The very first Coleman lantern in our family was a 1958 Model 220B which my Dad received as a retirement gift. He was a fisherman but not a camper, so it was used over the years by myself and my buddies! I had always wanted a 200A because it was single mantle and seemed to be less troublesome and easier to light than a double mantle.

Don & Jan's 3 favorite light producers: Gold Bond 228, 160 Kero Lamp and their 236.

Their very favorite: The red Canadian 4A Iron.

But, as things always seem to go a person never seems to get what they want because they keep shoving it aside. Anyway as life went on I never did get one and when I finally decided to buy one, they had quit making them!! In 1993 Jan and I were in an antique shop in Red Wing, Minnesota just looking around for nothing in particular when I spotted a 200A in really rough shape with no globe or handle. It cost $5.00 and I knew I could bring it back to life, which I did. I called the Coleman factory with the hope of finding a handle for it. Lucky for me I had Shelly Thurman on the other end of the phone to help me. She explained that the handles were no longer available, and gave me a few leads as to where I might get one. I thanked her and asked her if she could identify one other Coleman lantern I had picked up over the years.

Irons, irons and more irons!.

Their iron collection, starting with the Hydrocarbon far left.

I described it and she asked me if the "pump was attached to the tank". I said yes, but was curious as to why she asked such a question because I thought they were all attached! She identified my lantern, then I asked her what she meant about the pump being attached. She then proceeded to explain about the early lamps, lanterns& irons that did not have attached pumps! I was absolutely amazed! I asked what they looked like and she said the easiest thing to find was a blue iron! I was amazed once more.

Arc Lantern surrounded by beautiful Colemans and Alladins

Don and one of his more memorable lanterns!

Wall of Canadian Coleman

From that day, I was hooked on Coleman collecting, and we attended our first meet in Wichita in 1995. It has been a very interesting hobby and Jan and I have met many people and made a lot of friends.

Don and Jan Colston

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