Months after Coleman – Wichita stopped making the Model 200, they got Coleman 200 parts from the Coleman – Toronto factory that was still producing this model. The Wichita factory needed parts to fill a special order for the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) (Boschen). The engraved OCD serial numbers (middle image) were apparently done in Sacramento, California. This lantern, in Ed Franklin’s collection, is date stamped November 1951.
You can adjust the light output with the tip cleaner stem or the valve, depending on the model. Click here for an owner’s manual on your lantern if you don’t have one. Hold a match or lighter to the bottom and coleman grill allow it (them) to burn completely. Remove the ventilator and globe, then spray the lantern with a household cleaner like Simple Green®. Remove as much dirt and dust as you can and remove the old mantle(s).
One 16 oz canister of propane lasts about four to five hours on high and about eight hours on medium to low. It is fully adjustable and can be set lower if you are trying to conserve propane. However, if the propane canister is running out, it occasionally makes a rather loud whistling noise. Refillable fuel lanterns seem to be getting more and more scarce – people love their LEDs.
The lantern in the center has a replacement globe and fuel cap. The lanterns on the left and right are in Shirley Willard’s collection. This 200A has a factory finished, white painted fount. These may have been made in a limited number to give to dealers that Coleman wanted to recognize for their service to the company.
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. This model was produced for 10 years beginning in 1954 For the first couple of years the burner cap was ceramic.
Coleman made this model for their Sunshine Safety company (post 1923). It has many of the same parts as Quick-Lite Model L327. The collar, generator, coleman grill and cap nut are different from that model. The center globe cage base disk is stamped Sunshine Safety Lamp Co., Kansas City, MO.
Charting which years any particular Coleman® lantern was made is a never-ending process. The company began marking lanterns with date information in the mid-1920s. To learn how they have been marked over the years, please refer to our How-to section on dating appliances.