 | Aladdin PL-1 Lantern
This lantern was designed by Aladdin and manufactured around the time of World War II, but not during the war itself. It was revolutionary in that the vaporized fuel was injected into a mixing chamber, which became commonplace in military lanterns. The air intake is adjustable, which allows this lantern to run on gasoline or kerosene, and the lantern originally came with a match holder to prevent the user from hurting themselves. |
 | HC 500C Head
An Amish man by the name of Levi Glick develops lanterns in Lancaster, PA for use for the Amish. It can be strung up with an optional hanger rod. It is made from stainless steel and a Coleman fount and is the only 500cp lantern currently manufactured. |
 | Japanese Saipan lantern
This is the most valuable piece in our collection and is presumably the only left of its kind. Manufactured in Japan in the early 1940s, it was found in a bunker at the Battle of Saipan in 1944, where it and a sister had presumably been used at a Japanese command post on the island. Fascinated by their tiny size - only 21.6 cm tall and 8.5 cm wide and holding less than a cup of alcohol fuel - U.S. Marine Captain William E. Combs sent both lanterns to Coleman for analysis. Coleman discovered that their diminutive size came with serious repercussions, such as that the lanterns' fuel would last a mere three hours and could only produce 30 candlepower with its single mantle, a fifth of Coleman's single-mantle lanterns. The full details can be found in the news article here. |
 | NuLite Giant
This NuLite model 18 Giant lantern was found at a Fond du Lac rail depot antique shop. The tank holds about a half-gallon, which was its main selling point; however, with this came weight and size, which made it difficult to carry. It was likely used as a portable wall light due to the longevity of its light. The globe is made of mica and is original. |
 | Optimus 300P
A Swedish company known as Optimus made this two-mantle, 300 candlepower kerosene lantern which looks similar to Coleman's Col-Max lanterns. There is no date stamp on it, but it presumably from some time around the late 1940s or 1950s. |
 | Optimus 930
This kerosene lantern was also made by Optimus. Its specs are unclear, but it is a small one-mantle lantern that likely does not produce much light. A tag is attached. |
 | Primus No. 1020
Put the Transformer jokes aside - though Primus is also a Swedish company that manufactured kerosene lanterns, it has no relation to the company Optimus or the robot Optimus Prime. This kerosene lantern has a single mantle and is dated AR, which means 1952. |
 | Barricade Lanterns
These small, tinted oil lanterns were used on in-town barricades when the automotive industry was just exploding. These barricades were due to police activity or construction work and were warning lights to tell people to avoid those areas. Atypical to our collection, these are oil lamps, as opposed to gas pressure, but this is due to their sentimental value. The one on the left, a Supreme 210 from Milwaukee, was given to Jerry's father; the one on the right, a Little Supreme 350 from Madison, was given to Jerry's mother, both as gifts for the same occasion. These oil lamps date from the late 1910s to the 1920s. |
 | Thomas Kerosafe M1004
Thomas of Dayton, OH was a company that pioneered kerosene products, such as an iron and some lamps that this M1004 lantern can be seen with here. This lantern originally had an external pump which is equipped to its iron brother. The most unique thing about this lantern is the air holes near the top of the mica globe and the small neck beneath it - it is radically different from the typical lantern which breathes beneath the globe. |
