempt to develop a new market for the model. The preheater cup contains an asbestos-like material (lower image), perhaps to keep the alcohol from splashing out of the cup on a boat on water.
It doesn’t have the engraved OCD number on the fount but has the same parts noted above from the Coleman – Toronto factory as on the OCD model. This lantern has it’s original box with the same label as on the OCD lantern boxes (right image). Collectors have found a number of these non-engraved lanterns in California as well as three, including the one pictured here, that Ron Becker found in Wichita. These lanterns apparently were made in excess of the ones purchased and engraved for the OCD.
These lamps, notably ‘The Efficient’ Pendant Arc lamp No. 6, were manufactured by Irby & Gilliland in Memphis, Tennessee. Press the pump handle down and lightly place your finger over the hole in the end. If the pump raises, you need to clean or replace your check valve. Coleman made this mil-spec lantern that is date stamped 1952 on the bottom. At some point after that the Civil Defense waterslide decal was added to this unfired lantern. This lantern and another one with the 1952 date and a CD decal came from a seller in Michigan.
It lasts what seems like forever on one battery change. There is no assembly required, its weather proof and you can store it just about anywhere. Although you may not be able to buy this coleman sleeping bag exact one these days, they do make a similar one. The new ones will also run on unleaded gasoline. In 1900, William Coffin Coleman was selling high pressure gasoline fueled lamps.
This lantern, in Andy Maschino’s collection, is stamped Made in Canada on the side of the fount but in all other features is the same as those made for the US market. Morgan, Corpus Christi, Texas and includes Sheldon Coleman’s name engraved in script. Some of the 202 models presented/engraved to individuals came with a black enamel ventilator, as seen here, rather than the typical green ventilator on most 202s. This lantern, in Dan Boschen’s collection, is dated May, 1959. Model 202, the Professional (left), is dated Jan., ’55.