Here is my first draft of a list of 523 and M-1942 (dual burner) stoves. A few notes: 1. As a first approach I compiled this list over the last year from a variety of sources and only include those stoves where photos showed date imprints. I am very confident that this list does not include all production years. 2. I also tried to determine some descriptive characteristics about the stoves from the photos, things like colors, frame types, manufacturer, tank types etc. If there is a question mark it means that there was no info available for this characteristic. Please let me know if there are other characteristics we need to add. 3. The requirement for a date stamp leaves out a period between 1967 and 1974 where IMO Coleman stopped using a date imprint and instead used the Coleman Model 523 USA MD imprint. This range based only on the data I have and needs more input. 4. The lack of Coleman data imprints on some stoves also limits what i know about the years for Coleman production. For example, data imprints past 1974 are only found on APC and SMP stoves. Does this mean that Coleman stopped making the 523 after 1974? I don't know.... 5. I have a powerpoint file with all the photos but i am leery about posting it publicly due to potential copyright problems. So... I hope that this list will foster interest in adding more data, based on the stoves that everyone has in their collections. I only have two - both are Coleman with no date imprint. Also, the attached file is a PDF - every time I tried to upload an excel file it caused an error. Send me an email if you want a copy of the excel file. Kevin
The M1942 two-burner was produced for government contracts. As far as I know, no company made them for commercial sale. The dates of manufacture correspond to the years that company was awarded the government contract to make stoves for the government. Up until the 1970s most government contracts specified the quantity of items that would be produced and the unit price. The government would issue a Request for Quotes (RFQ) or a Request to Purchase (RFP) for 10,000 M1942 stoves. Makers would submit their bid and the lowest bidder would get the contract. Later the government went to Indefinite Quantity (IDQ) indefinite delivery (IDD) contracts where the government said "We will guarantee to buy 10,000 units but may need as many as 50,000." Under that kind of contract the government can tell the vendor "Send us another 3,000 next week.) As long as they buy the minimum quantity specified the government gets as many as they need at a fixed price over the life of the contract. The contracts usually have a length of life, maybe a year, maybe ten years depending on the kind of item being ordered. My guess is after 1974 Coleman either wasn't interested in making the stoves or wasn't price competitive.
My interest, so far, is (esp WW2) earlier "Coleman" examples. with that view (for me) there are still plenty of open questions. like: "The approx. book end years of the production run (2 decades plus?) may already be here somewhere, anyone?" For Coleman 523 production run, so far, you find it began with a date-stamped 1943? yes as per early portion of spreadsheet ------------------------------ For 1945 you show Undated " U.S.A. M.D. " 523 in unmarked steel case. More rare steel case says early version to me (mid/late 40s) i have said: " U.S.A...M.D. "with space" after USA, ie hinged steel case.... " precedes SS lid Re c1945 There was one like that ^^^ that I didn't win . I saved pics, very complete 1945 or later, with "45" instructions 4 gens came in canvas pouch -------------------------------------- We might learn undated USA MD versions were also out in 1943/44?, but from what I've seen it may be more likely the 1st "USA MD" version was c 1945, all the USA MD versions, so far, are undated. ==================== You show no dated Coleman 1946-63... there are undated examples that might fit in that gap. Granted late 1945 WW2 major operations ended (with lots of pre-1946 "WW2 surplus" around) and 523 production may have abruptly shut down in late 45 (surely demand dropped to nothing or almost nothing). That said there were US army deployments 1946-63. If 523 production restarted in 1964 that aligns with US Army escalation in Vietnam. -------------------- above chb provides insight/clue: "The dates of manufacture correspond to the years that company was awarded the government contract to make stoves for the government."
OMC - a couple responses 1. "We might learn undated USA MD versions were also out in 1943/44?, but from what I've seen it may be more likely the 1st "USA MD" version was c 1945, all the USA MD versions, so far, are undated." - I am assuming that since Coleman stoves were dated in 43, 44, and 45 (?) that the USA MD stoves were after that date. But you could be correct that there were before that date. I have no data that supports either argument. - I would assume that Coleman continued to make stoves during the Korean War... so at least a few years in the early 50's there might have been production. - or alternatively, the USA MD stoves might have been made in years after 1967. Seems hard to believe that Coleman would not have made stoves to support the Vietnam war. 2. "You show no dated Coleman 1946-63. 1946-63" - If you scroll down the list you can find examples of Coleman stoves for 64, 65, 66, and 67. to 1967. 3. I wonder if there is any way to find the old government contracts for these stoves. I will see if i can find something via google. Also, if you have photos of a 1945 Coleman can you share them? It would be great to add them to my photo collection. I'm more than willing to share my photos as long as they aren't posted publicly (i dont want to get sued by Ebay or anyone else...). Just send me an email and I send you the file. Kevin
bump @KMC for now, so far, we 2 agree: "You show no dated Coleman 1946-63. 1946-63" any progress you care to share, on any of this? It is a worthy topic. ------------------- you seem to have a bit of 1 hand tied behind your back approach, re sharing. am i missing something? CCF images and content. CCF ownership may have changed hands recently? Posts on CCS, not recently, have linked to CCF content, Doing so obviously credits the source. So a linked list of examples seems easy enough. You mentioned sourcing some detail from CCF, that is a methiod to share findings. I'm unaware of legal pitfall linking direct to sources. On CCS obviously you can link onsite-sources. Maybe, in a perfect world CCS & CCF admin could open-post a fluid agreement clarifying / blessing the sharing of open-posted (non-subscription) information between the 2 sites. Once i post an image on CCS, CCS iirc honors that poster has rights of image BUT CCS does whatever they want onsite... a-ok by me AND most all is open-posted (easy copy for anyone anywhere). I'm NOT suggesting re-use of material, just that there is easy open-access to 97%? of it. Ebay images, is for me case by case. Re more rare examples (a bid war i lost): i congratulate the happy seller with the above average sale price, adding that I was outbid but did save the images and... REQUEST, along lines of: This item/stove may be of interest in future online discussion, if so, I hope it is ok if i refer to your images [for very rare item request/particulars may be more verbose, credit sourced y/n, how]. Often the answer is various "ok". Non answers are common. I can not recall anyone saying "no". If "ok" is the reply, save the text to same file as the images, legal & done.
Bump @KMC Adding some additional information on the 523 stoves. Feel free to use any photos you like I found this at an AZ flea market, it appears to have been fired but unused. I will try to follow the format of your draft list appears to be 1964-1967 Coleman, No label, Black frame, green tank, Aluminum case SS lid with medical imprint, round tank, filler plug centered in end, frame top original. 2 short tubes, aluminum with brass caps, filled, wrench attached to frame. complete spare parts kit 9r-10285 includes: all items still in envelopes 4 vaporizers 520-200, 2 filler plug gaskets 104-136, 1 filler plug 523-140, 1 wrench 520-950, valve stem packing 18B620, cleaner rod needles x2 520-521, filler screen x2 523-259, pump leather 216-509. marking USA MD no periods between any letters, and a space between A and M see photo The photos will probably answer any other questions. If you can narrow down the dates it would be appreciated Tom
