"The Efficient" pendant arc lamp, No. 6,
was manufactured by Irby & Gilliland

in Memphis, Tennessee, 1899-1903.
After selling these lamps for Irby & Gilliland,
W. C. Coleman bought the company.
This nickel plated lamp is in Dick Sellers' collection.

The Efficient was replaced by the Coleman Arc Lamp.
This one is also embossed Made by The Hydrocarbon Light Co.
This lamp, No. 7846, has the original preheater rod and cup
and brass chimney cap on a reproduction mica chimney;
all other parts on the lamp are original as well.
This "Abilene Historic Society lamp" is in Dick Sellers' collection.

This Coleman Model PQ chandelier lamp
is reported to have been used in a railroad station in southern Ontario
which could explain why it came with #334 Coleman metal shades
which are not often seen on this model.
This lamp is in Glenn Knapke's collection.

The Model R Reading Lamp with a # 74 shade.
Less than 20,000 of this model were shipped
between 1909 and 1916.
Note the upper air regulator screw.
The burner shape helps distribute heat from the mantles to the generator.
This lamp is in Ron and Charleen Becker's collection.

This Model A, the first designated "Air-O-Lite,"
was introduced 2 years after the Model R, in 1911.
Fewer than 25,000 were made in the 13 months it was in production.
It had a curved air tube and an improved burner.
The 306 shade was the standard shade for this model.
This lamp is in Jim & Jan Nichols' collection.

The Model H torch lit lamps were made from 1912 - 1916
and came with the 306 shade as seen here (left image).
The smoke bell in this model has an unique design (right image).
The filler plug includes black fiber.
This lamp is in Jim and Jan Nichols' collection

This is the Ker-O-Lite No. AVK307 lamp
with the # 307 matching shade.
Coleman shipped 4,284 of this model
between 1913 and 1918.
Note the arc lantern burners.
This lamp is in Ron and Charleen Becker's collection.

These Model "A" Air-O-Lite lamps
were made in the US from ca. 1911-22.
The lamp on the left, in George Rocen's collection,
has the shade holder and heat bell.
The lamp on the right, in Dick Sellers' collection,
is outfitted with a Coleman 314C shade.

The Model "M" Air-O-Lite (left) and Model "N" Air-O-Lite (right) lamps.
The Model "M" was made in Wichita, Kansas, from 1915 to 1919.
George Rocen also has the wrench and torch for preheating the generator on this lamp.
The Model "N", in Shirley Willard's collection,
lacks the tip cleaner of the Model "M" and dates to the same time period.

Coleman made the Model AQ around 1918-1920.
This one, in Fil Graff's collection,
has a 318 Coleman shade that was made later.
This model has the fuel valve above the handle
and a Q70 Quick-Lite burner;
the fuel filler cap is under the bell cover.

An alcohol torch preheater was supplied with lamps as the above
as well as with lighting systems and street lamps.
The torch soaked in the alcohol in the bottle
and was applied to the stem of the lamp below the mantles
where it was allowed to burn down to preheat the lamp for running.
This is in John Carriere's collection.

This is the CQ 329 table lamp with small bug screens.
The Coleman company denoted the model with the shade number in sales brochures.
This was the CQ gasoline lamp with a 329 shade.
The "Protect-a-lite" screens were made to prevent flying insects
that were drawn to the light from breaking the mantles.
This lamp is in the collection of Dwayne Hanson.

Coleman began selling the Whirling Hand Demonstrator to dealers in 1922
so they could demonstrate the safety of Quick-Lite lamps in any position by rotating the lamp.
The clamp (bottom) holds the hexagonal valve securely.
The embossing (middle) is at the top of the cast iron stand.
This device is in Jim & Jan Nichols's collection.

Model CQ 333.
The sales literature lists this lamp as the combination shown.
It was sold complete with shade and large "Protect-a-lite" screen.
This lamp is also in the collection of Dwayne Hanson.

Coleman also painted the brass founts of the CQ lamp in three colors -
Antique Gold, Flemish Brass, and Roman Bronze.
Unfortunately no one has any literature that shows which color is which!
These three lamps, in Dick Sellers' collection,
are all undated and have #335 shades.

The Model CQ was made with a variety of shades.
Here it has a 335A fringed shade.
The fringe is reproduction material
on the original painted glass.
This lamp is in Jim and Jan Nichols' collection.

Not all early shades were glass; these pre-1924 CQ lamps
are outfitted with a 334 green and white enameled steel shade (left)
and a 334 white and white enameled shade (right), both made by Coleman.
The lamp and shade on the left is in Dick Sellers' collection
while the lamp and shade on the right is in Kelly Williams' collection.

Neil McRae identified this lamp as

Air-O-Lite Model DT from a 1924 catalog

where it is described as a "recent addition to the Coleman line."

This lamp, in Rodney Redondo's collection, has a 2 quart Armco fount

and N type torch lighting burner.

Coleman may have sold this as a later version of their Model 3 Reading lamp.

Coleman made the Model 532 for the Sunshine Safety Lamp Co.
Kansas City, Missouri.
It is similar to the CQ but has a wood handle
and the generator nut threads are female rather than male as on the CQ.
This lamp, with the original shade,
is in Shirley Willard's collection.

These lamps were made by Coleman for other companies.
The first lamp (left and center left) is stamped Arcolite CL 513 on the bottom of the fount
and was made for the Yale Light Co. of Chicago, which merged with Coleman in 1914.
It is in Shirley Willard's collection.
Model WZ (center right) was made for Sears, Wards, Savage, et al.
and has the same burner and 306 shade as the CL 513.

Coleman made few of the De Luxe Quick-Lite lamps (left)
and fewer of the De Luxe (Quick-Lite) Parlor lamps (right) in the mid 1920's.
The two-piece shade and pot metal fount covers on the lamp on the left
were made by Edward Miller as was the one-piece fount on the right.
Fil Graff owns the lamp on the left, which is running,
and Jim and Jan Nichols own the one on the right.
Note the two different designs on the fount covers.