I would first like to say that I am a carpenter and would love to build or buy a Teardrop camper!
I wrote and book and got signed out about this subject of Coleman 200a Gold Bond lanterns. If you would like to comment about all of my videos, please feel fee to. I think that restoration is preservation with lanterns. I don't regret restoring my original Gold Bond lanterns. But I know many people think they should not be restored more than making them into working condition. I do agree that the best Gold bond lanterns are NOS in the box or untouched ones in nice condition, but I had several of them in horrible condition and restored them. I am a different person than the one who sold many of them as being fake Gold Bond lanterns. I have 11 original Gold Bond lanterns now. They are all in working condition.
Based upon the videos, do the look real, before and after? I do not know how anyone could say they are not. I am interested in how anyone could think they are not original with the original paint under the collar preserved. I do agree that such a rare lantern should not be restored unless they are in horrible condition like the ones in the videos. They are beautiful now. I do like the original ones I did not need to repaint better, except for the one that is in near mint condition. I know I paid too much for them, but they are awesome to me because of the rarity of them. I knew I could not outbid others, but time and money into them and make a profit. I sold 6 of them for $1000 I think and the buyer did not pay, thankfully! Lol.
All of my Gold Bond lanterns are original. It is bewildering to me how people can see the videos and pics and say they are fake. I have about $220 into each of them on average all bought online and could have returned them if they were fake. I have only found one in the wild and sold it to a friend.