Another Thursday, another estate sale.
As I walked in the garage the guy that runs the tools and stuff points to a table for me. "Yup, I already saw it's green head poking up" I says as I can see the green tall vent cap and globe of a 220. A 220E or earlier sticking up from a table of old tools, and other stuff that tend to collect in garages. I am hoping for a 220D or bless my lucky stars a 220B. Is there a 220C? I make my way over not knowing if someone blocking my progress was going to grab it first. But no luck. I find a very dusty 220E, fuel knob missing, Vent not to bad of shape, no dents on the font, collar is not rusted.
Ok, what do I need with yet another 220E I swear when the traveling salesmen traveled through these parts all they had was 220Es this is about the 5th one I have found here in less than 2 years. Five of them or their close cousins. I have only found 2 single mantel lanterns here. A 242C and a 200A. All others have been 220Es, plus one direct ancestor L227, one 220B, and the mutated 220 that is the Mil Spec 252.
Then as I am about to leave the table and make my way through the crush of people that is getting worse and worse in the confined garage with a mess of tables of old "Man Cave" stuff I noticed I had all most missed this shinny thing laying on its side next to the 220E. At first I think it is one of those old parabolic electric heaters with a ceramic heater with exposed nichrome wire and all in the center. But wait, there is no old cloth covered electric cord. What is this? I ask my myself. I pick it up and low and behold there is the unmistakable glass globe and ceramic coved vent cap where the electric element should be, and a shiny nickel plated font and a pump sticking out of it. Not Coleman at all but a pressure gas device of some manufacture. I grab it and clutching my finds I make my way through the crowd and into the house to look for more booty. Only thing there I see of interest to me is a Kimball organ, a very cheap one for $80. I am holding out for a Hammond B3. Those just smell of my kind of rock and roll, a Hammond B3 and Leslie speakers. In portable enclosures please, I want to grab hold of the sucker and rock it back and forth as I play keyboards with my foot. Of course with my age it would have to be a prosthetic foot I can take off and use in my hand to hit the keys. Ok, back to earth star child, you will never be a Ray Manzareck. Get these paid for and lets go home and see what we got.
I get home. No name on it I can find. On the bottom of the font it is made in United Kingdom. Not England, not Brittan, not even Great Brittan but the United Kingdom. And a number 963xA. There is a sticker on the back of the reflector with instructions and name of the importer, someplace in Florida. No Zip Code. Ok gives instructions, it uses kerosene and how to pre heat it with alcohol I turn the globe about and and and ................
IT'S A TILLEY!!!!!!!!!
Wow, I never expected to see one of these. It is in very good condition, just dusty. The pump works. Do not know yet if the o ring is good but does not look to bad. The mantel is much like a Coleman 51 but maybe a bit larger. Still not sure where to put the alcohol. I can't find anything like on Terry's site, still looking.
Well, that was my morning.
Randy
by campmaster-k » Wed Feb 15, 2012 9:57 am 
