Aladdin lamps

[72Rover]

I know that TeriAnn is an aficionado of Aladdin lamps, and I've owned one almost as long as I've owned the Rover. I have several now. (The things have gotten bloody expensive as of late.) Not only do they have a significant - and silent - light output equivalent to a 40 watt bulb, they put out a lot of heat - which is nice to have for winter power outages.

BUT...The mantles have become unavailable on these shores, or cost a princely sum. Curiously, almost every E-Bay listing is for NOS from the UK. (People are even selling *empty* boxes for 5 quid....)

Traditionally and,for over a century, these have been made with thorium, a mildly radioactive element. Supposedly, they have been re-engineered using yytrium. Wonder if there is the same problem with Coleman gas mantels? Most outlets that claim they have 'em is stock will say "shipping in July 2022".... If you can find a non-working one in a antique store, buy it. Parts for older models are still readily available - except for the mantels, that is.

[RustCollector]

I just checked TerriAnn's site to see what you're talking about. There are so many types that I have to ask which ones you use. Most look pretty fancy or fragile. Do you take them camping in the Rover?

Sadly, I cannot help you at all with mantels.

[72Rover]

I've got two of the latter-day Type 23s. One is an aluminium wall mount with shade, the other a brass table lamp. The brand has evolved over the century and was quite popular at one time, as few if any non-pressurized lamps could generate the same level of illumination, that is, until Edison's invention became universal. But the design - particularly the tall chimney that generates the draft - is too fragile for camping. But for emergency lighting around the home, they are unrivaled.

[series guy]

Plus there’s the genie on call advantage

[50 wulf]

I never knew about the Aladdin lamps. We've always used Colemans My current one is a Coleman Northstar and hasn't required a mantle change since new (10yrs). I have several packs laying around. I remember the older Coleman ones breaking constantly. I haven't fired it up in a while and did just to test it. Came right on!

[72Rover]

I've got three Colemans, two with double mantels, and one single. The newest is fifty years old plus.... All work just fine. But the Aladdin is absolutely silent...but then there is that impressive output from the Northstar.... It's a mantel design I haven't seen before.

[Paul D]

We used to use this one as the primary light source at our camp when I was a kid +60 years ago. It was old then. It probably came from my grandparents farm in Belgrade, Maine. Now relegated to display status these days.

[72Rover]

Now relegated to display status these days

That thing will work! Use it! You'll need a new wick and mantle - the 'old' style - but it should fire right up. The important bits are all there....

[Rusty Goose]

We use two different types at my cabin in CO. The "regular" type with a flat wick about 1' wide, puts out decent amount of light, about like a big candle. The other type is a hurricane lamp with a round tube shaped wick. The base of the lamp has a hole through the oil reservoir down through the base. Air is drawn from under the lamp through the center of the wick, burned then up through a quite long glass chimney. It burns much hotter/brighter than the standard. Both are blissfully quiet compared to the Coleman lanterns.

[72Rover]

An Aladdin uses the same circular wick and draw tube that delivers air to the 'inside' of the flame. But the tall chimney increases air flow exponentially, causing the mantel to incandesce, resulting in magnitudes of light output. Considering the UK-oriented vehicle proclivities of this board, does anyone have a Tilley lamp? These were ubiquitous in the British isles until displaced by electricity. Similar to a Coleman in that it uses pressurized fuel, it burns kero instead of white gas.

When I was in North Africa, I needed fuel for my little Svea camping stove. I found that "essence blanche" - literally 'white gas' used as a dry cleaning fluid - worked well.

Cheers

[series guy]

I have two Tilley lamps that are in excellent working condition.

[loose gravel]

I love the light output of the pressurized fuel lamps though I dislike the frelling noise and the constant mantle changing when out camping. Yes, I have carried them in a bespoke case, maybe I just ran rougher terrain than you. ;^) Anyone want to buy a couple of Coleman.........

I now use the laid back Hurricane lamp, made by Feuerhand; https://www.feuerhand.com/ It is like the Dietz lamp you may be more familiar with. I say laid back because it is just fill and light, no pressure, no noise.

[pitchrollyaw]

Cool how many of us have the same vices here.....antique oil lamps are a passive hobby, meaning I don't seek them out, but they seem to find me. This thread has me hankering for a Coleman mantle lamp. The sound, while slightly annoying, brings back good memories.

Feuerhand makes a quality lamp, and the only remaining non "low cost region" manufacturer I believe.

[50 wulf]

...The sound, while slightly annoying, brings back good memories.

Takes me right back to childhood camping trips. Cooking stew by the campfire and telling family stories...